diff --git a/src/ssb.db.c b/src/ssb.db.c
index cac4a60e3..d582c48e5 100644
--- a/src/ssb.db.c
+++ b/src/ssb.db.c
@@ -2018,8 +2018,9 @@ bool tf_ssb_db_get_global_setting_bool(sqlite3* db, const char* name, bool* out_
 	{
 		if (sqlite3_bind_text(statement, 1, name, -1, NULL) == SQLITE_OK)
 		{
-			if (sqlite3_step(statement) == SQLITE_ROW)
+			if (sqlite3_step(statement) == SQLITE_ROW && sqlite3_column_type(statement, 0) != SQLITE_NULL)
 			{
+				tf_printf("have row for %s: %d\n", name, sqlite3_column_int(statement, 0));
 				*out_value = sqlite3_column_int(statement, 0) != 0;
 				result = true;
 			}
@@ -2064,7 +2065,7 @@ bool tf_ssb_db_get_global_setting_string(sqlite3* db, const char* name, char* ou
 	{
 		if (sqlite3_bind_text(statement, 1, name, -1, NULL) == SQLITE_OK)
 		{
-			if (sqlite3_step(statement) == SQLITE_ROW)
+			if (sqlite3_step(statement) == SQLITE_ROW && sqlite3_column_type(statement, 0) != SQLITE_NULL)
 			{
 				snprintf(out_value, size, "%s", sqlite3_column_text(statement, 0));
 				result = true;