diff --git a/appview/db/db.go b/appview/db/db.go
index daa31633..5b50a306 100644
--- a/appview/db/db.go
+++ b/appview/db/db.go
@@ -1287,6 +1287,29 @@ func Make(ctx context.Context, dbPath string) (*DB, error) {
 		return err
 	})
 
+	// we cannot modify user-owned record on repository delete
+	orm.RunMigration(conn, logger, "remove-foreign-key-profile_pinned_repositories-and-repos", func(tx *sql.Tx) error {
+		_, err := tx.Exec(`
+			create table profile_pinned_repositories_new (
+				did text not null,
+
+				-- data
+				at_uri text not null,
+
+				-- constraints
+				unique(did, at_uri),
+				foreign key (did) references profile(did) on delete cascade
+			);
+
+			insert into profile_pinned_repositories_new (did, at_uri)
+			select did, at_uri from profile_pinned_repositories;
+
+			drop table profile_pinned_repositories;
+			alter table profile_pinned_repositories_new rename to profile_pinned_repositories;
+		`)
+		return err
+	})
+
 	return &DB{
 		db,
 		logger,