diff --git a/src/sql.rs b/src/sql.rs
index 78c6df3d8..f5ddc5cbe 100644
--- a/src/sql.rs
+++ b/src/sql.rs
@@ -261,6 +261,12 @@ impl Sql {
         info!(context, "Opened database {:?}.", self.dbfile);
         *self.is_encrypted.write().await = Some(passphrase_nonempty);
 
+        // Some migrations want housekeeping to run. Also if housekeeping failed before, fixing the
+        // reason and restarting the program is the most natural way to retry it.
+        context
+            .set_config_internal(Config::LastHousekeeping, None)
+            .await?;
+
         // setup debug logging if there is an entry containing its id
         if let Some(xdc_id) = self
             .get_raw_config_u32(Config::DebugLogging.as_ref())