diff --git a/packages/bookwyrm/nixos-module.nix b/packages/bookwyrm/nixos-module.nix
index 4b97889..36cbc3f 100644
--- a/packages/bookwyrm/nixos-module.nix
+++ b/packages/bookwyrm/nixos-module.nix
@@ -14,10 +14,9 @@ with pkgs . kernelmaft ;
 
 					[Service]
 
-					# 'initdb' fails harmlessly if it has been run on the database before
 					ExecStartPre=${coreutils-full}/bin/ln -sf ${bookwyrm}/var/lib/bookwyrm/VERSION /var/lib/bookwyrm/
 					ExecStartPre=${bookwyrm}/bin/bookwyrm-env ${python311}/bin/python ${bookwyrm}/lib/python3.11/manage.py migrate
-					ExecStartPre=-${bookwyrm}/bin/bookwyrm-env ${python311}/bin/python ${bookwyrm}/lib/python3.11/manage.py initdb
+					ExecStartPre=${bookwyrm}/bin/bookwyrm-env ${python311}/bin/python ${bookwyrm}/lib/python3.11/manage.py initdb
 					ExecStart=${bookwyrm}/bin/bookwyrm-env ${bookwyrm}/bin/bookwyrm
 
 					WorkingDirectory=/var/lib/bookwyrm
diff --git a/packages/bookwyrm/package.nix b/packages/bookwyrm/package.nix
index ad522e0..0fb96b8 100644
--- a/packages/bookwyrm/package.nix
+++ b/packages/bookwyrm/package.nix
@@ -29,7 +29,9 @@ mkDerivation {
 
 		pwd
 
-		ls -lAh /
+		ls -lAh
+
+		touch write-test
 
 		runHook postBuild
 	'' ;