diff --git a/cmd/server/main.go b/cmd/server/main.go
index 9333166..e04bf9d 100644
--- a/cmd/server/main.go
+++ b/cmd/server/main.go
@@ -37,18 +37,18 @@ func main() {
 	}
 	defer store.Close()
 
-	// Seed SMTP defaults from environment variables into DB if not yet configured in DB
-	store.SeedSMTPDefaultsFromEnv(cfg.SMTPHost, cfg.SMTPPort, cfg.SMTPUser, cfg.SMTPPass, cfg.SMTPFrom, cfg.SMTPTLS, cfg.SMTPSkipVerify)
-
 	if cfg.DemoMode {
-		slog.Info("🧪 Demo-Modus aktiv (MINDA_DEMO=true): Richte Demo-Benutzer admin/admin und user/user ein...")
-		if err := store.EnsureDemoAccounts(); err != nil {
-			slog.Warn("⚠️ Fehler beim Anlegen der Demo-Accounts", "error", err)
+		slog.Info("🧪 Demo-Modus aktiv: Setze Datenbank zurück und richte Demo-Accounts ein...")
+		if err := store.ResetAndSeedDemo(); err != nil {
+			slog.Warn("⚠️ Fehler beim Einrichten des Demo-Modus", "error", err)
 		} else {
 			slog.Info("✅ Demo-Accounts bereit: admin / admin (Admin-Rolle) und user / user (Standard-Rolle)")
 		}
 	}
 
+	// Seed SMTP defaults from environment variables into DB if not yet configured in DB
+	store.SeedSMTPDefaultsFromEnv(cfg.SMTPHost, cfg.SMTPPort, cfg.SMTPUser, cfg.SMTPPass, cfg.SMTPFrom, cfg.SMTPTLS, cfg.SMTPSkipVerify)
+
 	wsHub := ws.NewHub()
 
 	staticFS, err := fs.Sub(embeddedDist, "dist")
diff --git a/internal/storage/demo.go b/internal/storage/demo.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..bee0bcf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/storage/demo.go
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+package storage
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"log/slog"
+)
+
+// ResetAndSeedDemo drops all tables, recreates the schema, and seeds demo accounts and demo data.
+func (s *Store) ResetAndSeedDemo() error {
+	if err := s.dropAllTables(); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("reset demo: drop all tables: %w", err)
+	}
+	if err := s.migrate(); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("reset demo: migrate schema: %w", err)
+	}
+	if err := s.EnsureDemoAccounts(); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("reset demo: ensure demo accounts: %w", err)
+	}
+	slog.Info("🧹 Demo-Modus: Datenbank für Testumgebung zurückgesetzt und neu befüllt")
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/internal/storage/demo_test.go b/internal/storage/demo_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..21f637c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/storage/demo_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,104 @@
+package storage
+
+import (
+	"path/filepath"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/sandrodach/mindsift/internal/auth"
+)
+
+func TestResetAndSeedDemo(t *testing.T) {
+	tmpDir := t.TempDir()
+	dbPath := filepath.Join(tmpDir, "demo_test.db")
+
+	store, err := NewStore(dbPath)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("NewStore failed: %v", err)
+	}
+	defer store.Close()
+
+	// Create custom user and data
+	hash, _ := auth.HashPassword("secret")
+	customUser, err := store.CreateUserWithUsername("custom@test.local", "customuser", hash, "Custom", "member")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("CreateUser failed: %v", err)
+	}
+	_, err = store.CreateThought(customUser.ID, "A personal secret note", "normal", "manual", "")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("CreateThought failed: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	// Call ResetAndSeedDemo
+	if err := store.ResetAndSeedDemo(); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("ResetAndSeedDemo failed: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	// Custom user must be wiped
+	u, err := store.GetUserByID(customUser.ID)
+	if err == nil && u != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("expected custom user to be wiped, but still found: %v", u)
+	}
+
+	// Demo accounts admin and user must exist
+	admin, err := store.GetUserByLogin("admin")
+	if err != nil || admin == nil {
+		t.Fatalf("expected demo admin to exist after reset: %v", err)
+	}
+	user, err := store.GetUserByLogin("user")
+	if err != nil || user == nil {
+		t.Fatalf("expected demo user to exist after reset: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	// Resetting again should work cleanly (idempotence on repeated server starts)
+	if err := store.ResetAndSeedDemo(); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("second ResetAndSeedDemo failed: %v", err)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestWithoutDemoModeDataIsNotWiped(t *testing.T) {
+	tmpDir := t.TempDir()
+	dbPath := filepath.Join(tmpDir, "nodemo_test.db")
+
+	// 1. Initial start without demo mode
+	store1, err := NewStore(dbPath)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("first NewStore failed: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	hash, _ := auth.HashPassword("secret123")
+	user1, err := store1.CreateUserWithUsername("persistent@example.com", "persistent", hash, "Persistent", "member")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("CreateUserWithUsername failed: %v", err)
+	}
+	thought1, err := store1.CreateThought(user1.ID, "Important persistent note #keep", "high", "manual", "")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("CreateThought failed: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	// Close store simulating server shutdown
+	store1.Close()
+
+	// 2. Server restart without demo mode (standard NewStore)
+	store2, err := NewStore(dbPath)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("second NewStore failed: %v", err)
+	}
+	defer store2.Close()
+
+	// Verify existing data is preserved
+	foundUser, err := store2.GetUserByID(user1.ID)
+	if err != nil || foundUser == nil {
+		t.Fatalf("expected user %s to be preserved without demo mode, err: %v", user1.ID, err)
+	}
+	if foundUser.Username != "persistent" {
+		t.Fatalf("expected username 'persistent', got '%s'", foundUser.Username)
+	}
+
+	thoughts, err := store2.GetThoughts(user1.ID, "", 10)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("GetThoughts failed: %v", err)
+	}
+	if len(thoughts) != 1 || thoughts[0].ID != thought1.ID {
+		t.Fatalf("expected thought %s to persist, got: %v", thought1.ID, thoughts)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/internal/storage/sqlite.go b/internal/storage/sqlite.go
index d3b68fe..8cdfef9 100644
--- a/internal/storage/sqlite.go
+++ b/internal/storage/sqlite.go
@@ -70,6 +70,11 @@ func (s *Store) resetOutdatedSchema() error {
 	if version >= schemaVersion {
 		return nil
 	}
+	slog.Warn("Veraltetes Datenbankschema: alle Daten werden gelöscht und neu angelegt", "version", version, "neu", schemaVersion)
+	return s.dropAllTables()
+}
+
+func (s *Store) dropAllTables() error {
 	conn, err := s.db.Conn(context.Background())
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
@@ -88,9 +93,7 @@ func (s *Store) resetOutdatedSchema() error {
 		}
 	}
 	_ = rows.Close()
-	if len(tables) > 0 {
-		slog.Warn("Veraltetes Datenbankschema: alle Daten werden gelöscht und neu angelegt", "version", version, "neu", schemaVersion)
-	}
+
 	if _, err := conn.ExecContext(ctx, `PRAGMA foreign_keys = OFF`); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}