diff --git a/backend/src/apiserver/storage/db_status_store.go b/backend/src/apiserver/storage/db_status_store.go
index 07798a3c3042..7101ddeb80de 100644
--- a/backend/src/apiserver/storage/db_status_store.go
+++ b/backend/src/apiserver/storage/db_status_store.go
@@ -46,10 +46,11 @@ func (s *DBStatusStore) InitializeDBStatusTable() error {
 		tx.Rollback()
 		return util.NewInternalServerError(err, "Failed to load database status.")
 	}
-	defer rows.Close()
+	next := rows.Next()
+	rows.Close() // "rows" shouldn't be used after this point.
 
 	// The table is not initialized
-	if !rows.Next() {
+	if !next {
 		sql, args, queryErr := sq.
 			Insert("db_statuses").
 			SetMap(defaultDBStatus).
diff --git a/backend/src/apiserver/storage/default_experiment_store.go b/backend/src/apiserver/storage/default_experiment_store.go
index 6eb5eb5087bc..6fe898cff1d8 100644
--- a/backend/src/apiserver/storage/default_experiment_store.go
+++ b/backend/src/apiserver/storage/default_experiment_store.go
@@ -48,10 +48,11 @@ func (s *DefaultExperimentStore) initializeDefaultExperimentTable() error {
 		tx.Rollback()
 		return util.NewInternalServerError(err, "Failed to get default experiment.")
 	}
-	defer rows.Close()
+	next := rows.Next()
+	rows.Close()
 
 	// If the table is not initialized, then set the default value.
-	if !rows.Next() {
+	if !next {
 		sql, args, queryErr := sq.
 			Insert("default_experiments").
 			SetMap(defaultExperimentDBValue).