diff --git a/cmd/synapbus/main.go b/cmd/synapbus/main.go
index ec2b592..94aa864 100644
--- a/cmd/synapbus/main.go
+++ b/cmd/synapbus/main.go
@@ -344,8 +344,8 @@ func runServe(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 	}
 	// Leave IssuerURL empty for localhost — metadata handler falls back to r.Host
 
-	userStore := auth.NewSQLiteUserStore(db.DB, authCfg.BcryptCost)
-	sessionStore := auth.NewSQLiteSessionStore(db.DB)
+	userStore := auth.NewSQLiteUserStoreWithRead(db.DB, db.QueryDB(), authCfg.BcryptCost)
+	sessionStore := auth.NewSQLiteSessionStoreWithRead(db.DB, db.QueryDB())
 	clientStore := auth.NewSQLiteClientStore(db.DB, authCfg.BcryptCost)
 	fositeStore := auth.NewFositeStore(db.DB, authCfg.BcryptCost)
 	oauthProvider := auth.NewOAuthProvider(authCfg, fositeStore)
diff --git a/internal/auth/session_store.go b/internal/auth/session_store.go
index de69c64..66a9ace 100644
--- a/internal/auth/session_store.go
+++ b/internal/auth/session_store.go
@@ -20,13 +20,34 @@ type SessionStore interface {
 }
 
 // SQLiteSessionStore implements SessionStore using SQLite.
+//
+// Uses separate write + read connection pools when available. The
+// write pool has MaxOpenConns=1 so long-running writes (reactor, trace
+// recorder) would otherwise serialize every session lookup and wedge
+// the UI. Reads (GetSession) go through the read pool; writes
+// (CreateSession, DeleteSession, bumping last_active_at) still use
+// the write pool. If no read pool is wired, both fall back to the
+// same handle for backward compat.
 type SQLiteSessionStore struct {
-	db *sql.DB
+	db        *sql.DB
+	readDB    *sql.DB
 }
 
 // NewSQLiteSessionStore creates a new SQLite-backed session store.
+// When only a write handle is provided the same handle is used for
+// both reads and writes (pre-spec-018 behaviour).
 func NewSQLiteSessionStore(db *sql.DB) *SQLiteSessionStore {
-	return &SQLiteSessionStore{db: db}
+	return &SQLiteSessionStore{db: db, readDB: db}
+}
+
+// NewSQLiteSessionStoreWithRead creates a SessionStore that routes
+// GetSession SELECTs through readDB while using writeDB for inserts,
+// deletes, and the last_active_at bump.
+func NewSQLiteSessionStoreWithRead(writeDB, readDB *sql.DB) *SQLiteSessionStore {
+	if readDB == nil {
+		readDB = writeDB
+	}
+	return &SQLiteSessionStore{db: writeDB, readDB: readDB}
 }
 
 // CreateSession creates a new session with a cryptographically random session ID.
@@ -57,10 +78,17 @@ func (s *SQLiteSessionStore) CreateSession(ctx context.Context, userID int64, li
 	}, nil
 }
 
-// GetSession retrieves a session by its ID. Returns ErrSessionExpired if the session has expired.
+// GetSession retrieves a session by its ID. Returns ErrSessionExpired
+// if the session has expired.
+//
+// Reads go through the read pool (high MaxOpenConns, query_only=ON) so
+// session validation on every authenticated request never contends
+// with the single-connection write pool. The last_active_at bump is
+// fire-and-forget on a background goroutine — it's a liveness
+// indicator only and must not block the HTTP handler.
 func (s *SQLiteSessionStore) GetSession(ctx context.Context, sessionID string) (*Session, error) {
 	session := &Session{}
-	err := s.db.QueryRowContext(ctx,
+	err := s.readDB.QueryRowContext(ctx,
 		`SELECT session_id, user_id, created_at, expires_at, last_active_at
 		 FROM sessions WHERE session_id = ?`, sessionID,
 	).Scan(&session.SessionID, &session.UserID, &session.CreatedAt,
@@ -73,16 +101,25 @@ func (s *SQLiteSessionStore) GetSession(ctx context.Context, sessionID string) (
 	}
 
 	if time.Now().After(session.ExpiresAt) {
-		// Clean up the expired session
-		s.DeleteSession(ctx, sessionID)
+		// Clean up the expired session (async — not on the hot path).
+		go func(id string) {
+			bg, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 5*time.Second)
+			defer cancel()
+			_ = s.DeleteSession(bg, id)
+		}(sessionID)
 		return nil, ErrSessionExpired
 	}
 
-	// Update last_active_at
-	s.db.ExecContext(ctx,
-		`UPDATE sessions SET last_active_at = CURRENT_TIMESTAMP WHERE session_id = ?`,
-		sessionID,
-	)
+	// Update last_active_at in the background so the HTTP handler
+	// doesn't wait on the write pool for a non-critical liveness bump.
+	go func(id string) {
+		bg, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 5*time.Second)
+		defer cancel()
+		_, _ = s.db.ExecContext(bg,
+			`UPDATE sessions SET last_active_at = CURRENT_TIMESTAMP WHERE session_id = ?`,
+			id,
+		)
+	}(sessionID)
 
 	return session, nil
 }
diff --git a/internal/auth/user_store.go b/internal/auth/user_store.go
index f9d3a6d..6cf10a3 100644
--- a/internal/auth/user_store.go
+++ b/internal/auth/user_store.go
@@ -27,17 +27,37 @@ type UserStore interface {
 }
 
 // SQLiteUserStore implements UserStore using SQLite.
+//
+// Splits reads (GetUserByID, GetUserByUsername, etc.) onto a separate
+// read pool when one is configured. The write pool has
+// MaxOpenConns=1, so every authenticated HTTP request — which does a
+// GetSession + GetUserByID on the hot path — would otherwise serialize
+// behind long-running reactor writes and wedge the UI.
 type SQLiteUserStore struct {
 	db         *sql.DB
+	readDB     *sql.DB
 	bcryptCost int
 }
 
-// NewSQLiteUserStore creates a new SQLite-backed user store.
+// NewSQLiteUserStore creates a new SQLite-backed user store using a
+// single handle for reads and writes (pre-spec-018 behaviour).
 func NewSQLiteUserStore(db *sql.DB, bcryptCost int) *SQLiteUserStore {
 	if bcryptCost < 10 {
 		bcryptCost = 12
 	}
-	return &SQLiteUserStore{db: db, bcryptCost: bcryptCost}
+	return &SQLiteUserStore{db: db, readDB: db, bcryptCost: bcryptCost}
+}
+
+// NewSQLiteUserStoreWithRead creates a UserStore that routes SELECTs
+// through readDB while using writeDB for inserts / updates.
+func NewSQLiteUserStoreWithRead(writeDB, readDB *sql.DB, bcryptCost int) *SQLiteUserStore {
+	if readDB == nil {
+		readDB = writeDB
+	}
+	if bcryptCost < 10 {
+		bcryptCost = 12
+	}
+	return &SQLiteUserStore{db: writeDB, readDB: readDB, bcryptCost: bcryptCost}
 }
 
 // CreateUser creates a new user with a bcrypt-hashed password.
@@ -100,10 +120,11 @@ func (s *SQLiteUserStore) CreateUser(ctx context.Context, username, password, di
 	}, nil
 }
 
-// GetUserByID retrieves a user by their ID.
+// GetUserByID retrieves a user by their ID. Uses the read pool so
+// RequireSession middleware calls don't contend with reactor writes.
 func (s *SQLiteUserStore) GetUserByID(ctx context.Context, id int64) (*User, error) {
 	user := &User{}
-	err := s.db.QueryRowContext(ctx,
+	err := s.readDB.QueryRowContext(ctx,
 		`SELECT id, username, password_hash, display_name, role, created_at, updated_at
 		 FROM users WHERE id = ?`, id,
 	).Scan(&user.ID, &user.Username, &user.PasswordHash, &user.DisplayName,
@@ -124,7 +145,7 @@ func (s *SQLiteUserStore) GetUserByEmail(ctx context.Context, email string) (*Us
 		return nil, ErrUserNotFound
 	}
 	user := &User{}
-	err := s.db.QueryRowContext(ctx,
+	err := s.readDB.QueryRowContext(ctx,
 		`SELECT id, username, password_hash, display_name, role, created_at, updated_at
 		 FROM users WHERE email = ?`, email,
 	).Scan(&user.ID, &user.Username, &user.PasswordHash, &user.DisplayName,
@@ -147,10 +168,10 @@ func (s *SQLiteUserStore) SetEmail(ctx context.Context, userID int64, email stri
 	return err
 }
 
-// GetUserByUsername retrieves a user by their username.
+// GetUserByUsername retrieves a user by their username. Uses the read pool.
 func (s *SQLiteUserStore) GetUserByUsername(ctx context.Context, username string) (*User, error) {
 	user := &User{}
-	err := s.db.QueryRowContext(ctx,
+	err := s.readDB.QueryRowContext(ctx,
 		`SELECT id, username, password_hash, display_name, role, created_at, updated_at
 		 FROM users WHERE username = ?`, username,
 	).Scan(&user.ID, &user.Username, &user.PasswordHash, &user.DisplayName,