diff --git a/misc/tools.func b/misc/tools.func
index ee35767cf..004796a38 100644
--- a/misc/tools.func
+++ b/misc/tools.func
@@ -2451,14 +2451,8 @@ function setup_mysql() {
       NEED_INSTALL=true
     else
       if apt list --upgradable 2>/dev/null | grep -q '^mysql-server/'; then
-        $STD apt update || {
-          msg_error "Failed to update package list"
-          return 1
-        }
-        $STD apt install --only-upgrade -y mysql-server || {
-          msg_error "Failed to upgrade MySQL"
-          return 1
-        }
+        $STD apt update || { msg_error "Failed to update package list"; return 1; }
+        $STD apt install --only-upgrade -y mysql-server || { msg_error "Failed to upgrade MySQL"; return 1; }
       fi
       return
     fi
@@ -2469,81 +2463,46 @@ function setup_mysql() {
   if [[ "$NEED_INSTALL" == true ]]; then
     msg_info "Setup MySQL $MYSQL_VERSION"
 
-    # Cleanup old repository files
     cleanup_old_repo_files "mysql"
 
-    # Determine suite - use bookworm for Debian testing/unstable
     local SUITE
     if [[ "$DISTRO_ID" == "debian" ]]; then
       case "$DISTRO_CODENAME" in
-      bookworm | bullseye)
-        SUITE="$DISTRO_CODENAME"
-        ;;
-      trixie | forky | sid)
-        SUITE="bookworm"
-        ;;
-      *)
-        SUITE="bookworm" # Fallback to bookworm for unknown Debian versions
-        ;;
+        bookworm|bullseye) SUITE="$DISTRO_CODENAME" ;;
+        trixie|forky|sid)  SUITE="bookworm" ;;
+        *)                 SUITE="bookworm" ;;
       esac
     else
-      # For Ubuntu - use fallback detection
       SUITE=$(get_fallback_suite "$DISTRO_ID" "$DISTRO_CODENAME" "https://repo.mysql.com/apt/${DISTRO_ID}")
     fi
 
-    # Stop existing MySQL if running
     $STD systemctl stop mysql 2>/dev/null || true
-
-    # Only purge if MySQL is actually installed
     if dpkg -l 2>/dev/null | grep -q "^ii.*mysql-server"; then
-      $STD apt purge -y mysql-server* mysql-client* mysql-common 2>/dev/null || true
+      $STD apt purge -y mysql-server* mysql-client* mysql-common mysql-community-* 2>/dev/null || true
     fi
 
-    # Handle libaio dependency for Debian Trixie+ (time64 transition)
-    if [[ "$DISTRO_ID" == "debian" ]] && [[ "$DISTRO_CODENAME" =~ ^(trixie|forky|sid)$ ]]; then
-      # Install libaio1t64 if not present
-      if ! dpkg -l libaio1t64 2>/dev/null | grep -q "^ii"; then
-        $STD apt update || {
-          msg_error "Failed to update package list"
-          return 1
-        }
-        $STD apt install -y libaio1t64 || {
-          msg_error "Failed to install libaio1t64"
-          return 1
-        }
-      fi
-
-      # Create dummy libaio1 package for dependency satisfaction
-      local TEMP_DIR="/tmp/libaio1-compat-$$"
-      mkdir -p "$TEMP_DIR"
-      cd "$TEMP_DIR"
-
-      # Create control file
-      mkdir -p DEBIAN
-      cat >DEBIAN/control <<EOF
-Package: libaio1
-Version: 0.3.113-99~compat
-Architecture: amd64
-Maintainer: Local Build
-Depends: libaio1t64
-Provides: libaio1
-Description: Compatibility package for libaio1 -> libaio1t64 transition
- This is a transitional dummy package to satisfy dependencies on libaio1
- while actually using libaio1t64 (time64 transition).
+    # --- Debian 13+ Fix: MySQL 8.0 incompatible with libaio1t64 ---
+    if [[ "$DISTRO_ID" == "debian" && "$DISTRO_CODENAME" =~ ^(trixie|forky|sid)$ ]]; then
+      msg_info "Debian ${DISTRO_CODENAME} detected → using MySQL 8.4 LTS (libaio1t64)"
+      curl -fsSL https://repo.mysql.com/RPM-GPG-KEY-mysql-2023 | gpg --dearmor -o /etc/apt/keyrings/mysql.gpg
+      cat >/etc/apt/sources.list.d/mysql.sources <<'EOF'
+Types: deb
+URIs: https://repo.mysql.com/apt/debian/
+Suites: bookworm
+Components: mysql-8.4-lts
+Architectures: amd64 arm64
+Signed-By: /etc/apt/keyrings/mysql.gpg
 EOF
-
-      # Build the dummy package
-      cd /tmp
-      dpkg-deb -b "$TEMP_DIR" libaio1-compat.deb >/dev/null 2>&1
-
-      # Install it
-      $STD dpkg -i libaio1-compat.deb
-
-      # Cleanup
-      rm -rf "$TEMP_DIR" libaio1-compat.deb
+      $STD apt update
+      if ! $STD apt install -y mysql-community-server mysql-community-client; then
+        msg_error "MySQL 8.4 LTS installation failed – falling back to MariaDB"
+        $STD apt install -y mariadb-server mariadb-client
+      fi
+      msg_ok "Setup Database Engine (MySQL 8.4 LTS / MariaDB)"
+      return
     fi
+    # -------------------------------------------------------------
 
-    # Use standardized repo setup
     setup_deb822_repo \
       "mysql" \
       "https://repo.mysql.com/RPM-GPG-KEY-mysql-2023" \
@@ -2553,37 +2512,26 @@ EOF
       "amd64 arm64"
 
     export DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive
-
-    # Update apt
     if ! $STD apt update; then
       msg_error "APT update failed for MySQL repository"
       return 1
     fi
 
-    # Try multiple MySQL package patterns
     local mysql_install_success=false
-
-    # First try: mysql-server (most common)
     if apt-cache search "^mysql-server$" 2>/dev/null | grep -q . && $STD apt install -y mysql-server mysql-client 2>/dev/null; then
       mysql_install_success=true
     fi
-
-    # Second try: mysql-community-server (when official repo)
     if [[ "$mysql_install_success" == false ]] && apt-cache search "^mysql-community-server$" 2>/dev/null | grep -q . && $STD apt install -y mysql-community-server mysql-community-client 2>/dev/null; then
       mysql_install_success=true
     fi
-
-    # Third try: just mysql meta package
     if [[ "$mysql_install_success" == false ]] && apt-cache search "^mysql$" 2>/dev/null | grep -q . && $STD apt install -y mysql 2>/dev/null; then
       mysql_install_success=true
     fi
-
     if [[ "$mysql_install_success" == false ]]; then
       msg_error "MySQL ${MYSQL_VERSION} package not available for suite ${SUITE}"
       return 1
     fi
 
-    # Verify installation
     if ! command -v mysql >/dev/null 2>&1; then
       hash -r
       if ! command -v mysql >/dev/null 2>&1; then