diff --git a/internal/db/bundb/migrations/20241121121623_enum_strings_to_ints.go b/internal/db/bundb/migrations/20241121121623_enum_strings_to_ints.go
index 5c25d0daa..38f80876f 100644
--- a/internal/db/bundb/migrations/20241121121623_enum_strings_to_ints.go
+++ b/internal/db/bundb/migrations/20241121121623_enum_strings_to_ints.go
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ func init() {
 // convertEnums performs a transaction that converts
 // a table's column of our old-style enums (strings) to
 // more performant and space-saving integer types.
-func convertEnums[OldType ~string, NewType ~int](
+func convertEnums[OldType ~string, NewType ~int16](
 	ctx context.Context,
 	tx bun.Tx,
 	table string,
@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@ func convertEnums[OldType ~string, NewType ~int](
 	// Add new column to database.
 	if _, err := tx.NewAddColumn().
 		Table(table).
-		ColumnExpr("? INTEGER NOT NULL DEFAULT ?",
+		ColumnExpr("? SMALLINT NOT NULL DEFAULT ?",
 			bun.Ident(newColumn),
 			*defaultValue).
 		Exec(ctx); err != nil {
diff --git a/internal/gtsmodel/common.go b/internal/gtsmodel/common.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e740bbb81
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/gtsmodel/common.go
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+// GoToSocial
+// Copyright (C) GoToSocial Authors admin@gotosocial.org
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: AGPL-3.0-or-later
+//
+// This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+// it under the terms of the GNU Affero General Public License as published by
+// the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+// (at your option) any later version.
+//
+// This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+// but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+// MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+// GNU Affero General Public License for more details.
+//
+// You should have received a copy of the GNU Affero General Public License
+// along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+
+package gtsmodel
+
+// enumType is the type we (at least, should) use
+// for database enum types. it is the largest size
+// supported by a PostgreSQL SMALLINT, since an
+// SQLite SMALLINT is actually variable in size.
+type enumType int16
diff --git a/internal/gtsmodel/notification.go b/internal/gtsmodel/notification.go
index 88d5247be..49f1fe2bb 100644
--- a/internal/gtsmodel/notification.go
+++ b/internal/gtsmodel/notification.go
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ type Notification struct {
 
 // NotificationType describes the
 // reason/type of this notification.
-type NotificationType int
+type NotificationType enumType
 
 const (
 	// Notification Types
diff --git a/internal/gtsmodel/status.go b/internal/gtsmodel/status.go
index 245b06fcd..f8bd068ab 100644
--- a/internal/gtsmodel/status.go
+++ b/internal/gtsmodel/status.go
@@ -265,7 +265,7 @@ type StatusToEmoji struct {
 
 // Visibility represents the
 // visibility granularity of a status.
-type Visibility int
+type Visibility enumType
 
 const (
 	// VisibilityNone means nobody can see this.