diff --git a/plugins/catalog-backend/src/database/DefaultProviderDatabase.ts b/plugins/catalog-backend/src/database/DefaultProviderDatabase.ts
index 9ec5d13591..60dd43bb59 100644
--- a/plugins/catalog-backend/src/database/DefaultProviderDatabase.ts
+++ b/plugins/catalog-backend/src/database/DefaultProviderDatabase.ts
@@ -162,12 +162,6 @@ export class DefaultProviderDatabase implements ProviderDatabase {
               logger: this.options.logger,
             });
           }
-
-          await tx<DbRefreshStateReferencesRow>('refresh_state_references')
-            .where('target_entity_ref', entityRef)
-            .andWhere({ source_key: options.sourceKey })
-            .delete();
-
           if (ok) {
             await tx<DbRefreshStateReferencesRow>('refresh_state_references')
               .where('target_entity_ref', entityRef)
@@ -180,6 +174,11 @@ export class DefaultProviderDatabase implements ProviderDatabase {
               target_entity_ref: entityRef,
             });
           } else {
+            await tx<DbRefreshStateReferencesRow>('refresh_state_references')
+              .where('target_entity_ref', entityRef)
+              .andWhere({ source_key: options.sourceKey })
+              .delete();
+
             const conflictingKey = await checkLocationKeyConflict({
               tx,
               entityRef,