diff --git a/ProjectLighthouse/Administration/Maintenance/Commands/DeleteUserCommand.cs b/ProjectLighthouse/Administration/Maintenance/Commands/DeleteUserCommand.cs
index cb783dcc..f61b2bf9 100644
--- a/ProjectLighthouse/Administration/Maintenance/Commands/DeleteUserCommand.cs
+++ b/ProjectLighthouse/Administration/Maintenance/Commands/DeleteUserCommand.cs
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ public class DeleteUserCommand : ICommand
     public int RequiredArgs() => 1;
     public async Task Run(string[] args, Logger logger)
     {
-        User? user = await this.database.Users.FirstOrDefaultAsync(u => u.Username == args[0]);
+        User? user = await this.database.Users.FirstOrDefaultAsync(u => u.Username.Length > 0 && u.Username == args[0]);
         if (user == null)
             try
             {
diff --git a/ProjectLighthouse/Database.cs b/ProjectLighthouse/Database.cs
index 782e4c72..ee00fdc7 100644
--- a/ProjectLighthouse/Database.cs
+++ b/ProjectLighthouse/Database.cs
@@ -476,6 +476,7 @@ public class Database : DbContext
     public async Task RemoveUser(User? user)
     {
         if (user == null) return;
+        if (user.Username.Length == 0) return; // don't delete the placeholder user
 
         if (user.Location != null) this.Locations.Remove(user.Location);
         LastContact? lastContact = await this.LastContacts.FirstOrDefaultAsync(l => l.UserId == user.UserId);