diff --git a/priv/repo/migrations/20250113162854_add_phases_submissions_count.exs b/priv/repo/migrations/20250113162854_add_phases_submissions_count.exs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..50bcd2470
--- /dev/null
+++ b/priv/repo/migrations/20250113162854_add_phases_submissions_count.exs
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+defmodule ChallengeGov.Repo.Migrations.AddPhasesSubmissionsCount do
+  use Ecto.Migration
+
+  def change do
+    alter table("phases") do
+      add_if_not_exists :submissions_count, :integer, null: false, default: 0
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/test/challenge_gov/submissions_test.exs b/test/challenge_gov/submissions_test.exs
index 1a5938a98..931210837 100644
--- a/test/challenge_gov/submissions_test.exs
+++ b/test/challenge_gov/submissions_test.exs
@@ -214,6 +214,7 @@ defmodule ChallengeGov.SubmissionsTest do
           %{"title" => "New Test Title", "terms_accepted" => "true", "review_verified" => "true"},
           challenge
         )
+
       # does not increment submissions_count when submitted status doesn't change
       {:ok, phase} = ChallengeGov.Phases.get(phase.id)
       assert phase.submissions_count == 1