diff --git a/src/peerstate.rs b/src/peerstate.rs
index d8369304a..5d79b63ab 100644
--- a/src/peerstate.rs
+++ b/src/peerstate.rs
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ impl<'a> Peerstate<'a> {
         context: &'a Context,
         _sql: &Sql,
         fingerprint: &Fingerprint,
-    ) -> Option<Peerstate<'a>> {
+    ) -> Result<Option<Peerstate<'a>>> {
         let query = "SELECT addr, last_seen, last_seen_autocrypt, prefer_encrypted, public_key, \
                      gossip_timestamp, gossip_key, public_key_fingerprint, gossip_key_fingerprint, \
                      verified_key, verified_key_fingerprint \
@@ -165,16 +165,7 @@ impl<'a> Peerstate<'a> {
                      OR gossip_key_fingerprint=? COLLATE NOCASE  \
                      ORDER BY public_key_fingerprint=? DESC;";
         let fp = fingerprint.hex();
-        match Self::from_stmt(context, query, paramsv![fp, fp, fp]).await {
-            Ok(peerstate) => peerstate,
-            Err(err) => {
-                warn!(
-                    context,
-                    "Can't load peerstate for fingerprint {}: {}", fingerprint, err
-                );
-                None
-            }
-        }
+        Self::from_stmt(context, query, paramsv![fp, fp, fp]).await
     }
 
     async fn from_stmt(
@@ -524,7 +515,8 @@ mod tests {
         let peerstate_new2 =
             Peerstate::from_fingerprint(&ctx.ctx, &ctx.ctx.sql, &pub_key.fingerprint())
                 .await
-                .expect("failed to load peerstate from db");
+                .expect("failed to load peerstate from db")
+                .expect("no peerstate found in the database");
         assert_eq!(peerstate, peerstate_new2);
     }
 
diff --git a/src/qr.rs b/src/qr.rs
index ba4eae45e..dd8bcece4 100644
--- a/src/qr.rs
+++ b/src/qr.rs
@@ -143,7 +143,10 @@ async fn decode_openpgp(context: &Context, qr: &str) -> Lot {
     let mut lot = Lot::new();
 
     // retrieve known state for this fingerprint
-    let peerstate = Peerstate::from_fingerprint(context, &context.sql, &fingerprint).await;
+    let peerstate = match Peerstate::from_fingerprint(context, &context.sql, &fingerprint).await {
+        Ok(peerstate) => peerstate,
+        Err(err) => return format_err!("Can't load peerstate: {}", err).into(),
+    };
 
     if invitenumber.is_none() || auth.is_none() {
         if let Some(peerstate) = peerstate {
diff --git a/src/securejoin.rs b/src/securejoin.rs
index 5979da87e..200791984 100644
--- a/src/securejoin.rs
+++ b/src/securejoin.rs
@@ -987,7 +987,7 @@ async fn could_not_establish_secure_connection(
 
 async fn mark_peer_as_verified(context: &Context, fingerprint: &Fingerprint) -> Result<(), Error> {
     if let Some(ref mut peerstate) =
-        Peerstate::from_fingerprint(context, &context.sql, fingerprint).await
+        Peerstate::from_fingerprint(context, &context.sql, fingerprint).await?
     {
         if peerstate.set_verified(
             PeerstateKeyType::PublicKey,