diff --git a/cmd/setup/11.sql b/cmd/setup/11.sql
index 39f3e8cb02..bb62b5f9b2 100644
--- a/cmd/setup/11.sql
+++ b/cmd/setup/11.sql
@@ -1,5 +1,15 @@
-ALTER TABLE eventstore.events ADD COLUMN created_at TIMESTAMPTZ;
+BEGIN;
+-- create table with empty created_at
+ALTER TABLE eventstore.events ADD COLUMN created_at TIMESTAMPTZ DEFAULT NULL;
+COMMIT;
 
+BEGIN;
+-- backfill created_at
 UPDATE eventstore.events SET created_at = creation_date WHERE created_at IS NULL;
+COMMIT;
 
-ALTER TABLE eventstore.events ALTER COLUMN created_at SET NOT NULL DEFAULT clock_timestamp();
\ No newline at end of file
+BEGIN;
+-- set column rules
+ALTER TABLE eventstore.events ALTER COLUMN created_at SET DEFAULT clock_timestamp();
+ALTER TABLE eventstore.events ALTER COLUMN created_at SET NOT NULL;
+COMMIT;
\ No newline at end of file