diff --git a/experimental/plugins/postgres_storage/src/postgres_storage.rs b/experimental/plugins/postgres_storage/src/postgres_storage.rs
index c7e5001e10..90ef81c26b 100644
--- a/experimental/plugins/postgres_storage/src/postgres_storage.rs
+++ b/experimental/plugins/postgres_storage/src/postgres_storage.rs
@@ -668,12 +668,9 @@ impl WalletStrategy for DatabasePerWalletStrategy {
 
         debug!("creating wallets DB");
         let create_db_sql = str::replace(_CREATE_WALLET_DATABASE, "$1", id);
-        let mut schema_result = match conn.execute(&create_db_sql, &[]) {
-            Ok(_) => Ok(()),
-            Err(_error) => {
-                Err(WalletStorageError::AlreadyExists)
-            }
-        };
+        // ignore errors at this step, in case the database has been pre-created by the DBA
+        // if the create db fails, the user login/table creation will fail
+        let _err = conn.execute(&create_db_sql, &[]);
         conn.finish()?;
 
         debug!("connecting to wallet as user");
@@ -684,6 +681,25 @@ impl WalletStrategy for DatabasePerWalletStrategy {
             }
         };
 
+        // select metadata for this wallet to ensure it DOESN'T exist
+        let mut schema_result = {
+            let rows = conn.query(
+                "SELECT value FROM metadata",
+                &[]);
+            match rows {
+                Ok(rows_data) => {
+                    match rows_data.iter().next() {
+                        Some(_) => {
+                            error!("Metadata was found for wallet id '{}' which indicates this wallet already exists.", id);
+                            Err(WalletStorageError::AlreadyExists)
+                        },
+                        None => Ok(())
+                    }
+                },
+                Err(_) => Ok(())
+            }
+        };
+
         debug!("setting up multi schema");
         for sql in &_CREATE_SCHEMA {
             match schema_result {