diff --git a/backend/alembic/versions/2a9b9873244a_add_presence_columns.py b/backend/alembic/versions/2a9b9873244a_add_presence_columns.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5926ed4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/alembic/versions/2a9b9873244a_add_presence_columns.py
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+"""add presence columns to users
+
+Revision ID: 2a9b9873244a
+Revises: 0001_initial
+Create Date: 2026-08-18 15:59:09.298919
+"""
+from typing import Sequence, Union
+
+from alembic import op
+import sqlalchemy as sa
+
+
+# revision identifiers, used by Alembic.
+revision: str = '2a9b9873244a'
+down_revision: Union[str, None] = '0001_initial'
+branch_labels: Union[str, Sequence[str], None] = None
+depends_on: Union[str, Sequence[str], None] = None
+
+
+def upgrade() -> None:
+    """Add last_seen_at and status_message columns to users table."""
+    op.add_column('users', sa.Column('last_seen_at', sa.DateTime(timezone=True), nullable=True))
+    op.add_column('users', sa.Column('status_message', sa.Text(), nullable=True))
+
+
+def downgrade() -> None:
+    """Remove presence columns from users table."""
+    op.drop_column('users', 'status_message')
+    op.drop_column('users', 'last_seen_at')
diff --git a/backend/app/models/user.py b/backend/app/models/user.py
index 5b2cd09..1b752f7 100644
--- a/backend/app/models/user.py
+++ b/backend/app/models/user.py
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ class User(Base):
     created_at = Column(DateTime(timezone=True), server_default=func.now())
     updated_at = Column(DateTime(timezone=True), onupdate=func.now())
 
-    # Presence / status columns
+    # Presence / status
     last_seen_at = Column(DateTime(timezone=True), nullable=True)
     status_message = Column(Text, nullable=True)