diff --git a/src/worker/death_log.rs b/src/worker/death_log.rs
index ce0ea94..74054a0 100644
--- a/src/worker/death_log.rs
+++ b/src/worker/death_log.rs
@@ -31,6 +31,28 @@ fn collect_display_names(rows: Vec<Row>, key: &str) -> Vec<String> {
     out
 }
 
+/// Verknüpfte Namen (Ehe, Kinder, Geliebte): optional — bei Schema-/SQL-Fehlern leere Liste,
+/// damit der **Kern** (`deceased`) trotzdem als JSON in `notification.tr` landet.
+fn optional_linked_names(
+    conn: &mut DbConnection,
+    log_label: &'static str,
+    stmt: &'static str,
+    query: &str,
+    deceased_character_id: i32,
+) -> Vec<String> {
+    if let Err(e) = conn.prepare(stmt, query) {
+        eprintln!("[death_log] {log_label} prepare: {e}");
+        return Vec::new();
+    }
+    match conn.execute(stmt, &[&deceased_character_id]) {
+        Ok(rows) => collect_display_names(rows, "display_name"),
+        Err(e) => {
+            eprintln!("[death_log] {log_label} execute: {e}");
+            Vec::new()
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 /// Lädt Verstorbenen + Ehepartner, Kinder, **aktive Geliebte** (`tr = 'lover'`, `active IS NOT FALSE`).
 /// Muss ausgeführt werden, bevor Beziehungen aus der DB gelöscht werden.
 pub fn build_deceased_context(conn: &mut DbConnection, deceased_character_id: i32) -> Result<Value, DbError> {
@@ -62,21 +84,34 @@ pub fn build_deceased_context(conn: &mut DbConnection, deceased_character_id: i3
         .and_then(|v| v.parse::<i32>().ok())
         .unwrap_or(0);
 
-    conn.prepare("death_spouse", QUERY_DEATH_LOG_SPOUSE_DISPLAY_NAMES)?;
-    let spouse_rows = conn.execute("death_spouse", &[&deceased_character_id])?;
-    let spouses = collect_display_names(spouse_rows, "display_name");
-
-    conn.prepare("death_child", QUERY_DEATH_LOG_CHILD_DISPLAY_NAMES)?;
-    let child_rows = conn.execute("death_child", &[&deceased_character_id])?;
-    let children = collect_display_names(child_rows, "display_name");
-
-    conn.prepare("death_child_lover_birth", QUERY_DEATH_LOG_CHILD_LOVER_BIRTH_DISPLAY_NAMES)?;
-    let child_lover_rows = conn.execute("death_child_lover_birth", &[&deceased_character_id])?;
-    let lover_birth_children = collect_display_names(child_lover_rows, "display_name");
-
-    conn.prepare("death_lover", QUERY_DEATH_LOG_LOVER_DISPLAY_NAMES)?;
-    let lover_rows = conn.execute("death_lover", &[&deceased_character_id])?;
-    let lovers = collect_display_names(lover_rows, "display_name");
+    let spouses = optional_linked_names(
+        conn,
+        "spouse",
+        "death_spouse",
+        QUERY_DEATH_LOG_SPOUSE_DISPLAY_NAMES,
+        deceased_character_id,
+    );
+    let children = optional_linked_names(
+        conn,
+        "child",
+        "death_child",
+        QUERY_DEATH_LOG_CHILD_DISPLAY_NAMES,
+        deceased_character_id,
+    );
+    let lover_birth_children = optional_linked_names(
+        conn,
+        "child_lover_birth",
+        "death_child_lover_birth",
+        QUERY_DEATH_LOG_CHILD_LOVER_BIRTH_DISPLAY_NAMES,
+        deceased_character_id,
+    );
+    let lovers = optional_linked_names(
+        conn,
+        "lover",
+        "death_lover",
+        QUERY_DEATH_LOG_LOVER_DISPLAY_NAMES,
+        deceased_character_id,
+    );
 
     Ok(json!({
         "deceased": {
diff --git a/src/worker/user_character.rs b/src/worker/user_character.rs
index 6360876..a371e2d 100644
--- a/src/worker/user_character.rs
+++ b/src/worker/user_character.rs
@@ -806,6 +806,24 @@ impl UserCharacterWorker {
 
     // Todes- und Erb-Logik
     fn handle_character_death(&mut self, character_id: i32) -> Result<(), DbError> {
+        // Todes-Kontext **vor** Erbfolge und vor allen DELETEs (wie EventsWorker / CharacterCreationWorker).
+        // So ist der Charakter garantiert noch in `character`, und bei Race mit anderem Worker schlägt
+        // spätestens hier fehl — nicht erst nach `set_heir`.
+        let death_ctx = {
+            let mut conn = self
+                .base
+                .pool
+                .get()
+                .map_err(|e| DbError::new(format!("DB-Verbindung fehlgeschlagen: {e}")))?;
+            match death_log::build_deceased_context(&mut conn, character_id) {
+                Ok(c) => Some(c),
+                Err(e) => {
+                    eprintln!("[UserCharacterWorker] Todes-Log Kontext: {e}");
+                    None
+                }
+            }
+        };
+
         self.set_heir(character_id)?;
 
         let death_event = format!(
@@ -830,14 +848,6 @@ impl UserCharacterWorker {
         conn.prepare("delete_election_candidate", QUERY_DELETE_ELECTION_CANDIDATE)?;
         conn.prepare("insert_notification", QUERY_INSERT_NOTIFICATION)?;
 
-        let death_ctx = match death_log::build_deceased_context(&mut conn, character_id) {
-            Ok(c) => Some(c),
-            Err(e) => {
-                eprintln!("[UserCharacterWorker] Todes-Log Kontext: {e}");
-                None
-            }
-        };
-
         let dir_result = conn.execute("delete_director", &[&character_id])?;
         for row in dir_result {
             if let Some(user_id) = row