diff --git a/src/main/java/org/swyp/linkit/domain/user/service/SkillCategoryInitializer.java b/src/main/java/org/swyp/linkit/domain/user/service/SkillCategoryInitializer.java
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d5c69db1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/java/org/swyp/linkit/domain/user/service/SkillCategoryInitializer.java
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+package org.swyp.linkit.domain.user.service;
+
+import lombok.RequiredArgsConstructor;
+import lombok.extern.slf4j.Slf4j;
+import org.springframework.boot.ApplicationArguments;
+import org.springframework.boot.ApplicationRunner;
+import org.springframework.core.Ordered;
+import org.springframework.core.annotation.Order;
+import org.springframework.stereotype.Component;
+import org.springframework.transaction.annotation.Transactional;
+import org.swyp.linkit.domain.user.entity.SkillCategory;
+import org.swyp.linkit.domain.user.entity.SkillCategoryType;
+import org.swyp.linkit.domain.user.repository.SkillCategoryRepository;
+
+import java.util.Arrays;
+import java.util.List;
+import java.util.Set;
+import java.util.stream.Collectors;
+
+/**
+ * 애플리케이션 시작 시 SkillCategoryType enum 과 skill_category 테이블 동기화
+ * - enum 에는 있지만 DB 에 없는 카테고리만 추가 (기존 데이터는 변경하지 않음)
+ * - 카테고리 row 누락으로 스킬 등록/수정 시 SKILL_CATEGORY_NOT_FOUND 가 발생하는 것을 방지
+ * - 다른 Runner(부하 테스트 시더 등)보다 먼저 실행
+ */
+@Slf4j
+@Component
+@Order(Ordered.HIGHEST_PRECEDENCE)
+@RequiredArgsConstructor
+public class SkillCategoryInitializer implements ApplicationRunner {
+
+    private final SkillCategoryRepository skillCategoryRepository;
+
+    @Override
+    @Transactional
+    public void run(ApplicationArguments args) {
+        Set<SkillCategoryType> existingTypes = skillCategoryRepository.findAll().stream()
+                .map(SkillCategory::getCategoryType)
+                .collect(Collectors.toSet());
+
+        List<SkillCategory> missingCategories = Arrays.stream(SkillCategoryType.values())
+                .filter(type -> !existingTypes.contains(type))
+                .map(SkillCategory::create)
+                .toList();
+
+        if (missingCategories.isEmpty()) {
+            return;
+        }
+
+        skillCategoryRepository.saveAll(missingCategories);
+
+        log.info("스킬 카테고리 초기화: 추가된 카테고리={}",
+                missingCategories.stream().map(SkillCategory::getCategoryType).toList());
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/swyp/linkit/global/loadtest/LoadTestDataSeeder.java b/src/main/java/org/swyp/linkit/global/loadtest/LoadTestDataSeeder.java
index 415f42d6..792ce6bc 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/swyp/linkit/global/loadtest/LoadTestDataSeeder.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/swyp/linkit/global/loadtest/LoadTestDataSeeder.java
@@ -214,7 +214,8 @@ public void run(String... args) {
      */
     private List<SkillCategory> createCategories() {
         List<SkillCategory> list = Arrays.stream(SkillCategoryType.values())
-                .map(type -> skillCategoryRepository.save(SkillCategory.create(type)))
+                .map(type -> skillCategoryRepository.findByCategoryType(type)
+                        .orElseGet(() -> skillCategoryRepository.save(SkillCategory.create(type))))
                 .collect(Collectors.toList());
         log.info("[Seeder] SkillCategory {}개", list.size());
         return list;