diff --git a/waku/waku_archive/archive.nim b/waku/waku_archive/archive.nim
index 51d9e6becd..f95865ebd9 100644
--- a/waku/waku_archive/archive.nim
+++ b/waku/waku_archive/archive.nim
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ const
 
   # Retention policy
   WakuArchiveDefaultRetentionPolicyInterval* = chronos.minutes(30)
+  WakuArchiveDefaultRetentionPolicyIntervalWhenError* = chronos.minutes(1)
 
   # Metrics reporting
   WakuArchiveDefaultMetricsReportInterval* = chronos.minutes(30)
@@ -193,6 +194,9 @@ proc periodicRetentionPolicy(self: WakuArchive) {.async.} =
     (await policy.execute(self.driver)).isOkOr:
       waku_archive_errors.inc(labelValues = [retPolicyFailure])
       error "failed execution of retention policy", error = error
+      await sleepAsync(WakuArchiveDefaultRetentionPolicyIntervalWhenError)
+      ## in case of error, let's try again faster
+      continue
 
     await sleepAsync(WakuArchiveDefaultRetentionPolicyInterval)
 
diff --git a/waku/waku_archive/driver/postgres_driver/postgres_driver.nim b/waku/waku_archive/driver/postgres_driver/postgres_driver.nim
index 42c56b5a6e..559fd0be35 100644
--- a/waku/waku_archive/driver/postgres_driver/postgres_driver.nim
+++ b/waku/waku_archive/driver/postgres_driver/postgres_driver.nim
@@ -1326,7 +1326,16 @@ proc removePartition(
     "ALTER TABLE messages DETACH PARTITION " & partitionName & " CONCURRENTLY;"
   debug "removeOldestPartition", query = detachPartitionQuery
   (await self.performWriteQuery(detachPartitionQuery)).isOkOr:
-    return err(fmt"error in {detachPartitionQuery}: " & $error)
+    if ($error).contains("FINALIZE"):
+      ## We assume the database is suggesting to use FINALIZE when detaching a partition
+      let detachPartitionFinalizeQuery =
+        "ALTER TABLE messages DETACH PARTITION " & partitionName & " FINALIZE;"
+      debug "removeOldestPartition detaching with FINALIZE",
+        query = detachPartitionFinalizeQuery
+      (await self.performWriteQuery(detachPartitionFinalizeQuery)).isOkOr:
+        return err(fmt"error in FINALIZE {detachPartitionFinalizeQuery}: " & $error)
+    else:
+      return err(fmt"error in {detachPartitionQuery}: " & $error)
 
   ## Drop the partition
   let dropPartitionQuery = "DROP TABLE " & partitionName