diff --git a/backend/src/lib/indexer-state.ts b/backend/src/lib/indexer-state.ts
index fb0218e7..e6568647 100644
--- a/backend/src/lib/indexer-state.ts
+++ b/backend/src/lib/indexer-state.ts
@@ -1 +1,59 @@
+import { prisma } from './prisma.js';
+import logger from '../logger.js';
+
 export const INDEXER_STATE_ID = 'singleton';
+
+export interface IndexerStateRow {
+  id: string;
+  lastLedger: number;
+  lastCursor: string | null;
+  createdAt: Date;
+  updatedAt: Date;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Ensure the singleton indexer_state row exists.
+ * Uses a catch-and-retry pattern to handle the race condition where two
+ * concurrent callers attempt the first insert simultaneously. If the
+ * unique-constraint violation fires, we treat it as success and re-read.
+ */
+export async function ensureIndexerState(
+  startLedger: number,
+): Promise<IndexerStateRow> {
+  const existing = await prisma.indexerState.findUnique({
+    where: { id: INDEXER_STATE_ID },
+  });
+  if (existing) return existing;
+
+  try {
+    const created = await prisma.indexerState.create({
+      data: {
+        id: INDEXER_STATE_ID,
+        lastLedger: startLedger,
+        lastCursor: null,
+      },
+    });
+    return created;
+  } catch (err: unknown) {
+    // P2002 = Prisma unique-constraint violation (code "P2002")
+    if (
+      err instanceof Error &&
+      'code' in err &&
+      (err as { code: string }).code === 'P2002'
+    ) {
+      logger.warn(
+        '[IndexerState] Concurrent first-insert detected; re-reading existing row.',
+      );
+      const existingAfterRace = await prisma.indexerState.findUnique({
+        where: { id: INDEXER_STATE_ID },
+      });
+      if (!existingAfterRace) {
+        throw new Error(
+          '[IndexerState] Unique-constraint violation but row not found after race.',
+        );
+      }
+      return existingAfterRace;
+    }
+    throw err;
+  }
+}
diff --git a/backend/src/lib/pg-pool.ts b/backend/src/lib/pg-pool.ts
index fcb098f2..31337dea 100644
--- a/backend/src/lib/pg-pool.ts
+++ b/backend/src/lib/pg-pool.ts
@@ -19,3 +19,17 @@ export const createPgPoolConfig = (): pg.PoolConfig => ({
 });
 
 export const createPgPool = () => new pg.Pool(createPgPoolConfig());
+
+export interface PoolMetrics {
+  totalCount: number;
+  idleCount: number;
+  waitingCount: number;
+}
+
+export function getPoolMetrics(pool: pg.Pool): PoolMetrics {
+  return {
+    totalCount: pool.totalCount,
+    idleCount: pool.idleCount,
+    waitingCount: pool.waitingCount,
+  };
+}
diff --git a/backend/src/lib/prisma.ts b/backend/src/lib/prisma.ts
index fd4ddfe2..2c001c30 100644
--- a/backend/src/lib/prisma.ts
+++ b/backend/src/lib/prisma.ts
@@ -23,4 +23,7 @@ export const prisma =
 
 if (process.env.NODE_ENV !== 'production') globalForPrisma.prisma = prisma;
 
+export { getPoolMetrics } from './pg-pool.js';
+export const pool = globalForPrisma.pool!;
+
 export default prisma;
diff --git a/backend/src/middleware/admin-rate-limiter.middleware.ts b/backend/src/middleware/admin-rate-limiter.middleware.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..1f665ef7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/src/middleware/admin-rate-limiter.middleware.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+import { rateLimit } from 'express-rate-limit';
+import type { Request, Response } from 'express';
+
+export const adminRateLimiter = rateLimit({
+  windowMs: 1 * 60 * 1000, // 1 minute
+  max: 30, // Stricter limit: 30 requests per minute for admin endpoints
+  standardHeaders: true,
+  legacyHeaders: false,
+  message: {
+    error: 'Too many admin requests',
+    message: 'You have exceeded the admin rate limit. Please try again later.',
+    status: 429,
+  },
+  keyGenerator: (req: Request): string => {
+    // Use x-forwarded-for or remote address as key
+    const forwarded = req.headers['x-forwarded-for'];
+    if (typeof forwarded === 'string') {
+      return forwarded.split(',')[0].trim();
+    }
+    return req.ip ?? 'unknown';
+  },
+  skip: (req: Request): boolean => {
+    // Skip rate limiting in test environment
+    return process.env.NODE_ENV === 'test';
+  },
+  handler: (req: Request, res: Response, _next, options): void => {
+    res.status(options.statusCode).json(options.message);
+  },
+});
diff --git a/backend/src/routes/v1/admin.routes.ts b/backend/src/routes/v1/admin.routes.ts
index f6427c74..c6a7b681 100644
--- a/backend/src/routes/v1/admin.routes.ts
+++ b/backend/src/routes/v1/admin.routes.ts
@@ -1,13 +1,15 @@
 import { Router } from 'express';
 import type { Request, Response } from 'express';
 import { requireAdmin } from '../../middleware/auth.js';
+import { adminRateLimiter } from '../../middleware/admin-rate-limiter.middleware.js';
 import {
   getIndexerStatus,
   resetIndexer,
   replayFromLedger,
 } from '../../services/indexerService.js';
 
-import { prisma } from '../../lib/prisma.js';
+import { prisma, pool } from '../../lib/prisma.js';
+import { getPoolMetrics } from '../../lib/pg-pool.js';
 import { INDEXER_STATE_ID } from '../../lib/indexer-state.js';
 import { sseService } from '../../services/sse.service.js';
 import { cache } from '../../lib/redis.js';
@@ -17,6 +19,7 @@ const router = Router();
 
 // All admin routes require admin JWT
 router.use(requireAdmin);
+router.use(adminRateLimiter);
 
 /**
  * @openapi
@@ -131,6 +134,7 @@ async function buildAdminMetrics() {
     },
     sse: { activeConnections: sseService.getClientCount() },
     cache: cache.getStats(),
+    pgPool: getPoolMetrics(pool),
     indexer: {
       lastLedger: indexerState?.lastLedger ?? 0,
       lagSeconds,
diff --git a/backend/src/workers/soroban-event-worker.ts b/backend/src/workers/soroban-event-worker.ts
index c2ac91ab..6e1f186c 100644
--- a/backend/src/workers/soroban-event-worker.ts
+++ b/backend/src/workers/soroban-event-worker.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { rpc, xdr, StrKey } from "@stellar/stellar-sdk";
 import { prisma } from "../lib/prisma.js";
-import { INDEXER_STATE_ID } from "../lib/indexer-state.js";
+import { INDEXER_STATE_ID, ensureIndexerState } from "../lib/indexer-state.js";
 import { sseService } from "../services/sse.service.js";
 import logger from "../logger.js";
 import { Prisma } from "../generated/prisma/index.js";
@@ -189,15 +189,7 @@ export class SorobanEventWorker {
    */
   private async fetchAndProcessEvents(): Promise<void> {
     // Ensure an IndexerState row exists on first run.
-    const state = await prisma.indexerState.upsert({
-      where: { id: INDEXER_STATE_ID },
-      create: {
-        id: INDEXER_STATE_ID,
-        lastLedger: this.startLedger,
-        lastCursor: null,
-      },
-      update: {},
-    });
+    const state = await ensureIndexerState(this.startLedger);
 
     const baseFilter = {
       filters: [
diff --git a/backend/tests/admin-rate-limiter.test.ts b/backend/tests/admin-rate-limiter.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c7c858bc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/tests/admin-rate-limiter.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+import { describe, it, expect, vi, beforeEach } from 'vitest';
+
+vi.mock('../src/lib/prisma.js', () => ({
+  prisma: {},
+}));
+
+vi.mock('../src/logger.js', () => ({
+  default: { info: vi.fn(), error: vi.fn(), warn: vi.fn() },
+}));
+
+import { adminRateLimiter } from '../src/middleware/admin-rate-limiter.middleware.js';
+
+describe('adminRateLimiter', () => {
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    vi.clearAllMocks();
+  });
+
+  it('is a function', () => {
+    expect(typeof adminRateLimiter).toBe('function');
+  });
+});
diff --git a/backend/tests/indexer-state.test.ts b/backend/tests/indexer-state.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..05a92a38
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/tests/indexer-state.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,98 @@
+import { describe, it, expect, vi, beforeEach } from 'vitest';
+
+const mockFindUnique = vi.fn();
+const mockCreate = vi.fn();
+
+vi.mock('../src/lib/prisma.js', () => ({
+  prisma: {
+    indexerState: {
+      findUnique: mockFindUnique,
+      create: mockCreate,
+    },
+  },
+}));
+
+vi.mock('../src/logger.js', () => ({
+  default: {
+    warn: vi.fn(),
+    info: vi.fn(),
+    error: vi.fn(),
+  },
+}));
+
+import { ensureIndexerState } from '../src/lib/indexer-state.js';
+
+describe('ensureIndexerState', () => {
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    vi.clearAllMocks();
+  });
+
+  it('returns existing row if it already exists', async () => {
+    const existing = {
+      id: 'singleton',
+      lastLedger: 42,
+      lastCursor: 'cur',
+      createdAt: new Date(),
+      updatedAt: new Date(),
+    };
+    mockFindUnique.mockResolvedValueOnce(existing);
+
+    const result = await ensureIndexerState(0);
+
+    expect(result).toEqual(existing);
+    expect(mockCreate).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
+  it('creates and returns a new row when none exists', async () => {
+    const created = {
+      id: 'singleton',
+      lastLedger: 10,
+      lastCursor: null,
+      createdAt: new Date(),
+      updatedAt: new Date(),
+    };
+    mockFindUnique.mockResolvedValueOnce(null);
+    mockCreate.mockResolvedValueOnce(created);
+
+    const result = await ensureIndexerState(10);
+
+    expect(result).toEqual(created);
+    expect(mockCreate).toHaveBeenCalledWith({
+      data: { id: 'singleton', lastLedger: 10, lastCursor: null },
+    });
+  });
+
+  it('re-reads the row on unique-constraint violation (P2002) without throwing', async () => {
+    const existingRow = {
+      id: 'singleton',
+      lastLedger: 5,
+      lastCursor: null,
+      createdAt: new Date(),
+      updatedAt: new Date(),
+    };
+
+    // First findUnique returns null (no row yet)
+    mockFindUnique.mockResolvedValueOnce(null);
+    // Create throws P2002 (race condition duplicate insert)
+    const p2002Error = Object.assign(new Error('Unique constraint failed'), {
+      code: 'P2002',
+    });
+    mockCreate.mockRejectedValueOnce(p2002Error);
+    // Second findUnique returns the existing row created by the concurrent caller
+    mockFindUnique.mockResolvedValueOnce(existingRow);
+
+    const result = await ensureIndexerState(0);
+
+    expect(result).toEqual(existingRow);
+    expect(mockCreate).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    expect(mockFindUnique).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
+  });
+
+  it('re-throws non-P2002 errors', async () => {
+    mockFindUnique.mockResolvedValueOnce(null);
+    const genericError = new Error('connection refused');
+    mockCreate.mockRejectedValueOnce(genericError);
+
+    await expect(ensureIndexerState(0)).rejects.toThrow('connection refused');
+  });
+});
diff --git a/backend/tests/pg-pool.test.ts b/backend/tests/pg-pool.test.ts
index 2b16b7e3..d5aa7cfd 100644
--- a/backend/tests/pg-pool.test.ts
+++ b/backend/tests/pg-pool.test.ts
@@ -45,4 +45,22 @@ describe('pg-pool', () => {
       }),
     );
   });
+
+  it('getPoolMetrics returns totalCount, idleCount, and waitingCount from the pool', async () => {
+    const { getPoolMetrics } = await import('../src/lib/pg-pool.js');
+
+    const mockPool = {
+      totalCount: 10,
+      idleCount: 5,
+      waitingCount: 2,
+    } as any;
+
+    const metrics = getPoolMetrics(mockPool);
+
+    expect(metrics).toEqual({
+      totalCount: 10,
+      idleCount: 5,
+      waitingCount: 2,
+    });
+  });
 });