diff --git a/src-tauri/src/connections/mod.rs b/src-tauri/src/connections/mod.rs
index 976a4e8..479c2d1 100644
--- a/src-tauri/src/connections/mod.rs
+++ b/src-tauri/src/connections/mod.rs
@@ -38,10 +38,8 @@ pub struct ConnectionRecord {
     pub group_id: Option<i64>,
     pub credential_id: Option<i64>,
     pub color: Option<String>,
-    /// JSON array string, e.g. `["linux","prod"]`
-    pub tags: String,
+    pub tags: Vec<String>,
     pub notes: Option<String>,
-    /// JSON object string, e.g. `{"keepalive":30}`
     pub options: String,
     pub sort_order: i64,
     pub last_connected: Option<String>,
@@ -254,7 +252,7 @@ impl ConnectionService {
             group_id: input.group_id,
             credential_id: input.credential_id,
             color: input.color,
-            tags: tags_json,
+            tags: input.tags,
             notes: input.notes,
             options: options_json,
             sort_order,
@@ -439,6 +437,8 @@ impl ConnectionService {
 ///
 /// Column order must match the SELECT lists used throughout this module.
 fn map_connection_row(row: &rusqlite::Row<'_>) -> rusqlite::Result<ConnectionRecord> {
+    let tags_json: String = row.get(8)?;
+    let tags: Vec<String> = serde_json::from_str(&tags_json).unwrap_or_default();
     Ok(ConnectionRecord {
         id: row.get(0)?,
         name: row.get(1)?,
@@ -448,7 +448,7 @@ fn map_connection_row(row: &rusqlite::Row<'_>) -> rusqlite::Result<ConnectionRec
         group_id: row.get::<_, Option<i64>>(5)?,
         credential_id: row.get::<_, Option<i64>>(6)?,
         color: row.get::<_, Option<String>>(7)?,
-        tags: row.get(8)?,
+        tags,
         notes: row.get::<_, Option<String>>(9)?,
         options: row.get(10)?,
         sort_order: row.get(11)?,
@@ -556,12 +556,10 @@ mod tests {
     }
 
     #[test]
-    fn tags_serialised_as_json_array() {
+    fn tags_serialised_as_vec() {
         let svc = make_service();
         let rec = svc.create_connection(default_input("tagged")).unwrap();
-        // tags should be a valid JSON array
-        let parsed: Vec<String> = serde_json::from_str(&rec.tags).unwrap();
-        assert_eq!(parsed, vec!["linux", "prod"]);
+        assert_eq!(rec.tags, vec!["linux", "prod"]);
     }
 
     #[test]
@@ -629,8 +627,7 @@ mod tests {
         .unwrap();
 
         let updated = svc.get_connection(rec.id).unwrap();
-        let parsed: Vec<String> = serde_json::from_str(&updated.tags).unwrap();
-        assert_eq!(parsed, vec!["windows"]);
+        assert_eq!(updated.tags, vec!["windows"]);
     }
 
     #[test]
diff --git a/src-tauri/src/lib.rs b/src-tauri/src/lib.rs
index af34425..7b89906 100644
--- a/src-tauri/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src-tauri/src/lib.rs
@@ -87,8 +87,14 @@ pub fn run() {
         .plugin(tauri_plugin_shell::init())
         .manage(app_state)
         .setup(|app| {
-            use tauri::Manager;
-            if let Some(window) = app.get_webview_window("main") { let _ = window.open_devtools(); }
+            #[cfg(debug_assertions)]
+            {
+                use tauri::Manager;
+                if let Some(window) = app.get_webview_window("main") {
+                    window.open_devtools();
+                }
+            }
+            let _ = app;
             Ok(())
         })
         .invoke_handler(tauri::generate_handler![