diff --git a/common/database/database_update_manifest.h b/common/database/database_update_manifest.h
index 2671ad4ce..1cce442f0 100644
--- a/common/database/database_update_manifest.h
+++ b/common/database/database_update_manifest.h
@@ -7192,14 +7192,15 @@ ALTER TABLE `character_parcels_containers`
 	},
 	ManifestEntry{
 		.version = 9329,
-		.description = "2025_06_27_add_suppressed_to_character_buffs.sql",
+		.description = "2026_03_08_add_suppressed_to_character_buffs.sql",
 		.check = "SHOW COLUMNS FROM `character_buffs` LIKE 'suppressed'",
 		.condition = "empty",
 		.match = "",
 		.sql = R"(
 ALTER TABLE `character_buffs`
 	ADD COLUMN `suppressed` tinyint(1) unsigned NOT NULL DEFAULT 0 AFTER `instrument_mod`;
-)"
+)",
+		.content_schema_update = false
 	},
 // -- template; copy/paste this when you need to create a new entry
 //	ManifestEntry{
diff --git a/zone/cli/tests/cli_zone_state.cpp b/zone/cli/tests/cli_zone_state.cpp
index 1eb391a81..2a8591341 100644
--- a/zone/cli/tests/cli_zone_state.cpp
+++ b/zone/cli/tests/cli_zone_state.cpp
@@ -828,9 +828,9 @@ inline void TestHpManaEnd()
 
 inline void TestClientBuffPersistence()
 {
-	constexpr uint32 test_character_id = 99999991;
-	constexpr uint16 normal_spell_id   = 6824;
-	constexpr uint16 suppressed_spell_id = 6824;
+	constexpr uint32 test_character_id  = 99999991;
+	constexpr uint16 normal_spell_id    = 6824;
+	constexpr uint16 suppressed_spell_id = 2550;
 
 	auto schema_check = database.QueryDatabase("SHOW COLUMNS FROM `character_buffs` LIKE 'suppressed'");
 	RunTest(
diff --git a/zone/zonedb.cpp b/zone/zonedb.cpp
index 61229916c..4dfbdec29 100644
--- a/zone/zonedb.cpp
+++ b/zone/zonedb.cpp
@@ -2925,15 +2925,33 @@ void ZoneDatabase::SaveBuffs(Client *client)
 		v.emplace_back(e);
 	}
 
-	database.TransactionBegin();
+	const auto begin_result = database.QueryDatabase("START TRANSACTION");
+	if (!begin_result.Success()) {
+		LogError(
+			"Failed to begin buff save transaction for character [{}] [{}]: {}",
+			client->GetCleanName(),
+			client->CharacterID(),
+			begin_result.ErrorMessage()
+		);
+		return;
+	}
 
-	CharacterBuffsRepository::DeleteWhere(
-		database,
+	const auto delete_result = database.QueryDatabase(
 		fmt::format(
-			"`character_id` = {}",
+			"DELETE FROM `character_buffs` WHERE `character_id` = {}",
 			client->CharacterID()
 		)
 	);
+	if (!delete_result.Success()) {
+		database.TransactionRollback();
+		LogError(
+			"Failed to delete existing buffs for character [{}] [{}]: {}",
+			client->GetCleanName(),
+			client->CharacterID(),
+			delete_result.ErrorMessage()
+		);
+		return;
+	}
 
 	if (!v.empty()) {
 		const auto saved_count = CharacterBuffsRepository::ReplaceMany(database, v);