diff --git a/apps/cli-go/cmd/db_schema_declarative.go b/apps/cli-go/cmd/db_schema_declarative.go
index 3b9ab95e6a..8f4031c045 100644
--- a/apps/cli-go/cmd/db_schema_declarative.go
+++ b/apps/cli-go/cmd/db_schema_declarative.go
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 	"time"
 
+	"github.com/containerd/errdefs"
+	"github.com/docker/docker/api/types/container"
 	"github.com/jackc/pgconn"
 	"github.com/jackc/pgx/v4"
 	"github.com/spf13/afero"
@@ -136,6 +138,39 @@ func ensureLocalDatabaseStarted(ctx context.Context, local bool, isRunning func(
 	return nil
 }
 
+type inspectContainerFunc func(context.Context, string) (container.InspectResponse, error)
+
+func dockerImageTag(image string) string {
+	image = strings.TrimSpace(image)
+	index := strings.LastIndexByte(image, ':')
+	if index < 0 || index == len(image)-1 {
+		return ""
+	}
+	return image[index+1:]
+}
+
+func ensureLocalPostgresImageCurrent(ctx context.Context, inspect inspectContainerFunc) error {
+	resp, err := inspect(ctx, utils.DbId)
+	if err != nil {
+		if errdefs.IsNotFound(err) {
+			return nil
+		}
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to inspect local Postgres container: %w", err)
+	}
+	if resp.Config == nil || len(strings.TrimSpace(resp.Config.Image)) == 0 {
+		return nil
+	}
+	actual := strings.TrimSpace(resp.Config.Image)
+	expected := strings.TrimSpace(utils.GetRegistryImageUrl(utils.Config.Db.Image))
+	actualTag := dockerImageTag(actual)
+	expectedTag := dockerImageTag(expected)
+	if len(actualTag) == 0 || len(expectedTag) == 0 || actualTag == expectedTag {
+		return nil
+	}
+	utils.CmdSuggestion = fmt.Sprintf("Run %s, then %s before syncing declarative schemas.", utils.Aqua("supabase stop --all --no-backup"), utils.Aqua("supabase start"))
+	return fmt.Errorf("local Postgres container image is stale: running %s but expected %s", actual, expected)
+}
+
 // hasExplicitTargetFlag returns true if the user explicitly set --local, --linked, or --db-url.
 func hasExplicitTargetFlag(cmd *cobra.Command) bool {
 	return cmd.Flags().Changed("local") || cmd.Flags().Changed("linked") || cmd.Flags().Changed("db-url")
@@ -305,6 +340,10 @@ func runDeclarativeSync(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 	fsys := afero.NewOsFs()
 	console := utils.NewConsole()
 
+	if err := ensureLocalPostgresImageCurrent(ctx, utils.Docker.ContainerInspect); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
 	// Step 1: Check if declarative dir has files
 	if !hasDeclarativeFiles(fsys) {
 		if !isTTY() && !viper.GetBool("YES") {
diff --git a/apps/cli-go/cmd/db_schema_declarative_test.go b/apps/cli-go/cmd/db_schema_declarative_test.go
index a799ad0fb8..738e204111 100644
--- a/apps/cli-go/cmd/db_schema_declarative_test.go
+++ b/apps/cli-go/cmd/db_schema_declarative_test.go
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@ import (
 	"path/filepath"
 	"testing"
 
+	"github.com/containerd/errdefs"
+	"github.com/docker/docker/api/types/container"
 	"github.com/spf13/afero"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
@@ -194,6 +196,74 @@ func TestEnsureLocalDatabaseStarted(t *testing.T) {
 	})
 }
 
+func TestDockerImageTag(t *testing.T) {
+	testCases := map[string]string{
+		"public.ecr.aws/supabase/postgres:17.6.1.138": "17.6.1.138",
+		"localhost:5000/supabase/postgres:17.6.1.138": "17.6.1.138",
+		"supabase/postgres":                           "",
+	}
+	for image, expected := range testCases {
+		t.Run(image, func(t *testing.T) {
+			assert.Equal(t, expected, dockerImageTag(image))
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+func TestEnsureLocalPostgresImageCurrent(t *testing.T) {
+	originalImage := utils.Config.Db.Image
+	originalSuggestion := utils.CmdSuggestion
+	t.Cleanup(func() {
+		utils.Config.Db.Image = originalImage
+		utils.CmdSuggestion = originalSuggestion
+	})
+	utils.Config.Db.Image = "supabase/postgres:17.6.1.138"
+	expectedImage := utils.GetRegistryImageUrl(utils.Config.Db.Image)
+
+	t.Run("passes when no local container exists", func(t *testing.T) {
+		utils.CmdSuggestion = ""
+		err := ensureLocalPostgresImageCurrent(context.Background(), func(context.Context, string) (container.InspectResponse, error) {
+			return container.InspectResponse{}, errdefs.ErrNotFound
+		})
+
+		assert.NoError(t, err)
+		assert.Empty(t, utils.CmdSuggestion)
+	})
+
+	t.Run("passes when local container image matches expected postgres image", func(t *testing.T) {
+		utils.CmdSuggestion = ""
+		err := ensureLocalPostgresImageCurrent(context.Background(), func(_ context.Context, containerID string) (container.InspectResponse, error) {
+			assert.Equal(t, utils.DbId, containerID)
+			return container.InspectResponse{Config: &container.Config{Image: expectedImage}}, nil
+		})
+
+		assert.NoError(t, err)
+		assert.Empty(t, utils.CmdSuggestion)
+	})
+
+	t.Run("passes when registry differs but postgres tag matches", func(t *testing.T) {
+		utils.CmdSuggestion = ""
+		err := ensureLocalPostgresImageCurrent(context.Background(), func(context.Context, string) (container.InspectResponse, error) {
+			return container.InspectResponse{Config: &container.Config{Image: "docker.io/supabase/postgres:17.6.1.138"}}, nil
+		})
+
+		assert.NoError(t, err)
+		assert.Empty(t, utils.CmdSuggestion)
+	})
+
+	t.Run("fails when local container image is stale", func(t *testing.T) {
+		utils.CmdSuggestion = ""
+		err := ensureLocalPostgresImageCurrent(context.Background(), func(context.Context, string) (container.InspectResponse, error) {
+			return container.InspectResponse{Config: &container.Config{Image: "public.ecr.aws/supabase/postgres:17.6.1.106"}}, nil
+		})
+
+		assert.ErrorContains(t, err, "local Postgres container image is stale")
+		assert.ErrorContains(t, err, "17.6.1.106")
+		assert.ErrorContains(t, err, "17.6.1.138")
+		assert.Contains(t, utils.CmdSuggestion, "supabase stop --all --no-backup")
+		assert.Contains(t, utils.CmdSuggestion, "supabase start")
+	})
+}
+
 func TestHasDeclarativeFiles(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Run("returns false when dir does not exist", func(t *testing.T) {
 		assert.False(t, hasDeclarativeFiles(mockFsys()))