diff --git a/tle/util/db/user_db_conn.py b/tle/util/db/user_db_conn.py
index 1af18faf..527f0976 100644
--- a/tle/util/db/user_db_conn.py
+++ b/tle/util/db/user_db_conn.py
@@ -475,11 +475,11 @@ def add_starboard_message(self, original_msg_id, starboard_msg_id, guild_id):
         self.conn.commit()
 
     def check_exists_starboard_message(self, original_msg_id):
-        query = ('SELECT 1 '
+        query = ('SELECT COUNT(*) AS cnt '
                  'FROM starboard_message '
                  'WHERE original_msg_id = ?')
         res = self.conn.execute(query, (original_msg_id,)).fetchone()
-        return res is not None
+        return res.cnt != 0
 
     def remove_starboard_message(self, *, original_msg_id=None, starboard_msg_id=None):
         assert (original_msg_id is None) ^ (starboard_msg_id is None)