diff --git a/cmd/server/tests/podcast_test.go b/cmd/server/tests/podcast_test.go
index 32001f00..2357f035 100644
--- a/cmd/server/tests/podcast_test.go
+++ b/cmd/server/tests/podcast_test.go
@@ -471,6 +471,34 @@ func TestDeleteMediaItemPodcastGuard(t *testing.T) {
 	})
 }
 
+// ---- reader_settings key width (§10 R5, item 2.1): composite
+// prefix:<uuid> keys have headroom past the old 50-char ceiling ----
+
+func TestReaderSettingsCompositeKeyHeadroom(t *testing.T) {
+	setup := setupTestServer(t)
+	userID := getRegularUserID(t, setup.DB)
+
+	// 57 chars — the deferred podcast_custom_order:<uuid> shape. Under
+	// the old VARCHAR(50) this upsert fails; the widening (item 2.1)
+	// makes it ordinary preference state.
+	key := "podcast_custom_order:01921a2b-3c4d-5e6f-7a8b-9c0d1e2f3a4b"
+	require.Len(t, key, 57, "sentinel: the pinned key must exceed the old VARCHAR(50)")
+
+	err := setup.DB.UpsertUserSettingByKey(seedCtx(), database.UpsertUserSettingByKeyParams{
+		UserID:       pgtype.UUID{Bytes: userID, Valid: true},
+		SettingKey:   key,
+		SettingValue: []byte(`{"order":"custom"}`),
+	})
+	require.NoError(t, err, "composite keys longer than 50 chars must store (VARCHAR(120) headroom)")
+
+	val, err := setup.DB.GetUserSettingByKey(seedCtx(), database.GetUserSettingByKeyParams{
+		UserID:     pgtype.UUID{Bytes: userID, Valid: true},
+		SettingKey: key,
+	})
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	require.JSONEq(t, `{"order":"custom"}`, string(val))
+}
+
 // ---- download worker: state machine, idempotency, file layout ----
 
 func TestPodcastDownloadWorker(t *testing.T) {
diff --git a/database/schema/schema.sql b/database/schema/schema.sql
index b22f7a40..ac99748e 100644
--- a/database/schema/schema.sql
+++ b/database/schema/schema.sql
@@ -1628,12 +1628,19 @@ CREATE INDEX IF NOT EXISTS idx_dictionary_word ON dictionary_cache(word);
 CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS reader_settings (
   id UUID PRIMARY KEY DEFAULT gen_random_uuid(),
   user_id UUID NOT NULL REFERENCES users(id) ON DELETE CASCADE,
-  setting_key VARCHAR(50) NOT NULL,
+  setting_key VARCHAR(120) NOT NULL,
   setting_value JSONB NOT NULL,
   updated_at TIMESTAMPTZ DEFAULT NOW(),
   UNIQUE(user_id, setting_key)
 );
 
+-- Key-width headroom (podcast plan §10 R5, item 2.1): the composite
+-- `podcast_order:<uuid>` key sits at exactly 50 chars, and future
+-- per-feed/per-collection preference keys must not be forced to
+-- payload-stuff by a column width. Widening a varchar is metadata-only
+-- (no table rewrite); idempotent on every boot.
+ALTER TABLE reader_settings ALTER COLUMN setting_key TYPE VARCHAR(120);
+
 CREATE INDEX IF NOT EXISTS idx_reader_settings_user ON reader_settings(user_id);
 
 -- PDF bookmarks (custom user bookmarks)