diff --git a/.env.example b/.env.example
index bd7c8ae4..37f5f68d 100644
--- a/.env.example
+++ b/.env.example
@@ -3,8 +3,13 @@
 # ==============================================================================
 
 # --- DATABASE (High Performance Pooling & Strict Timeouts) ---
-DATABASE_URL="mysql://user:password@localhost:3306/dbname?charset=utf8mb4&connection_limit=150&connect_timeout=5"
-DATABASE_POOL_SIZE=150
+# The pool size is governed by DATABASE_POOL_SIZE (src/lib/db.ts); the
+# `connection_limit` in the URL is only honoured by tools that read the URL
+# directly (drizzle-kit, scripts). Keep both in step and keep them well below
+# MariaDB's `max_connections` (151 by default) or the emulator and any second
+# CMS instance get "Too many connections". README §performance: pool size 25.
+DATABASE_URL="mysql://user:password@localhost:3306/dbname?charset=utf8mb4&connection_limit=25&connect_timeout=5"
+DATABASE_POOL_SIZE=25
 DATABASE_IDLE_TIMEOUT_MS=60000
 DATABASE_CONNECT_TIMEOUT_MS=5000