diff --git a/app/api/nodes/route.ts b/app/api/nodes/route.ts
index 48c5d4b..da0202e 100644
--- a/app/api/nodes/route.ts
+++ b/app/api/nodes/route.ts
@@ -229,7 +229,7 @@ export async function POST(request: NextRequest) {
       atp_uri: atp_uri,
       title: title,
       body: body, // Store the raw text body
-      coords_3d: [0, 0, 0], // Required by schema - origin coordinates for new nodes
+      // coords_3d will be calculated when user runs /api/calculate-graph
     };
 
     // Only include embedding if it was successfully generated
diff --git a/db/schema.surql b/db/schema.surql
index d2c3691..b05aedd 100644
--- a/db/schema.surql
+++ b/db/schema.surql
@@ -62,8 +62,9 @@ DEFINE FIELD body ON TABLE node TYPE string;
 DEFINE FIELD embedding ON TABLE node TYPE array<number>;
 
 -- The 3D coordinates calculated by UMAP.
-DEFINE FIELD coords_3d ON TABLE node TYPE array<number>
-    -- Must be a 3-point array [x, y, z] or empty.
+-- Nodes start with NONE and get coordinates when user runs calculate-graph.
+DEFINE FIELD coords_3d ON TABLE node TYPE option<array<number>>
+    -- Must be NONE or a 3-point array [x, y, z].
     ASSERT $value = NONE OR array::len($value) = 3;
 
 -- Define the vector search index.