diff --git a/cmd/gotosocial/action/admin/account/account.go b/cmd/gotosocial/action/admin/account/account.go
index 801f8fa62..6c059d1fe 100644
--- a/cmd/gotosocial/action/admin/account/account.go
+++ b/cmd/gotosocial/action/admin/account/account.go
@@ -111,13 +111,12 @@ var Confirm action.GTSAction = func(ctx context.Context) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	updatingColumns := []string{"approved", "email", "confirmed_at", "updated_at"}
+	updatingColumns := []string{"approved", "email", "confirmed_at"}
 	approved := true
 	u.Approved = &approved
 	u.Email = u.UnconfirmedEmail
 	u.ConfirmedAt = time.Now()
-	u.UpdatedAt = time.Now()
-	if err := dbConn.UpdateByID(ctx, u, u.ID, updatingColumns...); err != nil {
+	if err := dbConn.UpdateUser(ctx, u, updatingColumns...); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
diff --git a/internal/db/bundb/admin.go b/internal/db/bundb/admin.go
index 4d750581c..a58f8893b 100644
--- a/internal/db/bundb/admin.go
+++ b/internal/db/bundb/admin.go
@@ -174,7 +174,6 @@ func (a *adminDB) NewSignup(ctx context.Context, username string, reason string,
 	if emailVerified {
 		u.ConfirmedAt = time.Now()
 		u.Email = email
-		u.UnconfirmedEmail = ""
 	}
 
 	if admin {