diff --git a/src/external/database/sql/backend.rs b/src/external/database/sql/backend.rs
index 3273751..ad70b86 100644
--- a/src/external/database/sql/backend.rs
+++ b/src/external/database/sql/backend.rs
@@ -10,9 +10,9 @@ use crate::{
     collection::album::AlbumDate,
     external::database::{
         serde::{
-            common::{SerdeAlbumDate, V20250103},
-            deserialize::{DeserializeAlbum, DeserializeArtist, DeserializeDatabase},
-            serialize::{SerializeAlbum, SerializeArtist, SerializeDatabase},
+            common::SerdeAlbumDate,
+            deserialize::{DeserializeAlbum, DeserializeArtist},
+            serialize::{SerializeAlbum, SerializeArtist},
         },
         sql::{Error, ISqlDatabaseBackend, ISqlTransactionBackend},
     },
@@ -151,29 +151,22 @@ impl ISqlTransactionBackend for SqlTransactionSqliteBackend<'_> {
         Self::execute(&mut stmt, ())
     }
 
-    fn insert_database_version(&self, version: &SerializeDatabase<'_>) -> Result<(), Error> {
+    fn insert_database_version(&self, version: &str) -> Result<(), Error> {
         let mut stmt = self.prepare_cached(
             "INSERT INTO database_metadata (name, value)
              VALUES (?1, ?2)",
         )?;
-        let version = match version {
-            SerializeDatabase::V20250103(_) => V20250103,
-        };
         Self::execute(&mut stmt, ("version", version))
     }
 
-    fn select_database_version<'a>(&self) -> Result<DeserializeDatabase, Error> {
+    fn select_database_version<'a>(&self) -> Result<Option<String>, Error> {
         let mut stmt =
             self.prepare_cached("SELECT value FROM database_metadata WHERE name = 'version'")?;
         let mut rows = Self::query(&mut stmt, ())?;
 
-        match Self::next_row(&mut rows)? {
-            Some(row) => match Self::get_value::<String>(row, 0)?.as_str() {
-                V20250103 => Ok(DeserializeDatabase::V20250103(vec![])),
-                s => Err(Error::SerDeError(format!("unknown database version: {s}"))),
-            },
-            None => Err(Error::SerDeError(String::from("missing database version"))),
-        }
+        Self::next_row(&mut rows)?
+            .map(|row| Self::get_value(row, 0))
+            .transpose()
     }
 
     fn insert_artist(&self, artist: &SerializeArtist<'_>) -> Result<(), Error> {
diff --git a/src/external/database/sql/mod.rs b/src/external/database/sql/mod.rs
index 93b4bb7..0f2b445 100644
--- a/src/external/database/sql/mod.rs
+++ b/src/external/database/sql/mod.rs
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ use crate::{
         interface::database::{IDatabase, LoadError, SaveError},
     },
     external::database::serde::{
+        common::V20250103,
         deserialize::{DeserializeAlbum, DeserializeArtist, DeserializeDatabase},
         serialize::{SerializeAlbum, SerializeArtist, SerializeDatabase},
     },
@@ -51,11 +52,10 @@ pub trait ISqlTransactionBackend {
     fn drop_albums_table(&self) -> Result<(), Error>;
 
     /// Set the database version.
-    #[allow(clippy::needless_lifetimes)] // Conflicts with automock.
-    fn insert_database_version<'a>(&self, version: &SerializeDatabase<'a>) -> Result<(), Error>;
+    fn insert_database_version(&self, version: &str) -> Result<(), Error>;
 
     /// Get the database version.
-    fn select_database_version(&self) -> Result<DeserializeDatabase, Error>;
+    fn select_database_version(&self) -> Result<Option<String>, Error>;
 
     /// Insert an artist into the artist table.
     #[allow(clippy::needless_lifetimes)] // Conflicts with automock.
@@ -154,15 +154,24 @@ impl<SDB: for<'conn> ISqlDatabaseBackend<'conn>> IDatabase for SqlDatabase<SDB>
     fn load(&mut self) -> Result<Collection, LoadError> {
         let tx = self.backend.transaction()?;
 
-        let mut database = tx.select_database_version()?;
-        match database {
-            DeserializeDatabase::V20250103(ref mut coll) => {
-                coll.extend(tx.select_all_artists()?);
+        let version = tx
+            .select_database_version()?
+            .ok_or_else(|| LoadError::SerDeError(String::from("missing database version")))?;
+
+        let database = match version.as_str() {
+            V20250103 => {
+                let mut coll = tx.select_all_artists()?;
                 for artist in coll.iter_mut() {
                     artist.albums.extend(tx.select_artist_albums(&artist.name)?);
                 }
+                DeserializeDatabase::V20250103(coll)
             }
-        }
+            s => {
+                return Err(LoadError::SerDeError(format!(
+                    "unknown database version: {s}"
+                )))
+            }
+        };
 
         tx.commit()?;
         Ok(database.into())
@@ -175,9 +184,9 @@ impl<SDB: for<'conn> ISqlDatabaseBackend<'conn>> IDatabase for SqlDatabase<SDB>
         Self::drop_tables(&tx)?;
         Self::create_tables(&tx)?;
 
-        tx.insert_database_version(&database)?;
         match database {
             SerializeDatabase::V20250103(artists) => {
+                tx.insert_database_version(V20250103)?;
                 for artist in artists.iter() {
                     tx.insert_artist(artist)?;
                     for album in artist.albums.iter() {