diff --git a/src/frontend/src/app.tsx b/src/frontend/src/app.tsx
index 032d4ce..475e3fe 100644
--- a/src/frontend/src/app.tsx
+++ b/src/frontend/src/app.tsx
@@ -20,13 +20,15 @@ import { useContainerStore } from '@lib/hooks/useContainerStore'
 import { useMasterRegistry } from '@lib/hooks/useMasterRegistry'
 import { mergeServices } from '@lib/domain/merge'
 import { filterServices, serviceCounts } from '@lib/domain/filter'
-import type { ServiceFilter } from '@lib/types'
+import type { DatabaseStatus, ServiceFilter } from '@lib/types'
 import { Header } from '@components/layout/header'
 import { Toolbar } from '@components/layout/toolbar'
 import { ServiceGrid } from '@components/service/service-grid'
 import { Toaster } from '@components/ui/sonner'
 import { EmptyState, LoadingState, RegistryErrorState } from '@components/layout/status-states'
 
+const DATABASE_NAME = 'dcntrlized-db'
+
 export function App() {
   const { containers, status } = useContainerStore()
   const registry = useMasterRegistry()
@@ -44,6 +46,28 @@ export function App() {
     [services, query, filter]
   )
 
+  const db = useMemo(() => {
+    const item =
+      registry.state.kind === 'ok'
+        ? (registry.state.items.find((r) => r.name.toLowerCase() === DATABASE_NAME) ?? null)
+        : null
+
+    const container = containers.find(
+      (c) => (c.role ?? '').toLowerCase() === 'db' || c.name.toLowerCase() === DATABASE_NAME
+    )
+
+    let dbStatus: DatabaseStatus = 'uninstalled'
+    if (container) {
+      const s = container.status.toLowerCase()
+      if (s === 'running' || s === 'restarting') dbStatus = 'running'
+      else if (s === 'starting') dbStatus = 'starting'
+      else if (s === 'installed' || s === 'created') dbStatus = 'installed'
+      else dbStatus = 'stopped'
+    }
+
+    return { status: dbStatus, item }
+  }, [containers, registry.state])
+
   const loading = registry.state.kind === 'loading' && containers.length === 0
   const registryError = registry.state.kind === 'error'
 
@@ -89,7 +113,7 @@ export function App() {
             {visible.length === 0 ? (
               <EmptyState query={query} filter={filter} total={counts.total} onClear={clearFilters} />
             ) : (
-              <ServiceGrid services={visible} />
+              <ServiceGrid services={visible} db={db} />
             )}
           </>
         )}
diff --git a/src/frontend/src/components/infra/database-chip.tsx b/src/frontend/src/components/infra/database-chip.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..103a3cb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/frontend/src/components/infra/database-chip.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,106 @@
+/**
+ * Copyright (C) 2026 Dcntrlized
+ *
+ * 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 <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ */
+
+import { Database, Download, LoaderCircle } from 'lucide-react'
+import { Button } from '@components/ui/button'
+import { statusMeta } from '@components/container/status'
+import { toast } from 'sonner'
+import { installContainer, startContainer } from '@lib/api/containers'
+import { useAsyncAction } from '@lib/hooks/useAsyncAction'
+import { cn } from '@lib/utils'
+import type { DatabaseStatus, RegistryItem, Service } from '@lib/types'
+import type { DatabaseState } from '@components/service/service-grid'
+
+function errorMessage(error: unknown): string {
+  return error instanceof Error ? error.message : 'Unknown error'
+}
+
+function dbService(item: RegistryItem): Service {
+  return {
+    id: `registry-${item.name}`,
+    name: item.name,
+    status: 'uninstalled',
+    origin: 'remote',
+    title: item.title || item.name,
+    image: item.image,
+    registryImage: item.image,
+    source: item.source,
+    registryUrl: item.url,
+    latestVersion: item.version,
+    hasUpdate: false,
+    capabilities: [],
+  }
+}
+
+function chipFor(status: DatabaseStatus): string {
+  const meta = statusMeta(status)
+  return cn('inline-flex shrink-0 items-center gap-1 rounded-full border px-2 py-0.5 text-xs font-medium', meta.chip)
+}
+
+/**
+ * Status chip for the shared database infrastructure service. Rendered on
+ * service cards that declare the `database` capability; lets the user pull
+ * the database image when it has not been installed yet.
+ */
+export function DatabaseChip({ db }: { db: DatabaseState }) {
+  const pull = useAsyncAction(async () => {
+    if (!db.item) return
+    try {
+      const service = dbService(db.item)
+      await installContainer(service)
+      try {
+        await startContainer(service)
+        toast.success('Shared database installed and started')
+      } catch {
+        toast.success('Shared database installed', { description: 'Start it from the database card when ready' })
+      }
+    } catch (error) {
+      toast.error('Failed to install shared database', { description: errorMessage(error) })
+    }
+  })
+
+  const meta = statusMeta(db.status)
+
+  return (
+    <div data-slot="db-chip" className="flex items-center gap-2 rounded-md border border-border bg-muted/30 px-2 py-1.5">
+      <Database aria-hidden="true" className="size-3.5 shrink-0 text-muted-foreground" />
+      <span className="text-xs font-medium text-muted-foreground">Database</span>
+      <span className={chipFor(db.status)}>
+        {meta.ping && (
+          <span className="relative inline-flex size-1.5" aria-hidden="true">
+            <span className={cn('absolute inline-flex size-1.5 animate-status-ping rounded-full opacity-70', meta.dot)} />
+            <span className={cn('relative inline-flex size-1.5 rounded-full', meta.dot)} />
+          </span>
+        )}
+        {meta.label}
+      </span>
+
+      {db.status === 'uninstalled' && db.item && (
+        <Button
+          data-slot="db-pull"
+          size="sm"
+          className="ml-auto"
+          isDisabled={pull.pending}
+          onPress={pull.run}
+        >
+          {pull.pending ? <LoaderCircle aria-hidden="true" className="size-3 animate-spin" /> : <Download aria-hidden="true" className="size-3" />}
+          Pull
+        </Button>
+      )}
+    </div>
+  )
+}
diff --git a/src/frontend/src/components/service/service-card.tsx b/src/frontend/src/components/service/service-card.tsx
index a40ca44..c3f87f1 100644
--- a/src/frontend/src/components/service/service-card.tsx
+++ b/src/frontend/src/components/service/service-card.tsx
@@ -24,9 +24,12 @@ import { installContainer, startContainer, stopContainer, uninstallContainer } f
 import type { Service } from '@lib/types'
 import { cn } from '@lib/utils'
 import { useAsyncAction } from '@lib/hooks/useAsyncAction'
+import { DatabaseChip } from '@components/infra/database-chip'
+import type { DatabaseState } from './service-grid'
 
 interface ServiceCardProps {
   service: Service
+  db: DatabaseState
 }
 
 function withV(s?: string): string | null {
@@ -43,7 +46,7 @@ function errorMessage(error: unknown): string {
   return error instanceof Error ? error.message : 'Unknown error'
 }
 
-export function ServiceCard({ service }: ServiceCardProps) {
+export function ServiceCard({ service, db }: ServiceCardProps) {
   const meta = statusMeta(service.status)
   const installed = service.origin !== 'remote'
   const running =
@@ -216,6 +219,8 @@ export function ServiceCard({ service }: ServiceCardProps) {
             </a>
           )}
         </div>
+
+        {service.capabilities.includes('database') && <DatabaseChip db={db} />}
       </CardContent>
 
       <CardFooter className="justify-end pt-4">
diff --git a/src/frontend/src/components/service/service-grid.tsx b/src/frontend/src/components/service/service-grid.tsx
index b897389..a3f1cb7 100644
--- a/src/frontend/src/components/service/service-grid.tsx
+++ b/src/frontend/src/components/service/service-grid.tsx
@@ -15,18 +15,24 @@
  * along with this program.  If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
  */
 
-import type { Service } from '@lib/types'
+import type { DatabaseStatus, RegistryItem, Service } from '@lib/types'
 import { ServiceCard } from './service-card'
 
+export interface DatabaseState {
+  status: DatabaseStatus
+  item: RegistryItem | null
+}
+
 interface ServiceGridProps {
   services: Service[]
+  db: DatabaseState
 }
 
-export function ServiceGrid({ services }: ServiceGridProps) {
+export function ServiceGrid({ services, db }: ServiceGridProps) {
   return (
     <div data-slot="service-grid" className="grid grid-cols-1 gap-4 sm:grid-cols-2 xl:grid-cols-3">
       {services.map((service) => (
-        <ServiceCard key={service.id} service={service} />
+        <ServiceCard key={service.id} service={service} db={db} />
       ))}
     </div>
   )
diff --git a/src/frontend/src/lib/domain/merge.ts b/src/frontend/src/lib/domain/merge.ts
index 6d2aa67..5c8182b 100644
--- a/src/frontend/src/lib/domain/merge.ts
+++ b/src/frontend/src/lib/domain/merge.ts
@@ -37,6 +37,14 @@ function isMaestro(name?: string): boolean {
   return (name ?? '').toUpperCase().includes('MAESTRO')
 }
 
+function isHiddenContainer(c: Container): boolean {
+  return Boolean(c.hidden) || (c.role ?? '').toLowerCase() === 'db'
+}
+
+function isHiddenRegistry(r: RegistryItem): boolean {
+  return Boolean(r.hidden)
+}
+
 function toService(c: Container): Service {
   return {
     id: c.id || c.name,
@@ -47,6 +55,7 @@ function toService(c: Container): Service {
     image: c.image,
     version: c.version || versionFromImage(c.image),
     hasUpdate: false,
+    capabilities: c.capabilities ?? [],
   }
 }
 
@@ -76,7 +85,7 @@ export function mergeServices(containers: Container[], registry: RegistryItem[])
   const map = new Map<string, Service>()
 
   for (const c of containers) {
-    if (isMaestro(c.name)) continue
+    if (isMaestro(c.name) || isHiddenContainer(c)) continue
     const key = c.name.toLowerCase()
     const next = toService(c)
     const existing = map.get(key)
@@ -86,7 +95,7 @@ export function mergeServices(containers: Container[], registry: RegistryItem[])
   }
 
   for (const r of registry) {
-    if (isMaestro(r.name)) continue
+    if (isMaestro(r.name) || isHiddenRegistry(r)) continue
     const key = r.name.toLowerCase()
     const existing = findMatch(map, key, r.image)
 
@@ -122,6 +131,7 @@ export function mergeServices(containers: Container[], registry: RegistryItem[])
         author: r.author,
         latestVersion: r.version,
         hasUpdate: false,
+        capabilities: [],
       })
     }
   }
diff --git a/src/frontend/src/lib/types.ts b/src/frontend/src/lib/types.ts
index 69f69b1..50f3853 100644
--- a/src/frontend/src/lib/types.ts
+++ b/src/frontend/src/lib/types.ts
@@ -38,6 +38,12 @@ export interface Container {
   version?: string
   status: string
   network?: NetworkConfig
+  /** Infrastructure role (e.g. "db"); absent for regular services. */
+  role?: string
+  /** Infrastructure services managed by Maestro but hidden from the grid. */
+  hidden?: boolean
+  /** Capabilities declared by the service manifest (e.g. ["database"]). */
+  capabilities?: string[]
 }
 
 /** A remote catalog entry, as served by GET /api/registry. */
@@ -56,6 +62,8 @@ export interface RegistryItem {
   url?: string
   documentation?: string
   created_at?: string
+  /** Infrastructure images (e.g. the shared database) excluded from the grid. */
+  hidden?: boolean
 }
 
 /** Merged view model: one card per service, local state and remote catalog fused. */
@@ -76,8 +84,13 @@ export interface Service {
   version?: string
   latestVersion?: string
   hasUpdate: boolean
+  /** Capabilities declared by the service manifest (e.g. ["database"]). */
+  capabilities: string[]
 }
 
+/** Live status of the shared database infra service. */
+export type DatabaseStatus = 'running' | 'starting' | 'stopped' | 'installed' | 'uninstalled'
+
 export type ServiceFilter = 'all' | 'running' | 'updates' | 'available'
 
 export interface FilterOption {