diff --git a/kanta/kantaimpl.py b/kanta/kantaimpl.py
index 5f83a3c..eae4822 100644
--- a/kanta/kantaimpl.py
+++ b/kanta/kantaimpl.py
@@ -110,6 +110,9 @@ class KantaImpl(PersistenceMixin, Generic[T]):
                 action="open",
             )
 
+        # From this point the file is open and must be closed via close().
+        self.opened = True
+
         if content:
             try:
                 rr = replay(
@@ -140,12 +143,24 @@ class KantaImpl(PersistenceMixin, Generic[T]):
                 ) from e
 
             migrations_ran = False
+            state_before_migrations = None
             if self.migrations is not None:
                 previous_version = rr.version
+                state_before_migrations = copy.deepcopy(rr.state)
                 rr.version = self.migrations.apply(rr.state, rr.version, self._kanta)
                 migrations_ran = rr.version != previous_version
 
-            self.statedict = copy.deepcopy(rr.state)
+            self.snapshot.ts = (
+                datetime.fromtimestamp(rr.last_snapshot_mtime, UTC)
+                if rr.last_snapshot_mtime is not None
+                else None
+            )
+
+            self.statedict = copy.deepcopy(
+                state_before_migrations
+                if state_before_migrations is not None
+                else rr.state
+            )
             self.data = restore_data_in_place(
                 self.data,
                 rr.state,
@@ -158,20 +173,24 @@ class KantaImpl(PersistenceMixin, Generic[T]):
             if self.readonly:
                 self.statedict = copy.deepcopy(normalized)
             else:
-                if migrations_ran:
-                    self.queue_change(
+                migration_record = None
+                if migrations_ran and self.statedict != rr.state:
+                    migration_record = self.queue_change(
                         f"migrate:v{self.version}",
-                        self.statedict,
+                        rr.state,
                         mtime=False,
-                        force=True,
                     )
-                self.queue_change("migrate:msgspec", normalized, mtime=False)
-            self.snapshot.ts = (
-                datetime.fromtimestamp(rr.last_snapshot_mtime, UTC)
-                if rr.last_snapshot_mtime is not None
-                else None
-            )
+                msgspec_record = self.queue_change(
+                    "migrate:msgspec", normalized, mtime=False
+                )
+                if migrations_ran or msgspec_record is not None:
+                    self.snapshot.request_force()
+                    await self.flush()
+                    self.snapshot.maybe_write(
+                        self.file, self.version, self.statedict, m=self.mtime
+                    )
         elif self.readonly:
+            self.opened = False
             self.file.close()
             raise DataIntegrityError(
                 "Cannot open empty database in read-only mode",
@@ -196,6 +215,7 @@ class KantaImpl(PersistenceMixin, Generic[T]):
                     force=True,
                 )
             except Exception:
+                self.opened = False
                 self.file.close()
                 try:
                     await asyncio.to_thread(self.filename.unlink, missing_ok=True)
@@ -203,8 +223,6 @@ class KantaImpl(PersistenceMixin, Generic[T]):
                     pass
                 raise
 
-        self.opened = True
-
         if not self.readonly:
             self.background_task = asyncio.create_task(self._background_loop())
 
diff --git a/kanta/snapshot.py b/kanta/snapshot.py
index 7f51d92..8896f50 100644
--- a/kanta/snapshot.py
+++ b/kanta/snapshot.py
@@ -41,15 +41,16 @@ class SnapshotState:
         self, file, version: int, state: dict, m: datetime | None = None
     ) -> None:
         """Write snapshot when thresholds/time policy allows it."""
-        if self.changes < self._min_diffs:
-            return
         force = self._force_pending
         now = datetime.now(UTC)
-        if not force and now.weekday() != 6:  # 6 = Sunday
-            return
-        sunday_midnight = now.replace(hour=0, minute=0, second=0, microsecond=0)
-        if not force and self.ts is not None and self.ts >= sunday_midnight:
-            return
+        if not force:
+            if self.changes < self._min_diffs:
+                return
+            if now.weekday() != 6:  # 6 = Sunday
+                return
+            sunday_midnight = now.replace(hour=0, minute=0, second=0, microsecond=0)
+            if self.ts is not None and self.ts >= sunday_midnight:
+                return
         if not file.is_open:
             return
         try:
diff --git a/kanta/structs.py b/kanta/structs.py
index 401069e..80afd61 100644
--- a/kanta/structs.py
+++ b/kanta/structs.py
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ class ChangeRecord(msgspec.Struct, omit_defaults=True, kw_only=True):
     v: int = 0
     u: str | None = None
     m: datetime | None = None
-    diff: dict
+    diff: dict = {}
 
 
 class Snapshot(msgspec.Struct, omit_defaults=True):
diff --git a/tests/support.py b/tests/support.py
index e087008..4a60ba5 100644
--- a/tests/support.py
+++ b/tests/support.py
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ from uuid import UUID
 import msgspec
 
 from kanta.kanta import Kanta
-from kanta.structs import ChangeRecord
+from kanta.structs import ChangeRecord, Snapshot
 
 
 class User(msgspec.Struct):
@@ -89,6 +89,17 @@ def make_migrations_module(name: str, fn_name: str, fn):
     return mod
 
 
+def read_last_snapshot(path: Path, format_config) -> Snapshot | None:
+    _, serializer_cls = format_config
+    serializer = serializer_cls()
+    framer = serializer.framer_cls()
+    data = path.read_bytes()
+    payload, _, _ = framer.scan_last_snapshot(data)
+    if payload is None:
+        return None
+    return serializer.decode(payload, type=Snapshot)
+
+
 def fixed_change(action: str, diff: dict, *, version: int = 0) -> ChangeRecord:
     return ChangeRecord(
         ts=datetime(2026, 1, 1, tzinfo=UTC), a=action, v=version, diff=diff
diff --git a/tests/test_kanta_integration.py b/tests/test_kanta_integration.py
index fa6e444..c4d48ef 100644
--- a/tests/test_kanta_integration.py
+++ b/tests/test_kanta_integration.py
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ from .support import (
     make_kanta,
     make_migrations_module,
     read_changes,
+    read_last_snapshot,
     seed_single_change,
 )
 
@@ -70,6 +71,27 @@ async def test_new_file_persists_initial_state_for_roundtrip(tmp_path, format_co
     await kanta2.close()
 
 
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_reopen_without_changes_does_not_force_snapshot(
+    tmp_path, format_config
+):
+    path = tmp_path / "test.db"
+    kanta = make_kanta(path, Data(counter=5), format_config)
+    await kanta.open()
+    await kanta.close()
+
+    # No snapshot should exist after the initial bootstrap and close.
+    assert read_last_snapshot(path, format_config) is None
+
+    kanta2 = make_kanta(path, Data, format_config)
+    await kanta2.open()
+    assert kanta2.data.counter == 5
+    await kanta2.close()
+
+    # Re-opening without migrations or normalization changes must not force one.
+    assert read_last_snapshot(path, format_config) is None
+
+
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
 async def test_open_overwrites_caller_owned_root_data(tmp_path, format_config):
     path = tmp_path / "test.db"
@@ -475,7 +497,9 @@ async def test_msgspec_normalization_logs_migration(tmp_path, format_config):
 
 
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
-async def test_empty_migration_is_recorded_and_not_reapplied(tmp_path, format_config):
+async def test_empty_migration_writes_snapshot_and_is_not_reapplied(
+    tmp_path, format_config
+):
     path = tmp_path / "test.db"
     seed_single_change(
         path, fixed_change("init", {"counter": 0, "users": {}}), format_config
@@ -491,26 +515,67 @@ async def test_empty_migration_is_recorded_and_not_reapplied(tmp_path, format_co
         kanta = make_kanta(path, Data, format_config, migrations=mod)
         await kanta.open()
         assert kanta.version == 1
-        await kanta.flush()
         await kanta.close()
 
+        # Empty migrations must not produce empty change records.
         records = read_changes(path, format_config)
         migration_records = [r for r in records if r.a.startswith("migrate")]
-        assert len(migration_records) == 1
-        assert migration_records[0].v == 1
-        assert migration_records[0].diff == {}
+        assert not migration_records
+
+        # The version bump is persisted via a snapshot instead.
+        snap = read_last_snapshot(path, format_config)
+        assert snap is not None
+        assert snap.v == 1
+        assert snap.state == {"counter": 0, "users": {}}
 
         kanta2 = make_kanta(path, Data, format_config, migrations=mod)
         await kanta2.open()
         assert kanta2.version == 1
         await kanta2.close()
 
+        # Re-opening must not create additional migration records or snapshots.
         records2 = read_changes(path, format_config)
-        assert len([r for r in records2 if r.a.startswith("migrate")]) == 1
+        assert not [r for r in records2 if r.a.startswith("migrate")]
     finally:
         sys.modules.pop("empty_migration_mod", None)
 
 
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_migration_with_changes_records_diff_and_snapshot(
+    tmp_path, format_config
+):
+    path = tmp_path / "test.db"
+    seed_single_change(path, fixed_change("init", {"counter": 0}), format_config)
+
+    mod = type(sys)("test_migrations_changes")
+
+    def migrate_v1(d, kanta):
+        d["counter"] = 2
+
+    mod.__dict__["migrate_v1"] = migrate_v1
+
+    kanta = make_kanta(path, Data, format_config, migrations=mod)
+    await kanta.open()
+    assert kanta.version == 1
+    assert kanta.data.counter == 2
+    await kanta.close()
+
+    records = read_changes(path, format_config)
+    migration_records = [r for r in records if r.a.startswith("migrate")]
+    assert len(migration_records) == 2
+    assert migration_records[0].a == "migrate:v1"
+    assert migration_records[0].v == 1
+    assert migration_records[0].diff == {"counter": 2}
+    assert migration_records[1].a == "migrate:msgspec"
+    assert migration_records[1].v == 1
+    assert migration_records[1].diff == {"users": {}}
+
+    snap = read_last_snapshot(path, format_config)
+    assert snap is not None
+    assert snap.v == 1
+    assert snap.state == {"counter": 2, "users": {}}
+
+
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
 async def test_open_locked_file_raises_filelock_error(tmp_path, format_config):
     path = tmp_path / "test.db"
diff --git a/tests/test_snapshot.py b/tests/test_snapshot.py
index cd4a688..6a0bc2e 100644
--- a/tests/test_snapshot.py
+++ b/tests/test_snapshot.py
@@ -32,3 +32,20 @@ def test_force_writes():
     f = FakeFile()
     ss.maybe_write(f, 1, {"x": 1})
     assert len(f.written) == 1
+
+
+def test_force_bypasses_min_diffs():
+    class FakeFile:
+        def __init__(self):
+            self.written = []
+            self.is_open = True
+
+        def write(self, data: bytes):
+            self.written.append(data)
+
+    ss = SnapshotState(min_diffs=100)
+    ss.record_changes(5)
+    ss.request_force()
+    f = FakeFile()
+    ss.maybe_write(f, 1, {"x": 1})
+    assert len(f.written) == 1