diff --git a/src/lib/server/config.ts b/src/lib/server/config.ts
index bff30ca..fc1e5d1 100644
--- a/src/lib/server/config.ts
+++ b/src/lib/server/config.ts
@@ -87,6 +87,13 @@ const KEY_MAP: Record<string, keyof OrgConfig> = {
 	setup_complete: 'setupComplete'
 };
 
+function parseJsonValue(value: unknown): unknown {
+	if (typeof value === 'string') {
+		try { return JSON.parse(value); } catch { return value; }
+	}
+	return value;
+}
+
 export function parseOrgConfig(rows: { key: string; value: unknown }[]): OrgConfig {
 	const config = structuredClone(DEFAULTS);
 
@@ -94,12 +101,14 @@ export function parseOrgConfig(rows: { key: string; value: unknown }[]): OrgConf
 		const configKey = KEY_MAP[row.key];
 		if (!configKey) continue;
 
+		const parsed = parseJsonValue(row.value);
+
 		if (configKey === 'setupComplete') {
-			config.setupComplete = Boolean(row.value);
+			config.setupComplete = Boolean(parsed);
 		} else {
 			config[configKey] = {
 				...config[configKey],
-				...(row.value as Record<string, unknown>)
+				...(parsed as Record<string, unknown>)
 			} as any;
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/tests/unit/config.test.ts b/tests/unit/config.test.ts
index 2e989d7..24e1571 100644
--- a/tests/unit/config.test.ts
+++ b/tests/unit/config.test.ts
@@ -15,6 +15,19 @@ describe('config', () => {
 		expect(config.locale.language).toBe('en');
 	});
 
+	it('handles JSON string values from MariaDB', () => {
+		const rows = [
+			{ key: 'branding', value: '{"primaryColor":"#ea580c","accentColor":"#0d9488","logoUrl":""}' },
+			{ key: 'org_info', value: '{"name":"Sunny Paws Rescue","city":"Austin","state":"TX"}' },
+			{ key: 'setup_complete', value: 'true' }
+		];
+
+		const config = parseOrgConfig(rows);
+		expect(config.branding.primaryColor).toBe('#ea580c');
+		expect(config.orgInfo.name).toBe('Sunny Paws Rescue');
+		expect(config.setupComplete).toBe(true);
+	});
+
 	it('provides defaults for missing keys', () => {
 		const config = parseOrgConfig([]);
 		expect(config.branding.primaryColor).toBe('#0d9488');