diff --git a/server/private-messages/database.ts b/server/private-messages/database.ts
index c15c5a1d9314..4926d1cf3c9d 100644
--- a/server/private-messages/database.ts
+++ b/server/private-messages/database.ts
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ export const statements: {[k: string]: string} = {
 	clearDated: 'DELETE FROM offline_pms WHERE ? - time >= ?',
 	checkSentCount: 'SELECT count(*) as count FROM offline_pms WHERE sender = ? AND receiver = ?',
 	setSeen: 'UPDATE offline_pms SET seen = ? WHERE receiver = ? AND seen IS NULL',
-	clearSeen: 'SELECT * FROM offline_pms WHERE ? - seen >= ?',
+	clearSeen: 'DELETE FROM offline_pms WHERE ? - seen >= ?',
 	getSettings: 'SELECT * FROM pm_settings WHERE userid = ?',
 	setBlock: 'REPLACE INTO pm_settings (userid, view_only) VALUES (?, ?)',
 	deleteSettings: 'DELETE FROM pm_settings WHERE userid = ?',
diff --git a/server/private-messages/index.ts b/server/private-messages/index.ts
index 38b09ea8b0b3..5260cf045714 100644
--- a/server/private-messages/index.ts
+++ b/server/private-messages/index.ts
@@ -214,7 +214,7 @@ if (Config.usesqlite) {
 	if (!process.send) {
 		PM.spawn(Config.pmprocesses || 1);
 		// clear super old pms on startup
-		void PM.run(statements.clearDated);
+		void PM.run(statements.clearDated, [Date.now(), EXPIRY_TIME]);
 	} else if (process.send && process.mainModule === module) {
 		global.Monitor = {
 			crashlog(error: Error, source = 'A private message child process', details: AnyObject | null = null) {