diff --git a/userapi/storage/accounts/postgres/key_backup_version_table.go b/userapi/storage/accounts/postgres/key_backup_version_table.go
index aca575df2..0abe7b291 100644
--- a/userapi/storage/accounts/postgres/key_backup_version_table.go
+++ b/userapi/storage/accounts/postgres/key_backup_version_table.go
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ const selectKeyBackupSQL = "" +
 	"SELECT algorithm, auth_data, etag, deleted FROM account_e2e_room_keys_versions WHERE user_id = $1 AND version = $2"
 
 const selectLatestVersionSQL = "" +
-	"SELECT MAX(version) FROM account_e2e_room_keys_versions WHERE user_id = $1"
+	"SELECT COALESCE(MAX(version),0) FROM account_e2e_room_keys_versions WHERE user_id = $1"
 
 type keyBackupVersionStatements struct {
 	insertKeyBackupStmt         *sql.Stmt
diff --git a/userapi/storage/accounts/sqlite3/key_backup_version_table.go b/userapi/storage/accounts/sqlite3/key_backup_version_table.go
index 9a58fee75..b0e074839 100644
--- a/userapi/storage/accounts/sqlite3/key_backup_version_table.go
+++ b/userapi/storage/accounts/sqlite3/key_backup_version_table.go
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ const selectKeyBackupSQL = "" +
 	"SELECT algorithm, auth_data, etag, deleted FROM account_e2e_room_keys_versions WHERE user_id = $1 AND version = $2"
 
 const selectLatestVersionSQL = "" +
-	"SELECT MAX(version) FROM account_e2e_room_keys_versions WHERE user_id = $1"
+	"SELECT IFNULL(MAX(version),0) FROM account_e2e_room_keys_versions WHERE user_id = $1"
 
 type keyBackupVersionStatements struct {
 	insertKeyBackupStmt         *sql.Stmt