diff --git a/.drone.yml b/.drone.yml
index f6c257216..ad163780e 100644
--- a/.drone.yml
+++ b/.drone.yml
@@ -79,8 +79,13 @@ volumes:
   host:
     path: /drone/gotosocial/golangci-lint
 
+trigger:
+  repo:
+    - superseriousbusiness/gotosocial
+    - NyaaaWhatsUpDoc/gotosocial
+
 ---
 kind: signature
-hmac: 9134975e238ab9f92a7f75ccc11279e8d5edddb87f10165ed3c7d23fdd9c8a11
+hmac: 7fa6fa70be0a5c436ecb2f02f4b74bd1be5e90817e2d95a16898e3d29cbadf80
 
 ...
diff --git a/internal/db/bundb/admin.go b/internal/db/bundb/admin.go
index 29c353a56..1f70c0e64 100644
--- a/internal/db/bundb/admin.go
+++ b/internal/db/bundb/admin.go
@@ -234,17 +234,18 @@ func (a *adminDB) CreateInstanceInstance(ctx context.Context) db.Error {
 	domain := a.config.Host
 
 	// check if instance entry already exists
-	existsQ := a.conn.
+	q := a.conn.
 		NewSelect().
 		Model(&gtsmodel.Instance{}).
 		Where("domain = ?", domain)
 
-	count, err := existsQ.Count(ctx)
-	if err != nil && count == 1 {
-		a.log.Infof("instance instance %s already exists", domain)
+	exists, err := a.conn.Exists(ctx, q)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	if exists {
+		a.log.Infof("instance entry already exists")
 		return nil
-	} else if err != sql.ErrNoRows {
-		return a.conn.ProcessError(err)
 	}
 
 	iID, err := id.NewRandomULID()
@@ -263,9 +264,11 @@ func (a *adminDB) CreateInstanceInstance(ctx context.Context) db.Error {
 		NewInsert().
 		Model(i)
 
-	if _, err := insertQ.Exec(ctx); err != nil {
-		return err
+	_, err = insertQ.Exec(ctx)
+	err = a.conn.ProcessError(err)
+
+	if err == nil {
+		a.log.Infof("created instance instance %s with id %s", domain, i.ID)
 	}
-	a.log.Infof("created instance instance %s with id %s", domain, i.ID)
-	return nil
+	return err
 }