diff --git a/v2/sqlite.go b/v2/sqlite.go
index d11fa0f94..a79b31b19 100644
--- a/v2/sqlite.go
+++ b/v2/sqlite.go
@@ -206,6 +206,10 @@ CREATE TABLE root (
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
+	hasRow, err = q.Step()
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
 	if !hasRow {
 		err = sql.leafWrite.Exec(`
 CREATE TABLE latest (key blob, value blob, PRIMARY KEY (key));