diff --git a/lib/Db/CircleInvitationRequest.php b/lib/Db/CircleInvitationRequest.php
deleted file mode 100644
index 492214e67..000000000
--- a/lib/Db/CircleInvitationRequest.php
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,54 +0,0 @@
-<?php
-
-declare(strict_types=1);
-
-/**
- * SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2021 Nextcloud GmbH and Nextcloud contributors
- * SPDX-License-Identifier: AGPL-3.0-or-later
- */
-
-namespace OCA\Circles\Db;
-
-use OCA\Circles\Exceptions\InvalidIdException;
-use OCA\Circles\Model\CircleInvitation;
-
-/**
- * Class CircleInvitationRequest
- *
- * @package OCA\Circles\Db
- */
-class CircleInvitationRequest extends CircleRequestBuilder {
-	/**
-	 * @throws InvalidIdException
-	 */
-	public function save(CircleInvitation $circleInvitation): void {
-		$this->confirmValidId($circleInvitation->getCircleId());
-
-		$qb = $this->getQueryBuilder();
-		$qb->insert(self::TABLE_INVITATIONS)
-			->setValue('created', $qb->createNamedParameter($this->timezoneService->getUTCDate()));
-		$qb->setValue('circle_id', $qb->createNamedParameter($circleInvitation->getCircleId()))
-			->setValue('invitation_code', $qb->createNamedParameter($circleInvitation->getInvitationCode()))
-			->setValue('created_by', $qb->createNamedParameter($circleInvitation->getCreatedBy()));
-		$qb->executeStatement();
-	}
-
-	/**
-	 * @throws InvalidIdException
-	 */
-	public function replace(CircleInvitation $circleInvitation): void {
-		$qb = $this->getQueryBuilder();
-		$qb->delete(self::TABLE_INVITATIONS);
-		$qb->limitToCircleId($circleInvitation->getCircleId());
-		$qb->executeStatement();
-
-		$this->save($circleInvitation);
-	}
-
-	public function delete(string $circleId): void {
-		$qb = $this->getQueryBuilder();
-		$qb->delete(self::TABLE_INVITATIONS);
-		$qb->limitToCircleId($circleId);
-		$qb->executeStatement();
-	}
-}
diff --git a/lib/Entity/CircleInvitation.php b/lib/Entity/CircleInvitation.php
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..143e0ad81
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/Entity/CircleInvitation.php
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+<?php
+
+declare(strict_types=1);
+
+/**
+ * SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2026 Nextcloud GmbH and Nextcloud contributors
+ * SPDX-License-Identifier: AGPL-3.0-or-later
+ */
+
+namespace OCA\Circles\Entity;
+
+use DateTime;
+use DateTimeZone;
+use JsonSerializable;
+use OCP\AppFramework\ORM\Attribute\Column;
+use OCP\AppFramework\ORM\Attribute\Entity;
+use OCP\AppFramework\ORM\Attribute\Id;
+use OCP\DB\Schema\ColumnType;
+
+/**
+ * A pending invitation to join a circle, identified by its own invitation code.
+ */
+#[Entity(name: 'circles_invitations')]
+final class CircleInvitation implements JsonSerializable {
+	#[Id]
+	#[Column(name: 'id', type: ColumnType::Integer)]
+	public ?int $id = null;
+
+	#[Column(name: 'circle_id', type: ColumnType::String, length: 32)]
+	public string $circleId = '';
+
+	#[Column(name: 'invitation_code', type: ColumnType::String, length: 16)]
+	public string $invitationCode = '';
+
+	#[Column(name: 'created_by', type: ColumnType::String, length: 255)]
+	public string $createdBy = '';
+
+	#[Column(name: 'created', type: ColumnType::Datetime)]
+	public DateTime $created;
+
+	public function __construct() {
+		$this->created = new DateTime('now', new DateTimeZone('UTC'));
+	}
+
+	public function jsonSerialize(): array {
+		return [
+			'circleId' => $this->circleId,
+			'invitationCode' => $this->invitationCode,
+			'createdBy' => $this->createdBy,
+			'created' => $this->created->getTimestamp(),
+		];
+	}
+}
diff --git a/lib/Exceptions/CircleInvitationNotFoundException.php b/lib/Exceptions/CircleInvitationNotFoundException.php
deleted file mode 100644
index 6b89202a3..000000000
--- a/lib/Exceptions/CircleInvitationNotFoundException.php
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,13 +0,0 @@
-<?php
-
-declare(strict_types=1);
-
-/**
- * SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2021 Nextcloud GmbH and Nextcloud contributors
- * SPDX-License-Identifier: AGPL-3.0-or-later
- */
-
-namespace OCA\Circles\Exceptions;
-
-class CircleInvitationNotFoundException extends FederatedItemNotFoundException {
-}
diff --git a/lib/FederatedItems/CircleCreateInvitation.php b/lib/FederatedItems/CircleCreateInvitation.php
index 8dd9dc85e..62abceafc 100644
--- a/lib/FederatedItems/CircleCreateInvitation.php
+++ b/lib/FederatedItems/CircleCreateInvitation.php
@@ -9,11 +9,11 @@
 
 namespace OCA\Circles\FederatedItems;
 
-use OCA\Circles\Db\CircleInvitationRequest;
+use OCA\Circles\Entity\CircleInvitation;
 use OCA\Circles\IFederatedItem;
-use OCA\Circles\Model\CircleInvitation;
 use OCA\Circles\Model\Federated\FederatedEvent;
 use OCA\Circles\Model\Helpers\MemberHelper;
+use OCA\Circles\Repository\CircleInvitationRepository;
 use OCA\Circles\Service\EventService;
 use OCA\Circles\Tools\Traits\TDeserialize;
 use OCP\Security\ISecureRandom;
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ class CircleCreateInvitation implements IFederatedItem {
 	use TDeserialize;
 
 	public function __construct(
-		private CircleInvitationRequest $circleInvitationRequest,
+		private CircleInvitationRepository $circleInvitationRepository,
 		private EventService $eventService,
 	) {
 	}
@@ -39,9 +39,9 @@ public function verify(FederatedEvent $event): void {
 		$invitationCode = (new Randomizer())->getBytesFromString(ISecureRandom::CHAR_HUMAN_READABLE, 16);
 
 		$circleInvitation = new CircleInvitation();
-		$circleInvitation->setCircleId($circle->getSingleId());
-		$circleInvitation->setInvitationCode($invitationCode);
-		$circleInvitation->setCreatedBy($circle->getInitiator()->getUserId());
+		$circleInvitation->circleId = $circle->getSingleId();
+		$circleInvitation->invitationCode = $invitationCode;
+		$circleInvitation->createdBy = $circle->getInitiator()->getUserId();
 
 		$new->setCircleInvitation($circleInvitation);
 		$event->getData()->sObj('circle_invitation', $circleInvitation);
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ public function verify(FederatedEvent $event): void {
 	public function manage(FederatedEvent $event): void {
 		/** @var CircleInvitation $circleInvitation */
 		$circleInvitation = $event->getData()->gObj('circle_invitation');
-		$this->circleInvitationRequest->replace($circleInvitation);
+		$this->circleInvitationRepository->replace($circleInvitation);
 
 		// todo: do we need separate event here?
 		$this->eventService->circleEditing($event);
diff --git a/lib/FederatedItems/CircleJoin.php b/lib/FederatedItems/CircleJoin.php
index f6626ccd3..b12238d8d 100644
--- a/lib/FederatedItems/CircleJoin.php
+++ b/lib/FederatedItems/CircleJoin.php
@@ -234,7 +234,7 @@ private function manageMemberStatus(Circle $circle, Member $member, ?string $inv
 
 			throw new MemberAlreadyExistsException(StatusCode::$CIRCLE_JOIN[122], 122);
 		} catch (MemberNotFoundException) {
-			$allowedToJoin = $invitationCode && $circle->getCircleInvitation()?->getInvitationCode() === $invitationCode;
+			$allowedToJoin = $invitationCode && $circle->getCircleInvitation()?->invitationCode === $invitationCode;
 			if (!$circle->isConfig(Circle::CFG_OPEN) && !$allowedToJoin) {
 				throw new FederatedItemBadRequestException(StatusCode::$CIRCLE_JOIN[124], 124);
 			}
diff --git a/lib/FederatedItems/CircleRevokeInvitation.php b/lib/FederatedItems/CircleRevokeInvitation.php
index 9285ff19a..a49f0d87e 100644
--- a/lib/FederatedItems/CircleRevokeInvitation.php
+++ b/lib/FederatedItems/CircleRevokeInvitation.php
@@ -9,10 +9,10 @@
 
 namespace OCA\Circles\FederatedItems;
 
-use OCA\Circles\Db\CircleInvitationRequest;
 use OCA\Circles\IFederatedItem;
 use OCA\Circles\Model\Federated\FederatedEvent;
 use OCA\Circles\Model\Helpers\MemberHelper;
+use OCA\Circles\Repository\CircleInvitationRepository;
 use OCA\Circles\Service\EventService;
 use OCA\Circles\Tools\Traits\TDeserialize;
 
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ class CircleRevokeInvitation implements IFederatedItem {
 	use TDeserialize;
 
 	public function __construct(
-		private CircleInvitationRequest $circleInvitationRequest,
+		private CircleInvitationRepository $circleInvitationRepository,
 		private EventService $eventService,
 	) {
 	}
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ public function verify(FederatedEvent $event): void {
 	public function manage(FederatedEvent $event): void {
 		$circle = clone $event->getCircle();
 
-		$this->circleInvitationRequest->delete($circle->getSingleId());
+		$this->circleInvitationRepository->deleteBy(['circleId' => $circle->getSingleId()]);
 		// todo: do we need separate event here?
 		$this->eventService->circleEditing($event);
 	}
diff --git a/lib/Model/Circle.php b/lib/Model/Circle.php
index 1c80bfb00..b67fa39ac 100644
--- a/lib/Model/Circle.php
+++ b/lib/Model/Circle.php
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 use DateTime;
 use JsonSerializable;
 use OCA\Circles\Db\CircleRequest;
+use OCA\Circles\Entity\CircleInvitation;
 use OCA\Circles\Exceptions\CircleNotFoundException;
 use OCA\Circles\Exceptions\FederatedItemException;
 use OCA\Circles\Exceptions\MemberHelperException;
@@ -803,11 +804,14 @@ public function import(array $data): IDeserializable {
 		} catch (InvalidItemException) {
 		}
 
-		try {
-			/** @var CircleInvitation $circleInvitation */
-			$circleInvitation = $this->deserialize($this->getArray('invitation', $data), CircleInvitation::class);
+		$invitationData = $this->getArray('invitation', $data);
+		if ($this->get('circleId', $invitationData) !== '') {
+			$circleInvitation = new CircleInvitation();
+			$circleInvitation->circleId = $this->get('circleId', $invitationData);
+			$circleInvitation->invitationCode = $this->get('invitationCode', $invitationData);
+			$circleInvitation->createdBy = $this->get('createdBy', $invitationData);
+			$circleInvitation->created->setTimestamp($this->getInt('created', $invitationData));
 			$this->setCircleInvitation($circleInvitation);
-		} catch (InvalidItemException $e) {
 		}
 
 		return $this;
@@ -860,7 +864,7 @@ public function jsonSerialize(): array {
 			try {
 				$initiatorHelper->mustBeAdmin();
 				$arr['settings'] = $this->getSettings();
-				$arr['invitationCode'] = $this->getCircleInvitation()?->getInvitationCode();
+				$arr['invitationCode'] = $this->getCircleInvitation()?->invitationCode;
 			} catch (MemberHelperException|MemberLevelException) {
 			}
 		}
diff --git a/lib/Model/CircleInvitation.php b/lib/Model/CircleInvitation.php
deleted file mode 100644
index bc278d89c..000000000
--- a/lib/Model/CircleInvitation.php
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,108 +0,0 @@
-<?php
-
-declare(strict_types=1);
-
-/**
- * SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2017 Nextcloud GmbH and Nextcloud contributors
- * SPDX-License-Identifier: AGPL-3.0-or-later
- */
-
-namespace OCA\Circles\Model;
-
-use OCA\Circles\Exceptions\CircleInvitationNotFoundException;
-use OCA\Circles\Tools\Db\IQueryRow;
-use OCA\Circles\Tools\Exceptions\InvalidItemException;
-use OCA\Circles\Tools\IDeserializable;
-use OCA\Circles\Tools\Traits\TArrayTools;
-use OCA\Circles\Tools\Traits\TDeserialize;
-
-class CircleInvitation extends ManagedModel implements IDeserializable, IQueryRow, \JsonSerializable {
-	use TArrayTools;
-	use TDeserialize;
-
-	private string $circleId = '';
-	private string $invitationCode = '';
-	private string $createdBy = '';
-	private int $created = 0;
-
-	public function setCircleId(string $circleId): self {
-		$this->circleId = $circleId;
-
-		return $this;
-	}
-
-	public function getCircleId(): string {
-		return $this->circleId;
-	}
-
-	public function setInvitationCode(string $invitationCode): self {
-		$this->invitationCode = $invitationCode;
-
-		return $this;
-	}
-
-	public function getInvitationCode(): string {
-		return $this->invitationCode;
-	}
-
-	public function setCreatedBy(string $createdBy): self {
-		$this->createdBy = $createdBy;
-
-		return $this;
-	}
-
-	public function getCreatedBy(): string {
-		return $this->createdBy;
-	}
-
-	public function setCreated(int $created): self {
-		$this->created = $created;
-
-		return $this;
-	}
-
-	public function getCreated(): int {
-		return $this->created;
-	}
-
-	public function import(array $data): IDeserializable {
-		if (!$this->get('circleId', $data)) {
-			throw new InvalidItemException();
-		}
-
-		$this->setCircleId($this->get('circleId', $data))
-			->setInvitationCode($this->get('invitationCode', $data))
-			->setCreatedBy($this->get('createdBy', $data))
-			->setCreated($this->getInt('created', $data));
-
-		return $this;
-	}
-
-	public function jsonSerialize(): array {
-		$arr = [
-			'circleId' => $this->getCircleId(),
-			'invitationCode' => $this->getInvitationCode(),
-			'createdBy' => $this->getCreatedBy(),
-			'created' => $this->getCreated(),
-		];
-
-		return $arr;
-	}
-
-	public function importFromDatabase(array $data, string $prefix = ''): IQueryRow {
-		if (!$this->get($prefix . 'circle_id', $data)) {
-			throw new CircleInvitationNotFoundException();
-		}
-
-		$this->setCircleId($this->get($prefix . 'circle_id', $data))
-			->setInvitationCode($this->get($prefix . 'invitation_code', $data))
-			->setCreatedBy($this->get($prefix . 'created_by', $data));
-
-		$created = $this->get($prefix . 'created', $data);
-		$dateTime = \DateTime::createFromFormat('Y-m-d H:i:s', $created);
-		$timestamp = $dateTime ? $dateTime->getTimestamp() : (int)strtotime($created);
-		$this->setCreated($timestamp);
-
-		return $this;
-	}
-}
diff --git a/lib/Model/ModelManager.php b/lib/Model/ModelManager.php
index fa7212bd1..e6aeb2419 100644
--- a/lib/Model/ModelManager.php
+++ b/lib/Model/ModelManager.php
@@ -14,8 +14,8 @@
 use OCA\Circles\Db\CoreQueryBuilder;
 use OCA\Circles\Db\MemberRequest;
 use OCA\Circles\Db\MembershipRequest;
+use OCA\Circles\Entity\CircleInvitation;
 use OCA\Circles\Entity\ShareToken;
-use OCA\Circles\Exceptions\CircleInvitationNotFoundException;
 use OCA\Circles\Exceptions\CircleNotFoundException;
 use OCA\Circles\Exceptions\FederatedItemException;
 use OCA\Circles\Exceptions\FederatedUserNotFoundException;
@@ -172,12 +172,6 @@ public function manageImportFromDatabase(ManagedModel $model, array $data, strin
 			}
 		}
 
-		if ($model instanceof CircleInvitation) {
-			if ($base === '') {
-				$base = CoreQueryBuilder::INVITATION;
-			}
-		}
-
 		if ($model instanceof Member) {
 			if ($base === '') {
 				$base = CoreQueryBuilder::MEMBER;
@@ -258,12 +252,18 @@ private function importIntoCircle(Circle $circle, array $data, string $path, str
 				}
 				break;
 			case CoreQueryBuilder::INVITATION:
-				try {
-					$circleInvitation = new CircleInvitation();
-					$circleInvitation->importFromDatabase($data, $prefix);
-					$circle->setCircleInvitation($circleInvitation);
-				} catch (CircleInvitationNotFoundException $e) {
+				if (($data[$prefix . 'circle_id'] ?? '') === '') {
+					break;
 				}
+
+				$circleInvitation = new CircleInvitation();
+				$circleInvitation->circleId = $data[$prefix . 'circle_id'] ?? '';
+				$circleInvitation->invitationCode = $data[$prefix . 'invitation_code'] ?? '';
+				$circleInvitation->createdBy = $data[$prefix . 'created_by'] ?? '';
+				$circleInvitation->created = \DateTime::createFromFormat('Y-m-d H:i:s', $data[$prefix . 'created'] ?? '')
+					?: new \DateTime((string)($data[$prefix . 'created'] ?? ''));
+
+				$circle->setCircleInvitation($circleInvitation);
 				break;
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/lib/Repository/CircleInvitationRepository.php b/lib/Repository/CircleInvitationRepository.php
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..5838bafe2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/Repository/CircleInvitationRepository.php
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+<?php
+
+declare(strict_types=1);
+
+/**
+ * SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2026 Nextcloud GmbH and Nextcloud contributors
+ * SPDX-License-Identifier: AGPL-3.0-or-later
+ */
+
+namespace OCA\Circles\Repository;
+
+use OCA\Circles\Entity\CircleInvitation;
+use OCA\Circles\Exceptions\InvalidIdException;
+use OCP\AppFramework\ORM\Repository;
+
+/**
+ * @extends Repository<CircleInvitation>
+ */
+class CircleInvitationRepository extends Repository {
+	public const string entityClass = CircleInvitation::class;
+
+	/**
+	 * Replaces the circle's current invitation (if any) with a new one, since a circle can only
+	 * have one active invitation at a time.
+	 *
+	 * @throws InvalidIdException
+	 */
+	public function replace(CircleInvitation $circleInvitation): CircleInvitation {
+		if (strlen($circleInvitation->circleId) < 14) {
+			throw new InvalidIdException();
+		}
+
+		$this->deleteBy(['circleId' => $circleInvitation->circleId]);
+
+		return $this->insert($circleInvitation);
+	}
+}