diff --git a/.github/docker/ci/smoke.php b/.github/docker/ci/smoke.php
index a65b353208..a43a064dc5 100644
--- a/.github/docker/ci/smoke.php
+++ b/.github/docker/ci/smoke.php
@@ -257,6 +257,8 @@ function setting(string $name)
     check('one document seeded', count_rows('site_content') === 1, 'rows: ' . count_rows('site_content'));
     check('the document is the install success page', ($home['alias'] ?? '') === 'minimal-base', 'alias: ' . ($home['alias'] ?? 'none'));
     check('the document uses the seeded template', (int) ($home['template'] ?? 0) === 1);
+    $templateSource = $pdo->query('SELECT templatesource FROM ' . t('site_templates') . ' WHERE id = 1')->fetchColumn();
+    check('the minimal template uses database rendering', $templateSource === 'db', 'source: ' . ($templateSource ?: 'empty'));
 }
 check('the document is published', (int) ($home['published'] ?? 0) === 1);
 check('a template was seeded', count_rows('site_templates') >= 1);
diff --git a/core/database/seeders/SiteTemplatesTableSeeder.php b/core/database/seeders/SiteTemplatesTableSeeder.php
index a2848cc0ef..977e803bda 100644
--- a/core/database/seeders/SiteTemplatesTableSeeder.php
+++ b/core/database/seeders/SiteTemplatesTableSeeder.php
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ public function run(): void
             [
                 'templatename'  => 'Minimal Template',
                 'templatealias' => '',
+                'templatesource' => 'db',
                 'description'   => 'Default minimal empty template (content returned only)',
                 'editor_type'   => 0,
                 'category'      => 0,
diff --git a/core/src/Models/ActiveUser.php b/core/src/Models/ActiveUser.php
index 5a46a38cbb..b03560f94d 100644
--- a/core/src/Models/ActiveUser.php
+++ b/core/src/Models/ActiveUser.php
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@
  */
 class ActiveUser extends Eloquent\Model
 {
+    protected $table = 'active_users';
+
     protected $primaryKey = 'sid';
     public $incrementing = false;
     public $timestamps = false;
diff --git a/core/src/Models/ActiveUserLock.php b/core/src/Models/ActiveUserLock.php
index 38f784e7d7..2cfedc7bec 100644
--- a/core/src/Models/ActiveUserLock.php
+++ b/core/src/Models/ActiveUserLock.php
@@ -16,6 +16,8 @@
  */
 class ActiveUserLock extends Eloquent\Model
 {
+	protected $table = 'active_user_locks';
+
 	public $timestamps = false;
 
 	protected $casts = [
diff --git a/core/src/Models/ActiveUserSession.php b/core/src/Models/ActiveUserSession.php
index f6acc6d850..e34c208aef 100644
--- a/core/src/Models/ActiveUserSession.php
+++ b/core/src/Models/ActiveUserSession.php
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@
  */
 class ActiveUserSession extends Eloquent\Model
 {
+    protected $table = 'active_user_sessions';
+
     protected $primaryKey = 'sid';
     public $incrementing = false;
     public $timestamps = false;
diff --git a/core/src/Models/Category.php b/core/src/Models/Category.php
index 17c7b28b6d..bc4c4549b3 100644
--- a/core/src/Models/Category.php
+++ b/core/src/Models/Category.php
@@ -27,6 +27,8 @@ class Category extends Eloquent\Model
 {
     use Traits\Models\ManagerActions;
 
+    protected $table = 'categories';
+
 	public $timestamps = false;
 
 	protected $casts = [
diff --git a/core/src/Models/DocumentGroup.php b/core/src/Models/DocumentGroup.php
index 2955c75480..e8c5c72388 100644
--- a/core/src/Models/DocumentGroup.php
+++ b/core/src/Models/DocumentGroup.php
@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@
  */
 class DocumentGroup extends Eloquent\Model
 {
+	protected $table = 'document_groups';
+
 	public $timestamps = false;
 
 	protected $casts = [
diff --git a/core/src/Models/DocumentgroupName.php b/core/src/Models/DocumentgroupName.php
index 08d98f928c..0597bfe3f4 100644
--- a/core/src/Models/DocumentgroupName.php
+++ b/core/src/Models/DocumentgroupName.php
@@ -16,6 +16,8 @@
  */
 class DocumentgroupName extends Eloquent\Model
 {
+    protected $table = 'documentgroup_names';
+
     public $timestamps = false;
 
     protected $casts = [
diff --git a/core/src/Models/FileGroup.php b/core/src/Models/FileGroup.php
index 5a4a508dbd..91e9130b5a 100644
--- a/core/src/Models/FileGroup.php
+++ b/core/src/Models/FileGroup.php
@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@
  */
 class FileGroup extends Eloquent\Model
 {
+    protected $table = 'file_groups';
+
     public $timestamps = false;
 
     protected $casts = [
diff --git a/core/src/Models/MemberGroup.php b/core/src/Models/MemberGroup.php
index 278b37a667..2e4cbeb9ea 100644
--- a/core/src/Models/MemberGroup.php
+++ b/core/src/Models/MemberGroup.php
@@ -16,6 +16,8 @@ class MemberGroup extends Eloquent\Model
 {
     use Traits\Models\ManagerActions;
 
+    protected $table = 'member_groups';
+
 	public $timestamps = false;
 
 	protected $casts = [
diff --git a/core/src/Models/MembergroupName.php b/core/src/Models/MembergroupName.php
index 651ef7477e..e40e93587b 100644
--- a/core/src/Models/MembergroupName.php
+++ b/core/src/Models/MembergroupName.php
@@ -16,6 +16,8 @@
  */
 class MembergroupName extends Eloquent\Model
 {
+    protected $table = 'membergroup_names';
+
     public $timestamps = false;
 
     protected $fillable = [
diff --git a/core/src/Models/Permissions.php b/core/src/Models/Permissions.php
index 00a57fc2d4..fd558e0992 100644
--- a/core/src/Models/Permissions.php
+++ b/core/src/Models/Permissions.php
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@ class Permissions extends Eloquent\Model
 {
     use ManagerActions;
 
+    protected $table = 'permissions';
+
     protected $managerActionsMap = [
         'actions.cancel' => 86,
         'actions.new' => 135,
diff --git a/core/src/Models/PermissionsGroups.php b/core/src/Models/PermissionsGroups.php
index 7e56337aa4..f4acc22a0c 100644
--- a/core/src/Models/PermissionsGroups.php
+++ b/core/src/Models/PermissionsGroups.php
@@ -22,6 +22,8 @@ class PermissionsGroups extends Eloquent\Model
 {
     use ManagerActions;
 
+    protected $table = 'permissions_groups';
+
     protected $managerActionsMap = [
         'actions.cancel' => 86,
         'actions.new' => 136,
diff --git a/core/src/Models/RolePermissions.php b/core/src/Models/RolePermissions.php
index 4a3eaf3562..b29ea46a21 100644
--- a/core/src/Models/RolePermissions.php
+++ b/core/src/Models/RolePermissions.php
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
  */
 class RolePermissions extends Eloquent\Model
 {
+	protected $table = 'role_permissions';
 
 	protected $fillable = [
 		'permission',
diff --git a/core/src/Models/SiteHtmlsnippet.php b/core/src/Models/SiteHtmlsnippet.php
index 50f40917e5..11291ce327 100644
--- a/core/src/Models/SiteHtmlsnippet.php
+++ b/core/src/Models/SiteHtmlsnippet.php
@@ -43,6 +43,8 @@ class SiteHtmlsnippet extends Eloquent\Model
     use Traits\Models\ManagerActions,
         Traits\Models\TimeMutator;
 
+    protected $table = 'site_htmlsnippets';
+
 	const CREATED_AT = 'createdon';
 	const UPDATED_AT = 'editedon';
     protected $dateFormat = 'U';
diff --git a/core/src/Models/SiteModule.php b/core/src/Models/SiteModule.php
index a0334a238b..363ba130fc 100644
--- a/core/src/Models/SiteModule.php
+++ b/core/src/Models/SiteModule.php
@@ -47,6 +47,8 @@ class SiteModule extends Eloquent\Model
     use Traits\Models\ManagerActions,
         Traits\Models\TimeMutator;
 
+    protected $table = 'site_modules';
+
 	const CREATED_AT = 'createdon';
 	const UPDATED_AT = 'editedon';
     protected $dateFormat = 'U';
diff --git a/core/src/Models/SitePlugin.php b/core/src/Models/SitePlugin.php
index 523dba7e52..12e2f0f1a1 100644
--- a/core/src/Models/SitePlugin.php
+++ b/core/src/Models/SitePlugin.php
@@ -45,6 +45,8 @@ class SitePlugin extends Eloquent\Model
     use Traits\Models\ManagerActions,
         Traits\Models\TimeMutator;
 
+    protected $table = 'site_plugins';
+
 	const CREATED_AT = 'createdon';
 	const UPDATED_AT = 'editedon';
     protected $dateFormat = 'U';
diff --git a/core/src/Models/SitePluginEvent.php b/core/src/Models/SitePluginEvent.php
index 9deec20f6e..59e5f7baf7 100644
--- a/core/src/Models/SitePluginEvent.php
+++ b/core/src/Models/SitePluginEvent.php
@@ -16,6 +16,8 @@ class SitePluginEvent extends Eloquent\Model
 {
     use Traits\Models\ManagerActions;
 
+    protected $table = 'site_plugin_events';
+
 	public $incrementing = false;
 	public $timestamps = false;
 
diff --git a/core/src/Models/SiteSnippet.php b/core/src/Models/SiteSnippet.php
index bd09a51b1a..07cf86c299 100644
--- a/core/src/Models/SiteSnippet.php
+++ b/core/src/Models/SiteSnippet.php
@@ -45,6 +45,8 @@ class SiteSnippet extends Eloquent\Model
     use Traits\Models\ManagerActions,
         Traits\Models\TimeMutator;
 
+    protected $table = 'site_snippets';
+
 	const CREATED_AT = 'createdon';
 	const UPDATED_AT = 'editedon';
     protected $dateFormat = 'U';
diff --git a/core/src/Models/SiteTemplate.php b/core/src/Models/SiteTemplate.php
index 2dfdc7eccc..b3fe0f4761 100644
--- a/core/src/Models/SiteTemplate.php
+++ b/core/src/Models/SiteTemplate.php
@@ -46,6 +46,8 @@ class SiteTemplate extends Eloquent\Model
     use Traits\Models\ManagerActions,
         Traits\Models\TimeMutator;
 
+    protected $table = 'site_templates';
+
 	const CREATED_AT = 'createdon';
 	const UPDATED_AT = 'editedon';
     protected $dateFormat = 'U';
diff --git a/core/src/Models/SiteTmplvar.php b/core/src/Models/SiteTmplvar.php
index c4d04f73f6..d51b7218f3 100644
--- a/core/src/Models/SiteTmplvar.php
+++ b/core/src/Models/SiteTmplvar.php
@@ -45,6 +45,8 @@ class SiteTmplvar extends Eloquent\Model
     use Traits\Models\ManagerActions,
         Traits\Models\TimeMutator;
 
+    protected $table = 'site_tmplvars';
+
 	const CREATED_AT = 'createdon';
 	const UPDATED_AT = 'editedon';
     protected $dateFormat = 'U';
diff --git a/core/src/Models/SiteTmplvarContentvalue.php b/core/src/Models/SiteTmplvarContentvalue.php
index 11320eddcc..5384c1c5a3 100644
--- a/core/src/Models/SiteTmplvarContentvalue.php
+++ b/core/src/Models/SiteTmplvarContentvalue.php
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@
  */
 class SiteTmplvarContentvalue extends Eloquent\Model
 {
+	protected $table = 'site_tmplvar_contentvalues';
+
 	public $timestamps = false;
 
 	protected $casts = [
diff --git a/core/src/Models/SiteTmplvarTemplate.php b/core/src/Models/SiteTmplvarTemplate.php
index 9eb1369e8f..12af2fddf3 100644
--- a/core/src/Models/SiteTmplvarTemplate.php
+++ b/core/src/Models/SiteTmplvarTemplate.php
@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@
  */
 class SiteTmplvarTemplate extends Eloquent\Model
 {
+	protected $table = 'site_tmplvar_templates';
+
 	public $incrementing = false;
 	public $timestamps = false;
 
diff --git a/core/src/Models/SystemEventname.php b/core/src/Models/SystemEventname.php
index 2406ec1128..9f321cdc42 100644
--- a/core/src/Models/SystemEventname.php
+++ b/core/src/Models/SystemEventname.php
@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@
  */
 class SystemEventname extends Eloquent\Model
 {
+	protected $table = 'system_eventnames';
+
 	public $timestamps = false;
 
 	protected $casts = [
diff --git a/core/src/Models/SystemSetting.php b/core/src/Models/SystemSetting.php
index 79725d472c..74cf1eae7c 100644
--- a/core/src/Models/SystemSetting.php
+++ b/core/src/Models/SystemSetting.php
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@ class SystemSetting extends Eloquent\Model
 {
     use Traits\Models\ManagerActions;
 
+    protected $table = 'system_settings';
+
 	protected $primaryKey = 'setting_name';
 	public $incrementing = false;
 	public $timestamps = false;
diff --git a/core/src/Models/User.php b/core/src/Models/User.php
index c9dc1357bb..6236d64784 100644
--- a/core/src/Models/User.php
+++ b/core/src/Models/User.php
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@ class User extends Eloquent\Model
 {
     use Traits\Models\ManagerActions;
 
+    protected $table = 'users';
+
 	public $timestamps = false;
 
 	protected $hidden = [
diff --git a/core/src/Models/UserAttribute.php b/core/src/Models/UserAttribute.php
index dda5b8aeea..ed99cbd4f9 100644
--- a/core/src/Models/UserAttribute.php
+++ b/core/src/Models/UserAttribute.php
@@ -49,6 +49,8 @@ class UserAttribute extends Eloquent\Model
 {
     use Traits\Models\TimeMutator;
 
+    protected $table = 'user_attributes';
+
 	const CREATED_AT = 'createdon';
 	const UPDATED_AT = 'editedon';
     protected $dateFormat = 'U';
diff --git a/core/src/Models/UserRole.php b/core/src/Models/UserRole.php
index 84c0ef7514..dcf9ef7d95 100644
--- a/core/src/Models/UserRole.php
+++ b/core/src/Models/UserRole.php
@@ -93,6 +93,8 @@ class UserRole extends Eloquent\Model
 {
     use Traits\Models\ManagerActions;
 
+    protected $table = 'user_roles';
+
 	public $timestamps = false;
 
 	protected $casts = [
diff --git a/core/src/Models/UserRoleVar.php b/core/src/Models/UserRoleVar.php
index 2d602e5060..d20aa56ba1 100644
--- a/core/src/Models/UserRoleVar.php
+++ b/core/src/Models/UserRoleVar.php
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@
  */
 class UserRoleVar extends Eloquent\Model
 {
+	protected $table = 'user_role_vars';
+
 	public $incrementing = false;
 	public $timestamps = false;
 
diff --git a/core/src/Models/UserSetting.php b/core/src/Models/UserSetting.php
index 449cde50a0..e85e225e8e 100644
--- a/core/src/Models/UserSetting.php
+++ b/core/src/Models/UserSetting.php
@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@
  */
 class UserSetting extends Eloquent\Model
 {
+    protected $table = 'user_settings';
+
     protected $primaryKey = null;
     public $incrementing = false;
     public $timestamps = false;
diff --git a/core/src/Models/UserValue.php b/core/src/Models/UserValue.php
index db2f0c868d..f9c7f679a6 100644
--- a/core/src/Models/UserValue.php
+++ b/core/src/Models/UserValue.php
@@ -16,6 +16,8 @@
  */
 class UserValue extends Model
 {
+	protected $table = 'user_values';
+
 	public $timestamps = false;
 
 	protected $casts = [
diff --git a/core/src/Traits/Models/SoftDeletes.php b/core/src/Traits/Models/SoftDeletes.php
index cae753a189..2afbd8507c 100644
--- a/core/src/Traits/Models/SoftDeletes.php
+++ b/core/src/Traits/Models/SoftDeletes.php
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 <?php namespace EvolutionCMS\Traits\Models;
 
+use DateTimeInterface;
 use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\SoftDeletes as BaseSoftDeletes;
 use EvolutionCMS\Shit\SoftDeletingScope;
 
@@ -36,4 +37,44 @@ public function restore()
 
         return $result;
     }
+
+    /**
+     * Keep the deleted-at column as its stored Unix timestamp in array form.
+     *
+     * The base trait casts that column to datetime, so toArray() would build a
+     * Carbon instance only to print it as an ISO string: every uncached page
+     * paid for loading Carbon, and templates got a value unlike every other
+     * date field. Reading the attribute still returns Carbon.
+     *
+     * @param array<string, mixed> $attributes
+     * @param array<int, string> $mutatedAttributes
+     * @return array<string, mixed>
+     */
+    protected function addCastAttributesToArray(array $attributes, array $mutatedAttributes)
+    {
+        $column = $this->getDeletedAtColumn();
+        if (!array_key_exists($column, $attributes)
+            || in_array($column, $mutatedAttributes, true)
+            || ($this->getCasts()[$column] ?? null) !== 'datetime'
+        ) {
+            return parent::addCastAttributesToArray($attributes, $mutatedAttributes);
+        }
+
+        $raw = $attributes[$column];
+        if ($raw instanceof DateTimeInterface) {
+            $raw = $raw->getTimestamp();
+        } elseif (is_numeric($raw)) {
+            $raw = (int) $raw;
+        }
+
+        // The parent only rewrites keys it is given, so the column goes back
+        // where it was and the array keeps its order.
+        $position = array_search($column, array_keys($attributes), true);
+        unset($attributes[$column]);
+        $attributes = parent::addCastAttributesToArray($attributes, $mutatedAttributes);
+
+        return array_slice($attributes, 0, $position, true)
+            + [$column => $raw]
+            + array_slice($attributes, $position, null, true);
+    }
 }
diff --git a/core/tests/Mocks/default_site_template_seeder_worker.php b/core/tests/Mocks/default_site_template_seeder_worker.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e469dd2b8d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/tests/Mocks/default_site_template_seeder_worker.php
@@ -0,0 +1,63 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace Illuminate\Database {
+    class Seeder
+    {
+    }
+}
+
+namespace Illuminate\Support\Facades {
+    final class Schema
+    {
+        public static function hasTable(string $table): bool
+        {
+            return $table === 'site_templates';
+        }
+    }
+
+    final class DB
+    {
+        public static array $inserted = [];
+
+        public static function table(string $table): FakeTable
+        {
+            return new FakeTable($table);
+        }
+    }
+
+    final class FakeTable
+    {
+        public function __construct(private string $name)
+        {
+        }
+
+        public function count(): int
+        {
+            return 0;
+        }
+
+        public function delete(): int
+        {
+            DB::$inserted[$this->name] = [];
+
+            return 0;
+        }
+
+        public function insert(array $rows): void
+        {
+            DB::$inserted[$this->name] = $rows;
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+namespace {
+    require $argv[1];
+
+    $seederClass = $argv[2];
+    (new $seederClass())->run();
+
+    echo json_encode(
+        \Illuminate\Support\Facades\DB::$inserted['site_templates'][0] ?? [],
+        JSON_THROW_ON_ERROR
+    );
+}
diff --git a/core/tests/Mocks/site_content_to_array_worker.php b/core/tests/Mocks/site_content_to_array_worker.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ad350e5b37
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/tests/Mocks/site_content_to_array_worker.php
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+<?php
+// Turns a document row into the array the parser renders, in a clean process, and reports
+// whether that loaded Carbon. Prints JSON: {"deletedon": ..., "carbonLoaded": bool}
+require dirname(__DIR__, 2) . '/vendor/autoload.php';
+
+use EvolutionCMS\Models\SiteContent;
+
+$document = (new SiteContent())->newFromBuilder([
+    'id' => 1,
+    'pagetitle' => 'Home',
+    'template' => 1,
+    'createdon' => '1790625541',
+    'deleted' => '0',
+    'deletedon' => '0',
+]);
+
+echo json_encode([
+    'deletedon' => $document->toArray()['deletedon'],
+    'carbonLoaded' => class_exists(\Carbon\Carbon::class, false),
+], JSON_THROW_ON_ERROR);
diff --git a/core/tests/Unit/Install/DefaultSiteTemplateSeederTest.php b/core/tests/Unit/Install/DefaultSiteTemplateSeederTest.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..aed01b7523
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/tests/Unit/Install/DefaultSiteTemplateSeederTest.php
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+<?php
+
+test('default site template seeders use the database source for the minimal template', function () {
+    $worker = dirname(__DIR__, 2) . '/Mocks/default_site_template_seeder_worker.php';
+    $root = dirname(__DIR__, 4);
+    $seeders = [
+        [
+            $root . '/core/database/seeders/SiteTemplatesTableSeeder.php',
+            'Database\\Seeders\\SiteTemplatesTableSeeder',
+        ],
+        [
+            $root . '/install/stubs/seeds/install/SiteTemplatesTableSeeder.php',
+            'EvolutionCMS\\Installer\\Install\\SiteTemplatesTableSeeder',
+        ],
+    ];
+
+    foreach ($seeders as [$seeder, $class]) {
+        $exitCode = null;
+        $output = evoRunPhp($worker, [$seeder, $class], $exitCode);
+        $template = json_decode($output, true, flags: JSON_THROW_ON_ERROR);
+
+        expect($exitCode)->toBe(0)
+            ->and($template['templatesource'])->toBe('db');
+    }
+});
diff --git a/core/tests/Unit/Models/ModelTableNamesTest.php b/core/tests/Unit/Models/ModelTableNamesTest.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e777c5c74e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/tests/Unit/Models/ModelTableNamesTest.php
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+<?php
+
+use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Model;
+use Illuminate\Support\Str;
+
+/**
+ * A model without $table makes Eloquent derive the name by pluralising the class name,
+ * which loads Doctrine Inflector (about 20 files) on the first query of every request.
+ */
+test('every core model declares its table name', function () {
+    $missing = [];
+    foreach (glob(dirname(__DIR__, 3) . '/src/Models/*.php') as $file) {
+        $class = new ReflectionClass('EvolutionCMS\\Models\\' . basename($file, '.php'));
+        if ($class->isAbstract() || !$class->isSubclassOf(Model::class)) {
+            continue;
+        }
+        $declaring = $class->getProperty('table')->getDeclaringClass()->getName();
+        $table = $class->newInstanceWithoutConstructor()->getTable();
+        if ($declaring === Model::class || $table === '') {
+            $missing[] = $class->getShortName();
+        }
+    }
+
+    expect($missing)->toBe([]);
+});
+
+test('models that used to derive their table name keep that exact name', function () {
+    $models = [
+        'ActiveUser', 'ActiveUserLock', 'ActiveUserSession', 'Category', 'DocumentGroup',
+        'DocumentgroupName', 'FileGroup', 'MemberGroup', 'MembergroupName', 'Permissions',
+        'PermissionsGroups', 'RolePermissions', 'SiteHtmlsnippet', 'SiteModule', 'SitePlugin',
+        'SitePluginEvent', 'SiteSnippet', 'SiteTemplate', 'SiteTmplvar', 'SiteTmplvarContentvalue',
+        'SiteTmplvarTemplate', 'SystemEventname', 'SystemSetting', 'User', 'UserAttribute',
+        'UserRole', 'UserRoleVar', 'UserSetting', 'UserValue',
+    ];
+
+    foreach ($models as $model) {
+        $class = new ReflectionClass('EvolutionCMS\\Models\\' . $model);
+        // The rule Model::getTable() applies when $table is not set.
+        $derived = Str::snake(Str::pluralStudly($model));
+
+        expect($class->newInstanceWithoutConstructor()->getTable())->toBe($derived, $model);
+    }
+});
diff --git a/core/tests/Unit/Models/SiteContentDeletedOnArrayTest.php b/core/tests/Unit/Models/SiteContentDeletedOnArrayTest.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..3be3570aa8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/tests/Unit/Models/SiteContentDeletedOnArrayTest.php
@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+<?php
+
+use EvolutionCMS\Models\SiteContent;
+use Illuminate\Support\Carbon;
+
+function siteContentFromRow(array $row): SiteContent
+{
+    return (new SiteContent())->newFromBuilder($row);
+}
+
+test('toArray keeps deletedon as the stored unix timestamp', function () {
+    $never = siteContentFromRow(['id' => 1, 'deletedon' => '0'])->toArray();
+    $deleted = siteContentFromRow(['id' => 2, 'deletedon' => '1790625541'])->toArray();
+    $missing = siteContentFromRow(['id' => 3, 'deletedon' => null])->toArray();
+
+    expect($never['deletedon'])->toBe(0)
+        ->and($deleted['deletedon'])->toBe(1790625541)
+        ->and($missing['deletedon'])->toBeNull();
+});
+
+test('toArray keeps the column order and still casts the other attributes', function () {
+    $array = siteContentFromRow([
+        'id' => 1,
+        'published' => '1',
+        'deletedon' => '0',
+        'template' => '4',
+        'hidemenu' => '0',
+    ])->toArray();
+
+    expect(array_keys($array))->toBe(['id', 'published', 'deletedon', 'template', 'hidemenu'])
+        ->and($array['published'])->toBe(1)
+        ->and($array['template'])->toBe(4)
+        ->and($array['hidemenu'])->toBeFalse();
+});
+
+test('reading deletedon as an attribute still returns a date', function () {
+    $document = siteContentFromRow(['id' => 1, 'deletedon' => '1790625541']);
+
+    expect($document->deletedon)->toBeInstanceOf(Carbon::class)
+        ->and($document->deletedon->getTimestamp())->toBe(1790625541);
+});
+
+test('a deletion time set in memory is arrayed as a unix timestamp', function () {
+    $document = siteContentFromRow(['id' => 1, 'deletedon' => '0']);
+    $document->deletedon = Carbon::createFromTimestamp(1790625541);
+
+    expect($document->toArray()['deletedon'])->toBe(1790625541);
+});
+
+test('arraying a document does not load Carbon', function () {
+    $exitCode = null;
+    $output = evoRunPhp(dirname(__DIR__, 2) . '/Mocks/site_content_to_array_worker.php', [], $exitCode);
+    $result = json_decode($output, true, flags: JSON_THROW_ON_ERROR);
+
+    expect($exitCode)->toBe(0)
+        ->and($result['deletedon'])->toBe(0)
+        ->and($result['carbonLoaded'])->toBeFalse();
+});
diff --git a/install/stubs/seeds/install/SiteTemplatesTableSeeder.php b/install/stubs/seeds/install/SiteTemplatesTableSeeder.php
index da4ee10e86..7b76098acd 100644
--- a/install/stubs/seeds/install/SiteTemplatesTableSeeder.php
+++ b/install/stubs/seeds/install/SiteTemplatesTableSeeder.php
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ public function run(): void
                 [
                     'templatename'  => 'Minimal Template',
                     'templatealias' => '',
+                    'templatesource' => 'db',
                     'description'   => 'Default minimal empty template (content returned only)',
                     'editor_type'   => 0,
                     'category'      => 0,