diff --git a/veza-backend-api/migrations/983_seller_transfers_reversal_pending_not_null.sql b/veza-backend-api/migrations/983_seller_transfers_reversal_pending_not_null.sql
index dc3bf215a..608e06a6a 100644
--- a/veza-backend-api/migrations/983_seller_transfers_reversal_pending_not_null.sql
+++ b/veza-backend-api/migrations/983_seller_transfers_reversal_pending_not_null.sql
@@ -21,10 +21,22 @@
 -- legitimately NULL in the other statuses (pending, completed,
 -- failed without pending retry, reversed, permanently_failed).
 
-ALTER TABLE seller_transfers
-    ADD CONSTRAINT chk_reversal_pending_has_next_retry_at
-    CHECK (status <> 'reversal_pending' OR next_retry_at IS NOT NULL)
-    NOT VALID;
+-- ADD CONSTRAINT is not natively IF NOT EXISTS in Postgres — the
+-- DO block catches `duplicate_object` so re-running the migration
+-- (test runs, manual psql apply, re-deploys) is a no-op. Same shape
+-- the runner expects from other idempotent migrations in this
+-- directory.
+DO $$
+BEGIN
+    ALTER TABLE seller_transfers
+        ADD CONSTRAINT chk_reversal_pending_has_next_retry_at
+        CHECK (status <> 'reversal_pending' OR next_retry_at IS NOT NULL)
+        NOT VALID;
+EXCEPTION
+    WHEN duplicate_object THEN
+        -- constraint already present (prior manual apply or prior run)
+        NULL;
+END $$;
 
 -- NOT VALID creates the constraint without scanning existing rows.
 -- Pre-v1.0.7.2 rows are grandfathered — item A + day 2 of B don't