diff --git a/containers/backupchecks/src/backend/app/main/routes_settings.py b/containers/backupchecks/src/backend/app/main/routes_settings.py
index 29e4cb9..bbcd119 100644
--- a/containers/backupchecks/src/backend/app/main/routes_settings.py
+++ b/containers/backupchecks/src/backend/app/main/routes_settings.py
@@ -243,6 +243,15 @@ def settings_jobs_delete_orphaned():
                 {"job_ids": job_ids},
             )
 
+            # Unlink mails from jobs before deleting jobs
+            # mail_messages.job_id references jobs.id
+            _safe_execute(
+                text("UPDATE mail_messages SET job_id = NULL WHERE job_id IN :job_ids").bindparams(
+                    bindparam("job_ids", expanding=True)
+                ),
+                {"job_ids": job_ids},
+            )
+
         # Delete all orphaned jobs (runs/objects are cascaded via ORM relationships)
         for job in orphaned_jobs:
             db.session.delete(job)