diff --git a/src/ssb.rpc.c b/src/ssb.rpc.c
index 9da73366..ce2306ec 100644
--- a/src/ssb.rpc.c
+++ b/src/ssb.rpc.c
@@ -1599,10 +1599,9 @@ static void _tf_ssb_rpc_delete_feeds_work(tf_ssb_t* ssb, void* user_data)
 			")",
 			-1, &statement, NULL) == SQLITE_OK)
 	{
-		int status = SQLITE_OK;
 		if (sqlite3_bind_text(statement, 1, arg, -1, NULL) == SQLITE_OK)
 		{
-			if (status != SQLITE_OK)
+			if (sqlite3_step(statement) != SQLITE_DONE)
 			{
 				tf_printf("deleting messages: %s\n", sqlite3_errmsg(db));
 			}