diff --git a/migrations/0010_hero_slides_table.sql b/migrations/0010_hero_slides_table.sql
index bac825e..54fddfe 100644
--- a/migrations/0010_hero_slides_table.sql
+++ b/migrations/0010_hero_slides_table.sql
@@ -1,19 +1,20 @@
 -- Migration: add home_page_hero_slides table for CMS-managed hero slider
-CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS home_page_hero_slides (
-  id serial PRIMARY KEY,
+-- IMPORTANT: id must be character varying (not serial) — Payload generates string IDs
+DROP TABLE IF EXISTS home_page_hero_slides CASCADE;
+CREATE TABLE home_page_hero_slides (
   _order integer NOT NULL,
   _parent_id integer NOT NULL REFERENCES home_page(id) ON DELETE CASCADE,
+  id character varying NOT NULL,
   background_image_id integer REFERENCES media(id) ON DELETE SET NULL,
-  background_image_url varchar,
-  type varchar,
-  title varchar,
-  subtitle varchar,
-  cta_label varchar,
-  cta_href varchar,
-  updated_at timestamp with time zone,
-  created_at timestamp with time zone
+  background_image_url character varying,
+  type character varying,
+  title character varying,
+  subtitle character varying,
+  cta_label character varying,
+  cta_href character varying,
+  updated_at timestamp with time zone DEFAULT now(),
+  created_at timestamp with time zone DEFAULT now(),
+  CONSTRAINT home_page_hero_slides_pkey PRIMARY KEY (id)
 );
-CREATE INDEX IF NOT EXISTS home_page_hero_slides_parent_idx ON home_page_hero_slides (_parent_id);
-CREATE INDEX IF NOT EXISTS home_page_hero_slides_order_idx ON home_page_hero_slides (_order);
--- Add background_image_url if table already exists (idempotent)
-ALTER TABLE home_page_hero_slides ADD COLUMN IF NOT EXISTS background_image_url varchar;
+CREATE INDEX home_page_hero_slides_order_idx ON home_page_hero_slides (_order);
+CREATE INDEX home_page_hero_slides_parent_id_idx ON home_page_hero_slides (_parent_id);
diff --git a/src/components/sections/HeroSlider.tsx b/src/components/sections/HeroSlider.tsx
index 731c993..5d1ca62 100644
--- a/src/components/sections/HeroSlider.tsx
+++ b/src/components/sections/HeroSlider.tsx
@@ -99,7 +99,8 @@ export function HeroSlider({ slides: slidesProp }: { slides?: SlideData[] }) {
     }
   }, [next, paused])
 
-  const slide = slides[current]!
+  const rawSlide = slides[current]!
+  const slide = { ...rawSlide, title: rawSlide.title.replace(/\\n/g, '\n') }
   const isBrand = slide.type === 'brand'
 
   return (