diff --git a/internal/repository/exam_prep_units.go b/internal/repository/exam_prep_units.go
index 88eb0ae..f924385 100644
--- a/internal/repository/exam_prep_units.go
+++ b/internal/repository/exam_prep_units.go
@@ -39,10 +39,7 @@ func (s *Store) CreateExamPrepUnit(ctx context.Context, catalogCourseID int64, i
 		}
 		defer func() { _ = tx.Rollback(ctx) }()
 		target := int32(*input.SortOrder)
-		if _, err := tx.Exec(ctx,
-			`UPDATE exam_prep.units SET sort_order = sort_order + 1 WHERE catalog_course_id = $1 AND sort_order >= $2`,
-			catalogCourseID, target,
-		); err != nil {
+		if err := shiftExamPrepUnitsSortOrderForInsert(ctx, tx, catalogCourseID, target); err != nil {
 			return domain.ExamPrepUnit{}, err
 		}
 		u, err := q.ExamPrepCreateUnit(ctx, dbgen.ExamPrepCreateUnitParams{
diff --git a/internal/repository/lms_courses.go b/internal/repository/lms_courses.go
index b4e2116..0bd41f2 100644
--- a/internal/repository/lms_courses.go
+++ b/internal/repository/lms_courses.go
@@ -39,10 +39,7 @@ func (s *Store) CreateCourse(ctx context.Context, programID int64, input domain.
 		}
 		defer func() { _ = tx.Rollback(ctx) }()
 		target := int32(*input.SortOrder)
-		if _, err := tx.Exec(ctx,
-			`UPDATE courses SET sort_order = sort_order + 1 WHERE program_id = $1 AND sort_order >= $2`,
-			programID, target,
-		); err != nil {
+		if err := shiftCoursesSortOrderForInsert(ctx, tx, programID, target); err != nil {
 			return domain.Course{}, err
 		}
 		c, err := q.CreateCourse(ctx, dbgen.CreateCourseParams{
diff --git a/internal/repository/lms_lessons.go b/internal/repository/lms_lessons.go
index 62c6a49..0b06271 100644
--- a/internal/repository/lms_lessons.go
+++ b/internal/repository/lms_lessons.go
@@ -41,10 +41,7 @@ func (s *Store) CreateLesson(ctx context.Context, moduleID int64, input domain.C
 		}
 		defer func() { _ = tx.Rollback(ctx) }()
 		target := int32(*input.SortOrder)
-		if _, err := tx.Exec(ctx,
-			`UPDATE lessons SET sort_order = sort_order + 1 WHERE module_id = $1 AND sort_order >= $2`,
-			moduleID, target,
-		); err != nil {
+		if err := shiftLessonsSortOrderForInsert(ctx, tx, moduleID, target); err != nil {
 			return domain.Lesson{}, err
 		}
 		l, err := q.CreateLesson(ctx, dbgen.CreateLessonParams{
diff --git a/internal/repository/lms_modules.go b/internal/repository/lms_modules.go
index 27a0054..2a9ca51 100644
--- a/internal/repository/lms_modules.go
+++ b/internal/repository/lms_modules.go
@@ -40,10 +40,7 @@ func (s *Store) CreateModule(ctx context.Context, programID, courseID int64, inp
 		}
 		defer func() { _ = tx.Rollback(ctx) }()
 		target := int32(*input.SortOrder)
-		if _, err := tx.Exec(ctx,
-			`UPDATE modules SET sort_order = sort_order + 1 WHERE course_id = $1 AND sort_order >= $2`,
-			courseID, target,
-		); err != nil {
+		if err := shiftModulesSortOrderForInsert(ctx, tx, courseID, target); err != nil {
 			return domain.Module{}, err
 		}
 		m, err := q.CreateModule(ctx, dbgen.CreateModuleParams{
diff --git a/internal/repository/lms_sort_order_shift.go b/internal/repository/lms_sort_order_shift.go
index 05d279e..3e236ff 100644
--- a/internal/repository/lms_sort_order_shift.go
+++ b/internal/repository/lms_sort_order_shift.go
@@ -9,6 +9,64 @@ import (
 // Sequential siblings (programs global, courses per program, modules per course, lessons per module) use unique sort_order.
 // These helpers move id from oldPos to newPos without collisions by temporarily assigning sort_order = -id then shifting intermediates.
 
+// shift*SortOrderForInsert makes room at fromPos by incrementing existing rows at/after that position.
+// Rows are updated highest-first so the unique (parent, sort_order) index is never violated mid-shift.
+
+func shiftProgramsSortOrderForInsert(ctx context.Context, tx pgx.Tx, fromPos int32) error {
+	_, err := tx.Exec(ctx, `
+UPDATE programs AS t
+SET sort_order = t.sort_order + 1
+FROM (
+    SELECT id FROM programs WHERE sort_order >= $1 ORDER BY sort_order DESC
+) AS s
+WHERE t.id = s.id`, fromPos)
+	return err
+}
+
+func shiftCoursesSortOrderForInsert(ctx context.Context, tx pgx.Tx, programID int64, fromPos int32) error {
+	_, err := tx.Exec(ctx, `
+UPDATE courses AS t
+SET sort_order = t.sort_order + 1
+FROM (
+    SELECT id FROM courses WHERE program_id = $1 AND sort_order >= $2 ORDER BY sort_order DESC
+) AS s
+WHERE t.id = s.id`, programID, fromPos)
+	return err
+}
+
+func shiftModulesSortOrderForInsert(ctx context.Context, tx pgx.Tx, courseID int64, fromPos int32) error {
+	_, err := tx.Exec(ctx, `
+UPDATE modules AS t
+SET sort_order = t.sort_order + 1
+FROM (
+    SELECT id FROM modules WHERE course_id = $1 AND sort_order >= $2 ORDER BY sort_order DESC
+) AS s
+WHERE t.id = s.id`, courseID, fromPos)
+	return err
+}
+
+func shiftLessonsSortOrderForInsert(ctx context.Context, tx pgx.Tx, moduleID int64, fromPos int32) error {
+	_, err := tx.Exec(ctx, `
+UPDATE lessons AS t
+SET sort_order = t.sort_order + 1
+FROM (
+    SELECT id FROM lessons WHERE module_id = $1 AND sort_order >= $2 ORDER BY sort_order DESC
+) AS s
+WHERE t.id = s.id`, moduleID, fromPos)
+	return err
+}
+
+func shiftExamPrepUnitsSortOrderForInsert(ctx context.Context, tx pgx.Tx, catalogCourseID int64, fromPos int32) error {
+	_, err := tx.Exec(ctx, `
+UPDATE exam_prep.units AS t
+SET sort_order = t.sort_order + 1
+FROM (
+    SELECT id FROM exam_prep.units WHERE catalog_course_id = $1 AND sort_order >= $2 ORDER BY sort_order DESC
+) AS s
+WHERE t.id = s.id`, catalogCourseID, fromPos)
+	return err
+}
+
 func repositionProgramSortOrder(ctx context.Context, tx pgx.Tx, id int64, oldPos, newPos int32) error {
 	if oldPos == newPos {
 		return nil
diff --git a/internal/repository/programs.go b/internal/repository/programs.go
index e83f8e9..50667b8 100644
--- a/internal/repository/programs.go
+++ b/internal/repository/programs.go
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ func (s *Store) CreateProgram(ctx context.Context, input domain.CreateProgramInp
 		}
 		defer func() { _ = tx.Rollback(ctx) }()
 		target := int32(*input.SortOrder)
-		if _, err := tx.Exec(ctx, `UPDATE programs SET sort_order = sort_order + 1 WHERE sort_order >= $1`, target); err != nil {
+		if err := shiftProgramsSortOrderForInsert(ctx, tx, target); err != nil {
 			return domain.Program{}, err
 		}
 		p, err := q.CreateProgram(ctx, dbgen.CreateProgramParams{