diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/handlers-postgres-integration.yml b/.gitea/workflows/handlers-postgres-integration.yml
index a8ae7f88c..bd37c793d 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/handlers-postgres-integration.yml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/handlers-postgres-integration.yml
@@ -208,6 +208,16 @@ jobs:
             echo "waiting for postgres at ${PG_HOST}:5432..."; sleep 2
           done
 
+          # core#2540: pgvector extension must be present BEFORE any migration
+          # or integration test that uses the vector(1536) type. The
+          # pgvector/pgvector:pg15 image ships the extension files but the
+          # extension is NOT auto-created in each database — we do it here
+          # once so both migrations (031_memories_pgvector) and handler
+          # integration tests (memories_integration_test.go) see the type.
+          psql -h "${PG_HOST}" -U postgres -d molecule -c \
+            "CREATE EXTENSION IF NOT EXISTS vector;" >/dev/null
+          echo "✓ pgvector extension ensured"
+
           # Apply every .up.sql in lexicographic order with
           # ON_ERROR_STOP=0 — failing migrations are SKIPPED rather than
           # blocking the suite. This handles the current schema state
diff --git a/workspace-server/internal/handlers/memories_integration_test.go b/workspace-server/internal/handlers/memories_integration_test.go
index 1731519e7..434a32cfb 100644
--- a/workspace-server/internal/handlers/memories_integration_test.go
+++ b/workspace-server/internal/handlers/memories_integration_test.go
@@ -84,10 +84,11 @@ func memoryIntegrationDB(t *testing.T) *sql.DB {
 	// own migrations under cmd/memory-plugin-postgres/migrations/).
 	//
 	// We create the pgvector extension first so the vector(1536) column
-	// type resolves. If the extension is unavailable, the test skips
-	// rather than failing with an opaque "relation does not exist".
+	// type resolves. The CI workflow uses pgvector/pgvector:pg15 and
+	// creates the extension before migrations; if it is still missing here,
+	// the test environment is mis-configured and must fail loud.
 	if _, err := conn.ExecContext(ctx, `CREATE EXTENSION IF NOT EXISTS vector;`); err != nil {
-		t.Skipf("pgvector extension unavailable — memory integration tests require pgvector: %v", err)
+		t.Fatalf("pgvector extension unavailable — memory integration tests require pgvector: %v", err)
 	}
 	if _, err := conn.ExecContext(ctx, `
 		CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS memory_namespaces (