diff --git a/server/models/sites.mjs b/server/models/sites.mjs
index 2d71edf7d1..97bf6d0849 100644
--- a/server/models/sites.mjs
+++ b/server/models/sites.mjs
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ export class Site extends Model {
     await WIKI.db.navigation.query().insert({
       id: newSite.id,
       siteId: newSite.id,
-      items: JSON.stringify([])
+      items: []
     })
 
     WIKI.logger.debug(`Creating new DB storage for site ${newSite.id}`)