diff --git a/src/freedombone-app-matrix b/src/freedombone-app-matrix
index e0c60a48..f531f240 100755
--- a/src/freedombone-app-matrix
+++ b/src/freedombone-app-matrix
@@ -659,8 +659,12 @@ function install_home_server {
     systemctl daemon-reload
     systemctl start matrix
 
+    # wait for the database to be created
+    sleep 5
+
     if [ ! -f $MATRIX_DATA_DIR/homeserver.db ]; then
         echo $'No matrix home server database was created'
+        exit 23782
     fi
     chmod -R 700 $MATRIX_DATA_DIR/homeserver.db