diff --git a/packages/api/index.ts b/packages/api/index.ts
index efd2c979e8..24bf57695d 100644
--- a/packages/api/index.ts
+++ b/packages/api/index.ts
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@ import { validateNodeVersion } from './validateNodeVersion';
 export * from './methods';
 export * as utils from './utils';
 
+export const internal = lib;
+
 export async function init(config: InitConfig = {}) {
   validateNodeVersion();
 
diff --git a/packages/api/package.json b/packages/api/package.json
index d6f8b21a57..530756f234 100644
--- a/packages/api/package.json
+++ b/packages/api/package.json
@@ -20,10 +20,10 @@
     "compare-versions": "^6.1.1",
     "loot-core": "workspace:^",
     "node-fetch": "^3.3.2",
-    "rollup-plugin-visualizer": "^6.0.5",
     "uuid": "^13.0.0"
   },
   "devDependencies": {
+    "rollup-plugin-visualizer": "^6.0.5",
     "typescript": "^5.9.3",
     "typescript-strict-plugin": "^2.4.4",
     "vite": "^7.3.1",
diff --git a/packages/api/vite.config.ts b/packages/api/vite.config.ts
index 3a87b2a2dc..e3600179a8 100644
--- a/packages/api/vite.config.ts
+++ b/packages/api/vite.config.ts
@@ -25,6 +25,16 @@ function copyMigrationsAndDefaultDb() {
     name: 'copy-migrations-and-default-db',
     closeBundle() {
       const migrationsSrc = path.join(lootCoreRoot, 'migrations');
+      const defaultDbPath = path.join(lootCoreRoot, 'default-db.sqlite');
+
+      if (!fs.existsSync(migrationsSrc)) {
+        throw new Error(`migrations directory not found at ${migrationsSrc}`);
+      }
+      const migrationsStat = fs.statSync(migrationsSrc);
+      if (!migrationsStat.isDirectory()) {
+        throw new Error(`migrations path is not a directory: ${migrationsSrc}`);
+      }
+
       const migrationsDest = path.join(distDir, 'migrations');
       fs.mkdirSync(migrationsDest, { recursive: true });
       for (const name of fs.readdirSync(migrationsSrc)) {
@@ -35,10 +45,11 @@ function copyMigrationsAndDefaultDb() {
           );
         }
       }
-      fs.copyFileSync(
-        path.join(lootCoreRoot, 'default-db.sqlite'),
-        path.join(distDir, 'default-db.sqlite'),
-      );
+
+      if (!fs.existsSync(defaultDbPath)) {
+        throw new Error(`default-db.sqlite not found at ${defaultDbPath}`);
+      }
+      fs.copyFileSync(defaultDbPath, path.join(distDir, 'default-db.sqlite'));
     },
   };
 }