diff --git a/migrations/20190923050431-apps-make-runState-not-null.js b/migrations/20190923050431-apps-make-runState-not-null.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..74439db3f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/migrations/20190923050431-apps-make-runState-not-null.js
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+'use strict';
+
+exports.up = function(db, callback) {
+    db.runSql('UPDATE apps SET runState=? WHERE runState IS NULL', [ 'running' ], function (error) {
+        if (error) return callback(error);
+
+        db.runSql('ALTER TABLE apps MODIFY runState VARCHAR(512) NOT NULL', [], function (error) {
+            if (error) console.error(error);
+            callback(error);
+        });
+    });
+};
+
+exports.down = function(db, callback) {
+    db.runSql('ALTER TABLE app MODIFY runState VARCHAR(512)', [], function (error) {
+        if (error) console.error(error);
+        callback(error);
+    });
+};
diff --git a/migrations/schema.sql b/migrations/schema.sql
index dd0265257..1061be7f0 100644
--- a/migrations/schema.sql
+++ b/migrations/schema.sql
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS apps(
     id VARCHAR(128) NOT NULL UNIQUE,
     appStoreId VARCHAR(128) NOT NULL,
     installationState VARCHAR(512) NOT NULL, // the active task on the app
-    runState VARCHAR(512),   // if the app is stopped
+    runState VARCHAR(512) NOT NULL,   // if the app is stopped
     health VARCHAR(128),
     healthTime TIMESTAMP NOT NULL DEFAULT CURRENT_TIMESTAMP, // when the app last responded
     containerId VARCHAR(128),
diff --git a/src/test/database-test.js b/src/test/database-test.js
index 511f0e3c7..3a15d6eda 100644
--- a/src/test/database-test.js
+++ b/src/test/database-test.js
@@ -394,7 +394,7 @@ describe('database', function () {
             appStoreId: 'appStoreId-0',
             installationState: apps.ISTATE_PENDING_INSTALL,
             error: null,
-            runState: null,
+            runState: 'running',
             location: 'some-location-0',
             domain: DOMAIN_0.domain,
             manifest: { version: '0.1', dockerImage: 'docker/app0', healthCheckPath: '/', httpPort: 80, title: 'app0' },
@@ -972,7 +972,7 @@ describe('database', function () {
             appStoreId: 'appStoreId-0',
             installationState: apps.ISTATE_PENDING_INSTALL,
             error: null,
-            runState: null,
+            runState: 'running',
             location: 'some-location-0',
             domain: DOMAIN_0.domain,
             manifest: { version: '0.1', dockerImage: 'docker/app0', healthCheckPath: '/', httpPort: 80, title: 'app0' },
@@ -1003,7 +1003,7 @@ describe('database', function () {
             appStoreId: 'appStoreId-1',
             installationState: apps.ISTATE_PENDING_INSTALL, // app health tests rely on this initial state
             error: null,
-            runState: null,
+            runState: 'running',
             location: 'some-location-1',
             domain: DOMAIN_0.domain,
             manifest: { version: '0.2', dockerImage: 'docker/app1', healthCheckPath: '/', httpPort: 80, title: 'app1' },