diff --git a/routstr/balance.py b/routstr/balance.py
index 692be252..e0810035 100644
--- a/routstr/balance.py
+++ b/routstr/balance.py
@@ -535,10 +535,24 @@ async def create_child_key(
             detail=f"Insufficient balance to create {count} child keys. {total_cost} mSats required.",
         )
 
-    # Deduct cost from parent
-    key.balance -= total_cost
-    key.total_spent += total_cost
-    session.add(key)
+    # Deduct cost from parent atomically — guards against concurrent requests
+    # that both pass the balance check above on stale in-memory state.
+    deduct_stmt = (
+        update(ApiKey)
+        .where(col(ApiKey.hashed_key) == key.hashed_key)
+        .where(col(ApiKey.balance) - col(ApiKey.reserved_balance) >= total_cost)
+        .values(
+            balance=col(ApiKey.balance) - total_cost,
+            total_spent=col(ApiKey.total_spent) + total_cost,
+        )
+    )
+    result = await session.exec(deduct_stmt)  # type: ignore[call-overload]
+
+    if result.rowcount == 0:
+        raise HTTPException(
+            status_code=402,
+            detail=f"Insufficient balance to create {count} child keys. {total_cost} mSats required.",
+        )
 
     # Generate new keys
     import secrets
@@ -563,6 +577,7 @@ async def create_child_key(
         new_keys.append("sk-" + new_key_hash)
 
     await session.commit()
+    await session.refresh(key)
 
     response_data = {
         "api_keys": new_keys,
diff --git a/tests/integration/test_child_keys.py b/tests/integration/test_child_keys.py
index c247ef3d..4c141f80 100644
--- a/tests/integration/test_child_keys.py
+++ b/tests/integration/test_child_keys.py
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import asyncio
 import secrets
 from typing import Any
 
@@ -7,7 +8,7 @@ from sqlmodel.ext.asyncio.session import AsyncSession
 
 from routstr.auth import adjust_payment_for_tokens, pay_for_request
 from routstr.balance import ChildKeyRequest, create_child_key
-from routstr.core.db import ApiKey
+from routstr.core.db import ApiKey, create_session
 from routstr.core.settings import settings
 
 
@@ -119,6 +120,54 @@ async def test_child_key_insufficient_balance(
     assert exc.value.status_code == 402
 
 
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_concurrent_child_key_creation_is_atomic(
+    patched_db_engine: None,
+) -> None:
+    """Two concurrent create_child_key() calls with balance for exactly one must
+    result in exactly one success and one 402, with the parent balance deducted
+    only once."""
+    child_key_cost = 1000
+    settings.child_key_cost = child_key_cost
+
+    parent_hash = f"parent_concurrent_{secrets.token_hex(8)}"
+    async with create_session() as session:
+        parent = ApiKey(hashed_key=parent_hash, balance=child_key_cost)
+        session.add(parent)
+        await session.commit()
+
+    results: list[str] = []
+
+    async def attempt() -> None:
+        async with create_session() as session:
+            fresh_parent = await session.get(ApiKey, parent_hash)
+            assert fresh_parent is not None
+            try:
+                await create_child_key(ChildKeyRequest(count=1), fresh_parent, session)
+                results.append("success")
+            except HTTPException as exc:
+                assert exc.status_code == 402
+                results.append("blocked")
+
+    await asyncio.gather(attempt(), attempt())
+
+    assert sorted(results) == ["blocked", "success"], (
+        f"Expected exactly one success and one 402, got: {results}"
+    )
+
+    async with create_session() as session:
+        final = await session.get(ApiKey, parent_hash)
+        assert final is not None
+
+    assert final.balance == 0, (
+        f"Balance should be fully deducted once: expected 0, got {final.balance}"
+    )
+    assert final.total_spent == child_key_cost, (
+        f"total_spent should equal one deduction: expected {child_key_cost}, "
+        f"got {final.total_spent}"
+    )
+
+
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
 async def test_child_key_cannot_create_child(integration_session: AsyncSession) -> None:
     parent_key = ApiKey(