diff --git a/internal/db/queries/operations.sql b/internal/db/queries/operations.sql
index 03a261a..3578259 100644
--- a/internal/db/queries/operations.sql
+++ b/internal/db/queries/operations.sql
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ FROM check_defs cd
 JOIN entities e ON e.id = cd.entity_id
 LEFT JOIN entities tgt ON tgt.id = cd.target_id
 WHERE cd.enabled = true
-  AND (tgt.id IS NULL OR tgt.state NOT IN ('deprecated', 'destroyed'))
+  AND (tgt.id IS NULL OR tgt.state IS NULL OR tgt.state NOT IN ('deprecated', 'destroyed'))
   AND (cd.last_run_at IS NULL
        OR cd.last_run_at <= now() - make_interval(secs => cd.interval_s));
 
diff --git a/internal/db/sqlcgen/operations.sql.go b/internal/db/sqlcgen/operations.sql.go
index 637d7b2..fb562ef 100644
--- a/internal/db/sqlcgen/operations.sql.go
+++ b/internal/db/sqlcgen/operations.sql.go
@@ -698,7 +698,7 @@ FROM check_defs cd
 JOIN entities e ON e.id = cd.entity_id
 LEFT JOIN entities tgt ON tgt.id = cd.target_id
 WHERE cd.enabled = true
-  AND (tgt.id IS NULL OR tgt.state NOT IN ('deprecated', 'destroyed'))
+  AND (tgt.id IS NULL OR tgt.state IS NULL OR tgt.state NOT IN ('deprecated', 'destroyed'))
   AND (cd.last_run_at IS NULL
        OR cd.last_run_at <= now() - make_interval(secs => cd.interval_s))
 `