diff --git a/schemas/database/016_remove_recovery.down.sql b/schemas/database/016_remove_recovery.down.sql
index 68221433..db41d4f2 100644
--- a/schemas/database/016_remove_recovery.down.sql
+++ b/schemas/database/016_remove_recovery.down.sql
@@ -5,9 +5,11 @@ CREATE TABLE recoveries (
 
 ALTER TABLE unprocessed_identities
     ADD COLUMN eligibility TIMESTAMPTZ,
-    ADD COLUMN status VARCHAR(50) NOT NULL,
+    ADD COLUMN status VARCHAR(50),
     ADD COLUMN processed_at TIMESTAMPTZ,
     ADD COLUMN error_message TEXT;
 
+UPDATE unprocessed_identities SET status = 'new', eligibility = CURRENT_TIMESTAMP WHERE status IS NULL;
+
 ALTER TABLE unprocessed_identities
-    DROP CONSTRAINT unique_commitment;
+    ALTER COLUMN status SET NOT NULL;
diff --git a/schemas/database/016_remove_recovery.up.sql b/schemas/database/016_remove_recovery.up.sql
index 4d0ea58a..a82352f4 100644
--- a/schemas/database/016_remove_recovery.up.sql
+++ b/schemas/database/016_remove_recovery.up.sql
@@ -5,7 +5,3 @@ ALTER TABLE unprocessed_identities
     DROP COLUMN status,
     DROP COLUMN processed_at,
     DROP COLUMN error_message;
-
-ALTER TABLE unprocessed_identities
-    ADD CONSTRAINT unique_commitment UNIQUE (commitment);
-