diff --git a/dashboard/plugin_api.py b/dashboard/plugin_api.py
index 7e6cccf..bb80a4a 100644
--- a/dashboard/plugin_api.py
+++ b/dashboard/plugin_api.py
@@ -942,12 +942,23 @@ def discover_kanban_boards() -> List[Dict[str, Any]]:
 def _kanban_conn(path: Path) -> Optional[sqlite3.Connection]:
     if not path.exists():
         return None
-    try:
-        con = sqlite3.connect(f"file:{path}?mode=ro", uri=True, timeout=1.5)
-        con.row_factory = sqlite3.Row
-        return con
-    except Exception:
-        return None
+    # Some Kanban SQLite files can be opened in `mode=ro` but fail on the
+    # first read when SQLite tries to resolve journal/WAL sidecars. Verify the
+    # connection before returning it and fall back to immutable read-only mode.
+    for uri in (f"file:{path}?mode=ro", f"file:{path}?mode=ro&immutable=1"):
+        con: Optional[sqlite3.Connection] = None
+        try:
+            con = sqlite3.connect(uri, uri=True, timeout=1.5)
+            con.row_factory = sqlite3.Row
+            con.execute("SELECT 1 FROM sqlite_master LIMIT 1").fetchone()
+            return con
+        except Exception:
+            if con is not None:
+                try:
+                    con.close()
+                except Exception:
+                    pass
+    return None
 
 
 def profile_config(profile_home: Path) -> Dict[str, Any]:
diff --git a/tests/test_privacy_contract.py b/tests/test_privacy_contract.py
index 123c8d1..0e95d05 100644
--- a/tests/test_privacy_contract.py
+++ b/tests/test_privacy_contract.py
@@ -48,6 +48,20 @@ def test_cron_ids_are_public_refs_when_local_labels_are_hidden(self):
         self.assertIn("cron:", payload[0]["id"])
         self.assertEqual(payload[0]["id"], payload[0]["job_id"])
 
+    def test_kanban_conn_reads_existing_board_db(self):
+        db = self.home / "kanban.db"
+        con = sqlite3.connect(db)
+        con.execute("CREATE TABLE tasks (id TEXT, status TEXT)")
+        con.commit()
+        con.close()
+
+        ro = plugin_api._kanban_conn(db)
+
+        self.assertIsNotNone(ro)
+        assert ro is not None
+        self.assertEqual(ro.execute("SELECT COUNT(*) FROM tasks").fetchone()[0], 0)
+        ro.close()
+
     def test_kanban_worker_run_and_pid_ids_are_public_refs_when_local_labels_are_hidden(self):
         db = self.home / "kanban.db"
         con = sqlite3.connect(db)