diff --git a/internal/db/postgres.go b/internal/db/postgres.go
index a5c4024de..a66b1364a 100644
--- a/internal/db/postgres.go
+++ b/internal/db/postgres.go
@@ -103,8 +103,22 @@ func newPostgresService(ctx context.Context, c *config.Config, log *logrus.Entry
 	acc := model.StubAccount()
 	if _, err := conn.Model(acc).Returning("id").Insert(); err != nil {
 		cancel()
-		return nil, errors.New("db insert error")
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("db insert error: %s", err)
 	}
+	log.Infof("created account with id %s", acc.ID)
+
+	note := &model.Note{
+		Visibility: &model.Visibility{
+			Local: true,
+		},
+		CreatedAt: time.Now(),
+		UpdatedAt: time.Now(),
+	}
+	if _, err := conn.Model(note).Returning("id").Insert(); err != nil {
+		cancel()
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("db insert error: %s", err)
+	}
+	log.Infof("created note with id %s", note.ID)
 
 	// we can confidently return this useable postgres service now
 	return &postgresService{
@@ -300,6 +314,7 @@ func (ps *postgresService) Stop(ctx context.Context) error {
 func (ps *postgresService) CreateSchema(ctx context.Context) error {
 	models := []interface{}{
 		(*model.Account)(nil),
+		(*model.Note)(nil),
 	}
 	ps.log.Info("creating db schema")
 
diff --git a/internal/model/account.go b/internal/model/account.go
index 360d0de28..6d8d04954 100644
--- a/internal/model/account.go
+++ b/internal/model/account.go
@@ -27,32 +27,30 @@ import (
 type Account struct {
 	Avatar
 	Header
-	ID                    int `pg:"type:uuid,default:gen_random_uuid(),pk,notnull"`
+	URI                   string
+	URL                   string
+	ID                    string `pg:"type:uuid,default:gen_random_uuid(),pk,notnull"`
 	Username              string
 	Domain                string
 	Secret                string
 	PrivateKey            string
 	PublicKey             string
-	RemoteURL             *url.URL  `pg:"type:text"`
-	SalmonURL             *url.URL  `pg:"type:text"`
-	HubURL                *url.URL  `pg:"type:text"`
+	RemoteURL             string
 	CreatedAt             time.Time `pg:"type:timestamp,notnull"`
 	UpdatedAt             time.Time `pg:"type:timestamp,notnull"`
 	Note                  string
 	DisplayName           string
-	URI                   *url.URL  `pg:"type:text"`
-	URL                   *url.URL  `pg:"type:text"`
 	SubscriptionExpiresAt time.Time `pg:"type:timestamp"`
 	Locked                bool
 	LastWebfingeredAt     time.Time `pg:"type:timestamp"`
-	InboxURL              *url.URL  `pg:"type:text"`
-	OutboxURL             *url.URL  `pg:"type:text"`
-	SharedInboxURL        *url.URL  `pg:"type:text"`
-	FollowersURL          *url.URL  `pg:"type:text"`
+	InboxURL              string
+	OutboxURL             string
+	SharedInboxURL        string
+	FollowersURL          string
 	Protocol              int
 	Memorial              bool
 	MovedToAccountID      int
-	FeaturedCollectionURL *url.URL `pg:"type:text"`
+	FeaturedCollectionURL string
 	Fields                map[string]string
 	ActorType             string
 	Discoverable          bool
@@ -61,7 +59,6 @@ type Account struct {
 	SuspendedAt           time.Time `pg:"type:timestamp"`
 	TrustLevel            int
 	HideCollections       bool
-	DevicesURL            *url.URL  `pg:"type:text"`
 	SensitizedAt          time.Time `pg:"type:timestamp"`
 	SuspensionOrigin      int
 }
@@ -85,13 +82,10 @@ type Header struct {
 }
 
 func StubAccount() *Account {
-
-	remoteURL, _ := url.Parse("https://example.org/@someuser")
-
 	return &Account{
 		Username:  "some_user",
 		Domain:    "example.org",
-		RemoteURL: remoteURL,
+		RemoteURL: "https://example.org/@someuser",
 		CreatedAt: time.Now(),
 		UpdatedAt: time.Now(),
 	}
diff --git a/internal/model/note.go b/internal/model/note.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..69242cfa7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/model/note.go
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+/*
+   GoToSocial
+   Copyright (C) 2021 GoToSocial Authors admin@gotosocial.org
+
+   This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+   it under the terms of the GNU Affero General Public License as published by
+   the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+   (at your option) any later version.
+
+   This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+   but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+   MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+   GNU Affero General Public License for more details.
+
+   You should have received a copy of the GNU Affero General Public License
+   along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+*/
+
+package model
+
+import "time"
+
+type Note struct {
+	ID             string `pg:"type:uuid,default:gen_random_uuid(),pk,notnull"`
+	URI            string
+	URL            string
+	Content        string
+	CreatedAt      time.Time `pg:"type:timestamp,notnull"`
+	UpdatedAt      time.Time `pg:"type:timestamp,notnull"`
+	Local          bool
+	AccountID      string
+	InReplyToID    string
+	BoostOfID      string
+	ContentWarning string
+	Visibility     *Visibility
+}
+
+type Visibility struct {
+	Direct    bool
+	Followers bool
+	Local     bool
+	Unlisted  bool
+	Public    bool
+}