diff --git a/userapi/storage/accounts/postgres/accounts_table.go b/userapi/storage/accounts/postgres/accounts_table.go
index 4a36c3aa0..254da84c3 100644
--- a/userapi/storage/accounts/postgres/accounts_table.go
+++ b/userapi/storage/accounts/postgres/accounts_table.go
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS account_accounts (
     -- Identifies which application service this account belongs to, if any.
     appservice_id TEXT,
     -- If the account is currently active
-    is_active BOOLEAN DEFAULT TRUE
+    is_deactivated BOOLEAN DEFAULT FALSE
     -- TODO:
     -- is_guest, is_admin, upgraded_ts, devices, any email reset stuff?
 );
@@ -54,13 +54,13 @@ const updatePasswordSQL = "" +
 	"UPDATE account_accounts SET password_hash = $1 WHERE localpart = $2"
 
 const deactivateAccountSQL = "" +
-	"UPDATE account_accounts SET is_active = FALSE WHERE localpart = $1"
+	"UPDATE account_accounts SET is_deactivated = TRUE WHERE localpart = $1"
 
 const selectAccountByLocalpartSQL = "" +
 	"SELECT localpart, appservice_id FROM account_accounts WHERE localpart = $1"
 
 const selectPasswordHashSQL = "" +
-	"SELECT password_hash FROM account_accounts WHERE localpart = $1 AND is_active = TRUE"
+	"SELECT password_hash FROM account_accounts WHERE localpart = $1 AND is_deactivated = FALSE"
 
 const selectNewNumericLocalpartSQL = "" +
 	"SELECT nextval('numeric_username_seq')"
diff --git a/userapi/storage/accounts/postgres/deltas/20200929203058_is_active.sql b/userapi/storage/accounts/postgres/deltas/20200929203058_is_active.sql
index f0a713eba..32e6e1664 100644
--- a/userapi/storage/accounts/postgres/deltas/20200929203058_is_active.sql
+++ b/userapi/storage/accounts/postgres/deltas/20200929203058_is_active.sql
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 -- +goose Up
 -- +goose StatementBegin
-ALTER TABLE account_accounts ADD COLUMN IF NOT EXISTS is_active BOOLEAN DEFAULT TRUE;
+ALTER TABLE account_accounts ADD COLUMN IF NOT EXISTS is_deactivated BOOLEAN DEFAULT FALSE;
 -- +goose StatementEnd
 
 -- +goose Down
 -- +goose StatementBegin
-ALTER TABLE account_accounts DROP COLUMN is_active;
+ALTER TABLE account_accounts DROP COLUMN is_deactivated;
 -- +goose StatementEnd
diff --git a/userapi/storage/accounts/sqlite3/accounts_table.go b/userapi/storage/accounts/sqlite3/accounts_table.go
index a4c9aa502..d0ea8a8bc 100644
--- a/userapi/storage/accounts/sqlite3/accounts_table.go
+++ b/userapi/storage/accounts/sqlite3/accounts_table.go
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS account_accounts (
     -- Identifies which application service this account belongs to, if any.
     appservice_id TEXT,
     -- If the account is currently active
-    is_active BOOLEAN DEFAULT 1
+    is_deactivated BOOLEAN DEFAULT 0
     -- TODO:
     -- is_guest, is_admin, upgraded_ts, devices, any email reset stuff?
 );
@@ -52,13 +52,13 @@ const updatePasswordSQL = "" +
 	"UPDATE account_accounts SET password_hash = $1 WHERE localpart = $2"
 
 const deactivateAccountSQL = "" +
-	"UPDATE account_accounts SET is_active = 0 WHERE localpart = $1"
+	"UPDATE account_accounts SET is_deactivated = 1 WHERE localpart = $1"
 
 const selectAccountByLocalpartSQL = "" +
 	"SELECT localpart, appservice_id FROM account_accounts WHERE localpart = $1"
 
 const selectPasswordHashSQL = "" +
-	"SELECT password_hash FROM account_accounts WHERE localpart = $1 AND is_active = 1"
+	"SELECT password_hash FROM account_accounts WHERE localpart = $1 AND is_deactivated = 0"
 
 const selectNewNumericLocalpartSQL = "" +
 	"SELECT COUNT(localpart) FROM account_accounts"
diff --git a/userapi/storage/accounts/sqlite3/deltas/20200929203058_is_active.sql b/userapi/storage/accounts/sqlite3/deltas/20200929203058_is_active.sql
index f084dc863..51e9bae3c 100644
--- a/userapi/storage/accounts/sqlite3/deltas/20200929203058_is_active.sql
+++ b/userapi/storage/accounts/sqlite3/deltas/20200929203058_is_active.sql
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ CREATE TABLE account_accounts (
     created_ts BIGINT NOT NULL,
     password_hash TEXT,
     appservice_id TEXT,
-    is_active BOOLEAN DEFAULT 1
+    is_deactivated BOOLEAN DEFAULT 0
 );
 INSERT
     INTO account_accounts (