diff --git a/crates/adapters/postgres-search/src/lib.rs b/crates/adapters/postgres-search/src/lib.rs
index 22983fe..0a90607 100644
--- a/crates/adapters/postgres-search/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/adapters/postgres-search/src/lib.rs
@@ -67,13 +67,13 @@ const FEED_SELECT: &str = "
         (SELECT COUNT(*) FROM thoughts r WHERE r.in_reply_to_id=t.id) AS reply_count
     FROM thoughts t JOIN users u ON u.id=t.user_id";
 
-fn row_to_entry(r: FeedRow) -> FeedEntry {
+fn row_to_entry(r: FeedRow) -> Result<FeedEntry, DomainError> {
     let thought = Thought {
         id: ThoughtId::from_uuid(r.thought_id),
         user_id: UserId::from_uuid(r.t_user_id),
         content: Content::new_remote(r.content),
         in_reply_to_id: r.in_reply_to_id.map(ThoughtId::from_uuid),
-        visibility: Visibility::from_db_str(&r.visibility),
+        visibility: Visibility::from_db_str(&r.visibility)?,
         content_warning: r.content_warning,
         sensitive: r.sensitive,
         local: r.t_local,
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ fn row_to_entry(r: FeedRow) -> FeedEntry {
         created_at: r.author_created_at,
         updated_at: r.author_updated_at,
     };
-    FeedEntry {
+    Ok(FeedEntry {
         thought,
         author,
         like_count: r.like_count,
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ fn row_to_entry(r: FeedRow) -> FeedEntry {
         reply_count: r.reply_count,
         liked_by_viewer: false,
         boosted_by_viewer: false,
-    }
+    })
 }
 
 #[async_trait]
@@ -137,7 +137,10 @@ impl SearchPort for PgSearchRepository {
             .map_err(|e| DomainError::Internal(e.to_string()))?;
 
         Ok(Paginated {
-            items: rows.into_iter().map(row_to_entry).collect(),
+            items: rows
+                .into_iter()
+                .map(row_to_entry)
+                .collect::<Result<Vec<_>, _>>()?,
             total,
             page: page.page,
             per_page: page.per_page,
diff --git a/crates/adapters/postgres/src/feed.rs b/crates/adapters/postgres/src/feed.rs
index 871f82b..6aacb67 100644
--- a/crates/adapters/postgres/src/feed.rs
+++ b/crates/adapters/postgres/src/feed.rs
@@ -106,13 +106,13 @@ fn feed_select(viewer: Option<uuid::Uuid>) -> String {
     )
 }
 
-fn row_to_entry(r: FeedRow) -> FeedEntry {
+fn row_to_entry(r: FeedRow) -> Result<FeedEntry, DomainError> {
     let thought = Thought {
         id: ThoughtId::from_uuid(r.thought_id),
         user_id: UserId::from_uuid(r.t_user_id),
         content: Content::new_remote(r.content),
         in_reply_to_id: r.in_reply_to_id.map(ThoughtId::from_uuid),
-        visibility: Visibility::from_db_str(&r.visibility),
+        visibility: Visibility::from_db_str(&r.visibility)?,
         content_warning: r.content_warning,
         sensitive: r.sensitive,
         local: r.t_local,
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ fn row_to_entry(r: FeedRow) -> FeedEntry {
         created_at: r.author_created_at,
         updated_at: r.author_updated_at,
     };
-    FeedEntry {
+    Ok(FeedEntry {
         thought,
         author,
         like_count: r.like_count,
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ fn row_to_entry(r: FeedRow) -> FeedEntry {
         reply_count: r.reply_count,
         liked_by_viewer: r.liked_by_viewer,
         boosted_by_viewer: r.boosted_by_viewer,
-    }
+    })
 }
 
 #[async_trait]
@@ -176,7 +176,10 @@ impl FeedRepository for PgFeedRepository {
             .into_domain()?;
 
         Ok(Paginated {
-            items: rows.into_iter().map(row_to_entry).collect(),
+            items: rows
+                .into_iter()
+                .map(row_to_entry)
+                .collect::<Result<Vec<_>, _>>()?,
             total,
             page: page.page,
             per_page: page.per_page,
@@ -206,7 +209,10 @@ impl FeedRepository for PgFeedRepository {
             .into_domain()?;
 
         Ok(Paginated {
-            items: rows.into_iter().map(row_to_entry).collect(),
+            items: rows
+                .into_iter()
+                .map(row_to_entry)
+                .collect::<Result<Vec<_>, _>>()?,
             total,
             page: page.page,
             per_page: page.per_page,
@@ -239,7 +245,10 @@ impl FeedRepository for PgFeedRepository {
             .into_domain()?;
 
         Ok(Paginated {
-            items: rows.into_iter().map(row_to_entry).collect(),
+            items: rows
+                .into_iter()
+                .map(row_to_entry)
+                .collect::<Result<Vec<_>, _>>()?,
             total,
             page: page.page,
             per_page: page.per_page,
@@ -281,7 +290,10 @@ impl FeedRepository for PgFeedRepository {
             .into_domain()?;
 
         Ok(Paginated {
-            items: rows.into_iter().map(row_to_entry).collect(),
+            items: rows
+                .into_iter()
+                .map(row_to_entry)
+                .collect::<Result<Vec<_>, _>>()?,
             total,
             page: page.page,
             per_page: page.per_page,
@@ -321,7 +333,10 @@ impl FeedRepository for PgFeedRepository {
             .into_domain()?;
 
         Ok(Paginated {
-            items: rows.into_iter().map(row_to_entry).collect(),
+            items: rows
+                .into_iter()
+                .map(row_to_entry)
+                .collect::<Result<Vec<_>, _>>()?,
             total,
             page: page.page,
             per_page: page.per_page,
diff --git a/crates/adapters/postgres/src/follow.rs b/crates/adapters/postgres/src/follow.rs
index 0aeba1b..6bd2286 100644
--- a/crates/adapters/postgres/src/follow.rs
+++ b/crates/adapters/postgres/src/follow.rs
@@ -76,13 +76,18 @@ impl FollowRepository for PgFollowRepository {
         .fetch_optional(&self.pool)
         .await
         .into_domain()
-        .map(|o| o.map(|r| Follow {
-            follower_id: UserId::from_uuid(r.follower_id),
-            following_id: UserId::from_uuid(r.following_id),
-            state: FollowState::from_db_str(&r.state),
-            ap_id: r.ap_id,
-            created_at: r.created_at,
-        }))
+        .and_then(|o| {
+            o.map(|r| {
+                Ok(Follow {
+                    follower_id: UserId::from_uuid(r.follower_id),
+                    following_id: UserId::from_uuid(r.following_id),
+                    state: FollowState::from_db_str(&r.state)?,
+                    ap_id: r.ap_id,
+                    created_at: r.created_at,
+                })
+            })
+            .transpose()
+        })
     }
 
     async fn update_state(
diff --git a/crates/adapters/postgres/src/tag.rs b/crates/adapters/postgres/src/tag.rs
index a39c027..ab692a9 100644
--- a/crates/adapters/postgres/src/tag.rs
+++ b/crates/adapters/postgres/src/tag.rs
@@ -105,7 +105,10 @@ impl TagRepository for PgTagRepository {
         .fetch_all(&self.pool).await.into_domain()?;
 
         Ok(Paginated {
-            items: rows.into_iter().map(Thought::from).collect(),
+            items: rows
+                .into_iter()
+                .map(Thought::try_from)
+                .collect::<Result<Vec<_>, _>>()?,
             total,
             page: page.page,
             per_page: page.per_page,
diff --git a/crates/adapters/postgres/src/thought.rs b/crates/adapters/postgres/src/thought.rs
index be78c7b..3a0cf7d 100644
--- a/crates/adapters/postgres/src/thought.rs
+++ b/crates/adapters/postgres/src/thought.rs
@@ -36,20 +36,21 @@ pub(crate) struct ThoughtRow {
     pub updated_at: Option<DateTime<Utc>>,
 }
 
-impl From<ThoughtRow> for Thought {
-    fn from(r: ThoughtRow) -> Self {
-        Thought {
+impl TryFrom<ThoughtRow> for Thought {
+    type Error = DomainError;
+    fn try_from(r: ThoughtRow) -> Result<Self, DomainError> {
+        Ok(Thought {
             id: ThoughtId::from_uuid(r.id),
             user_id: UserId::from_uuid(r.user_id),
             content: Content::new_remote(r.content),
             in_reply_to_id: r.in_reply_to_id.map(ThoughtId::from_uuid),
-            visibility: Visibility::from_db_str(&r.visibility),
+            visibility: Visibility::from_db_str(&r.visibility)?,
             content_warning: r.content_warning,
             sensitive: r.sensitive,
             local: r.local,
             created_at: r.created_at,
             updated_at: r.updated_at,
-        }
+        })
     }
 }
 
@@ -85,7 +86,7 @@ impl ThoughtRepository for PgThoughtRepository {
             .fetch_optional(&self.pool)
             .await
             .into_domain()
-            .map(|o| o.map(Thought::from))
+            .and_then(|o| o.map(Thought::try_from).transpose())
     }
 
     async fn delete(&self, id: &ThoughtId, user_id: &UserId) -> Result<(), DomainError> {
@@ -129,7 +130,7 @@ impl ThoughtRepository for PgThoughtRepository {
         .fetch_all(&self.pool)
         .await
         .into_domain()
-        .map(|rows| rows.into_iter().map(Thought::from).collect())
+        .and_then(|rows| rows.into_iter().map(Thought::try_from).collect())
     }
 
     async fn list_by_user(
@@ -155,7 +156,10 @@ impl ThoughtRepository for PgThoughtRepository {
         .into_domain()?;
 
         Ok(Paginated {
-            items: rows.into_iter().map(Thought::from).collect(),
+            items: rows
+                .into_iter()
+                .map(Thought::try_from)
+                .collect::<Result<Vec<_>, _>>()?,
             total,
             page: page.page,
             per_page: page.per_page,
diff --git a/crates/domain/src/models/social.rs b/crates/domain/src/models/social.rs
index 8ac4df0..bca0c34 100644
--- a/crates/domain/src/models/social.rs
+++ b/crates/domain/src/models/social.rs
@@ -35,11 +35,14 @@ impl FollowState {
         }
     }
 
-    pub fn from_db_str(s: &str) -> Self {
+    pub fn from_db_str(s: &str) -> Result<Self, crate::errors::DomainError> {
         match s {
-            "pending" => Self::Pending,
-            "rejected" => Self::Rejected,
-            _ => Self::Accepted,
+            "pending" => Ok(Self::Pending),
+            "accepted" => Ok(Self::Accepted),
+            "rejected" => Ok(Self::Rejected),
+            other => Err(crate::errors::DomainError::Internal(format!(
+                "unknown follow_state: '{other}'"
+            ))),
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/crates/domain/src/models/thought.rs b/crates/domain/src/models/thought.rs
index 2e99773..72c1953 100644
--- a/crates/domain/src/models/thought.rs
+++ b/crates/domain/src/models/thought.rs
@@ -33,12 +33,15 @@ impl Visibility {
         }
     }
 
-    pub fn from_db_str(s: &str) -> Self {
+    pub fn from_db_str(s: &str) -> Result<Self, crate::errors::DomainError> {
         match s {
-            "followers" => Self::Followers,
-            "unlisted" => Self::Unlisted,
-            "direct" => Self::Direct,
-            _ => Self::Public,
+            "public" => Ok(Self::Public),
+            "followers" => Ok(Self::Followers),
+            "unlisted" => Ok(Self::Unlisted),
+            "direct" => Ok(Self::Direct),
+            other => Err(crate::errors::DomainError::Internal(format!(
+                "unknown visibility: '{other}'"
+            ))),
         }
     }
 }