diff --git a/COMPAT.md b/COMPAT.md
index c940cc95d..ee88d173b 100644
--- a/COMPAT.md
+++ b/COMPAT.md
@@ -479,7 +479,7 @@ Modifiers:
 | IntegrityCk    | Yes    |         |
 | IsNull         | Yes    |         |
 | IsUnique       | No     |         |
-| JournalMode    | No     |         |
+| JournalMode    | Yes    |         |
 | Jump           | Yes    |         |
 | Last           | Yes    |         |
 | Le             | Yes    |         |
diff --git a/core/translate/pragma.rs b/core/translate/pragma.rs
index 5d09ea366..c5a73ee71 100644
--- a/core/translate/pragma.rs
+++ b/core/translate/pragma.rs
@@ -120,14 +120,23 @@ fn update_pragma(
             let year = chrono::Local::now().year();
             bail_parse_error!("It's {year}. UTF-8 won.");
         }
-        PragmaName::JournalMode => query_pragma(
-            PragmaName::JournalMode,
-            schema,
-            None,
-            pager,
-            connection,
-            program,
-        ),
+        PragmaName::JournalMode => {
+            // For JournalMode, when setting a value, we use the opcode
+            let mode_str = match value {
+                Expr::Name(name) => name.as_str().to_string(),
+                _ => parse_string(&value)?,
+            };
+
+            let result_reg = program.alloc_register();
+            program.emit_insn(Insn::JournalMode {
+                db: 0,
+                dest: result_reg,
+                new_mode: Some(mode_str),
+            });
+            program.emit_result_row(result_reg, 1);
+            program.add_pragma_result_column("journal_mode".into());
+            Ok((program, TransactionMode::None))
+        }
         PragmaName::LegacyFileFormat => Ok((program, TransactionMode::None)),
         PragmaName::WalCheckpoint => query_pragma(
             PragmaName::WalCheckpoint,
@@ -349,7 +358,12 @@ fn query_pragma(
             Ok((program, TransactionMode::None))
         }
         PragmaName::JournalMode => {
-            program.emit_string8("wal".into(), register);
+            // Use the JournalMode opcode to get the current journal mode
+            program.emit_insn(Insn::JournalMode {
+                db: 0,
+                dest: register,
+                new_mode: None,
+            });
             program.emit_result_row(register, 1);
             program.add_pragma_result_column(pragma.to_string());
             Ok((program, TransactionMode::None))
diff --git a/core/vdbe/execute.rs b/core/vdbe/execute.rs
index 4fbc37f37..54f38862e 100644
--- a/core/vdbe/execute.rs
+++ b/core/vdbe/execute.rs
@@ -8322,12 +8322,12 @@ pub fn op_max_pgcnt(
     pager: &Rc<Pager>,
     mv_store: Option<&Arc<MvStore>>,
 ) -> Result<InsnFunctionStepResult> {
-    let Insn::MaxPgcnt { db, dest, new_max } = insn else {
-        unreachable!("unexpected Insn {:?}", insn)
-    };
+    load_insn!(MaxPgcnt { db, dest, new_max }, insn);
 
     if *db > 0 {
-        todo!("temp/attached databases not implemented yet");
+        return Err(LimboError::InternalError(
+            "temp/attached databases not implemented yet".to_string(),
+        ));
     }
 
     let result_value = if *new_max == 0 {
@@ -8346,6 +8346,46 @@ pub fn op_max_pgcnt(
     Ok(InsnFunctionStepResult::Step)
 }
 
+pub fn op_journal_mode(
+    program: &Program,
+    state: &mut ProgramState,
+    insn: &Insn,
+    pager: &Rc<Pager>,
+    mv_store: Option<&Arc<MvStore>>,
+) -> Result<InsnFunctionStepResult> {
+    let Insn::JournalMode { db, dest, new_mode } = insn else {
+        unreachable!("unexpected Insn {:?}", insn)
+    };
+
+    if *db > 0 {
+        todo!("temp/attached databases not implemented yet");
+    }
+
+    // Currently, Turso only supports WAL mode
+    // If a new mode is specified, we validate it but always return "wal"
+    if let Some(mode) = new_mode {
+        let mode_lower = mode.to_lowercase();
+        // Valid journal modes in SQLite are: delete, truncate, persist, memory, wal, off
+        // We accept any valid mode but always use WAL
+        match mode_lower.as_str() {
+            "delete" | "truncate" | "persist" | "memory" | "wal" | "off" => {
+                // Mode is valid, but we stay in WAL mode
+            }
+            _ => {
+                // Invalid journal mode
+                return Err(LimboError::ParseError(format!(
+                    "Unknown journal mode: {mode}"
+                )));
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    // Always return "wal" as the current journal mode
+    state.registers[*dest] = Register::Value(Value::build_text("wal"));
+    state.pc += 1;
+    Ok(InsnFunctionStepResult::Step)
+}
+
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod tests {
     use super::*;
diff --git a/core/vdbe/explain.rs b/core/vdbe/explain.rs
index 959516c5e..2cd78ab9e 100644
--- a/core/vdbe/explain.rs
+++ b/core/vdbe/explain.rs
@@ -1654,6 +1654,16 @@ pub fn insn_to_str(
                 0,
                 format!("r[{dest}]=max_page_count(db[{db}],{new_max})"),
             ),
+            Insn::JournalMode { db, dest, new_mode } => (
+                "JournalMode",
+                *db as i32,
+                *dest as i32,
+                0,
+                Value::build_text(new_mode.as_ref().unwrap_or(&String::new())),
+                0,
+                format!("r[{dest}]=journal_mode(db[{db}]{})",
+                    new_mode.as_ref().map_or(String::new(), |m| format!(",'{m}'"))),
+            ),
             Insn::CollSeq { reg, collation } => (
                 "CollSeq",
                 reg.unwrap_or(0) as i32,
diff --git a/core/vdbe/insn.rs b/core/vdbe/insn.rs
index 8f8e69cfd..3c2dedc0f 100644
--- a/core/vdbe/insn.rs
+++ b/core/vdbe/insn.rs
@@ -1043,6 +1043,14 @@ pub enum Insn {
         dest: usize,    // P2: output register
         new_max: usize, // P3: new maximum page count (0 = just return current)
     },
+    /// Get or set the journal mode for database P1.
+    /// If P3 is not null, it contains the new journal mode string.
+    /// Store the resulting journal mode in register P2.
+    JournalMode {
+        db: usize,                // P1: database index
+        dest: usize,              // P2: output register for result
+        new_mode: Option<String>, // P3: new journal mode (if setting)
+    },
 }
 
 impl Insn {
@@ -1175,6 +1183,7 @@ impl Insn {
             Insn::RenameTable { .. } => execute::op_rename_table,
             Insn::DropColumn { .. } => execute::op_drop_column,
             Insn::MaxPgcnt { .. } => execute::op_max_pgcnt,
+            Insn::JournalMode { .. } => execute::op_journal_mode,
         }
     }
 }