diff --git a/backend/src/main/resources/db/migration/V5__add_notes_to_persons.sql b/backend/src/main/resources/db/migration/V5__add_notes_to_persons.sql
index 8e6514f1..6b82f236 100644
--- a/backend/src/main/resources/db/migration/V5__add_notes_to_persons.sql
+++ b/backend/src/main/resources/db/migration/V5__add_notes_to_persons.sql
@@ -1 +1 @@
-ALTER TABLE persons ADD COLUMN notes TEXT;
+ALTER TABLE persons ADD COLUMN IF NOT EXISTS notes TEXT;
diff --git a/backend/src/main/resources/db/migration/V6__add_birth_death_years_to_persons.sql b/backend/src/main/resources/db/migration/V6__add_birth_death_years_to_persons.sql
index 31875721..fc3759c0 100644
--- a/backend/src/main/resources/db/migration/V6__add_birth_death_years_to_persons.sql
+++ b/backend/src/main/resources/db/migration/V6__add_birth_death_years_to_persons.sql
@@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
-ALTER TABLE persons ADD COLUMN birth_year INTEGER;
-ALTER TABLE persons ADD COLUMN death_year INTEGER;
+ALTER TABLE persons ADD COLUMN IF NOT EXISTS birth_year INTEGER;
+ALTER TABLE persons ADD COLUMN IF NOT EXISTS death_year INTEGER;