diff --git a/server/db/pg/schema/schema.ts b/server/db/pg/schema/schema.ts
index b0c0d49a9..bde3e9aec 100644
--- a/server/db/pg/schema/schema.ts
+++ b/server/db/pg/schema/schema.ts
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ export const sites = pgTable("sites", {
     lastHolePunch: bigint("lastHolePunch", { mode: "number" }),
     listenPort: integer("listenPort"),
     dockerSocketEnabled: boolean("dockerSocketEnabled").notNull().default(true),
-    status: varchar("status").$type<"pending" | "approved">()
+    status: varchar("status").$type<"pending" | "approved">().default("approved")
 });
 
 export const resources = pgTable("resources", {
diff --git a/server/db/sqlite/schema/schema.ts b/server/db/sqlite/schema/schema.ts
index 65ff144a4..1fb04ef14 100644
--- a/server/db/sqlite/schema/schema.ts
+++ b/server/db/sqlite/schema/schema.ts
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ export const sites = sqliteTable("sites", {
     dockerSocketEnabled: integer("dockerSocketEnabled", { mode: "boolean" })
         .notNull()
         .default(true),
-    status: text("status").$type<"pending" | "approved">()
+    status: text("status").$type<"pending" | "approved">().default("approved")
 });
 
 export const resources = sqliteTable("resources", {
diff --git a/server/setup/scriptsPg/1.17.0.ts b/server/setup/scriptsPg/1.17.0.ts
index 09d09261c..ea66948ab 100644
--- a/server/setup/scriptsPg/1.17.0.ts
+++ b/server/setup/scriptsPg/1.17.0.ts
@@ -178,7 +178,7 @@ export default async function migration() {
         );
         await db.execute(sql`ALTER TABLE "userInvites" DROP COLUMN "roleId";`);
         await db.execute(sql`ALTER TABLE "siteProvisioningKeys" ADD COLUMN "approveNewSites" boolean DEFAULT true NOT NULL;`);
-        await db.execute(sql`ALTER TABLE "sites" ADD COLUMN "status" varchar;`);
+        await db.execute(sql`ALTER TABLE "sites" ADD COLUMN "status" varchar DEFAULT 'approved';`);
 
         await db.execute(sql`COMMIT`);
         console.log("Migrated database");
diff --git a/server/setup/scriptsSqlite/1.17.0.ts b/server/setup/scriptsSqlite/1.17.0.ts
index b6515510f..28877f16e 100644
--- a/server/setup/scriptsSqlite/1.17.0.ts
+++ b/server/setup/scriptsSqlite/1.17.0.ts
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ export default async function migration() {
             ).run();
             db.prepare(`ALTER TABLE 'user' ADD 'locale' text;`).run();
             db.prepare(`ALTER TABLE 'siteProvisioningKeys' ADD COLUMN 'approveNewSites' integer DEFAULT 1 NOT NULL;`).run();
-            db.prepare(`ALTER TABLE 'sites' ADD COLUMN 'status' text;`).run();
+            db.prepare(`ALTER TABLE 'sites' ADD COLUMN 'status' text DEFAULT 'approved';`).run();
         })();
 
         db.pragma("foreign_keys = ON");