diff --git a/Myriad/Rest/Types/Requests/MessageRequest.cs b/Myriad/Rest/Types/Requests/MessageRequest.cs
index 80506f64..c218c0fd 100644
--- a/Myriad/Rest/Types/Requests/MessageRequest.cs
+++ b/Myriad/Rest/Types/Requests/MessageRequest.cs
@@ -10,4 +10,6 @@ public record MessageRequest
     public AllowedMentions? AllowedMentions { get; set; }
     public Embed[]? Embeds { get; set; }
     public MessageComponent[]? Components { get; set; }
+    public Message.Reference? MessageReference { get; set; }
+
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/PluralKit.Bot/Handlers/MessageCreated.cs b/PluralKit.Bot/Handlers/MessageCreated.cs
index 68f32b17..0ca4250d 100644
--- a/PluralKit.Bot/Handlers/MessageCreated.cs
+++ b/PluralKit.Bot/Handlers/MessageCreated.cs
@@ -120,6 +120,17 @@ public class MessageCreated: IEventHandler<MessageCreateEvent>
         if (!HasCommandPrefix(content, ourUserId, out var cmdStart) || cmdStart == content.Length)
             return false;
 
+        if (ctx.IsDeleting)
+        {
+            await _rest.CreateMessage(evt.ChannelId, new()
+            {
+                Content = $"{Emojis.Error} Your system is currently being deleted."
+                    + " Due to database issues, it is not possible to use commands while a system is being deleted. Please wait a few minutes and try again.",
+                MessageReference = new(guild?.Id, channel.Id, evt.Id)
+            });
+            return true;
+        }
+
         // Trim leading whitespace from command without actually modifying the string
         // This just moves the argPos pointer by however much whitespace is at the start of the post-argPos string
         var trimStartLengthDiff =
@@ -164,6 +175,8 @@ public class MessageCreated: IEventHandler<MessageCreateEvent>
     private async ValueTask<bool> TryHandleProxy(MessageCreateEvent evt, Guild guild, Channel channel,
                                                  MessageContext ctx)
     {
+        if (ctx.IsDeleting) return false;
+
         var botPermissions = await _cache.PermissionsIn(channel.Id);
 
         try
diff --git a/PluralKit.Core/Database/Functions/MessageContext.cs b/PluralKit.Core/Database/Functions/MessageContext.cs
index ef4e6daa..a03cb9da 100644
--- a/PluralKit.Core/Database/Functions/MessageContext.cs
+++ b/PluralKit.Core/Database/Functions/MessageContext.cs
@@ -10,6 +10,11 @@ namespace PluralKit.Core;
 public class MessageContext
 {
     public SystemId? SystemId { get; }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Whether a system is being deleted (no actions should be taken, or commands ran)
+    /// </summary>
+    public bool IsDeleting { get; }
     public ulong? LogChannel { get; }
     public bool InBlacklist { get; }
     public bool InLogBlacklist { get; }
diff --git a/PluralKit.Core/Database/Functions/functions.sql b/PluralKit.Core/Database/Functions/functions.sql
index 3c7857fe..32c8a28c 100644
--- a/PluralKit.Core/Database/Functions/functions.sql
+++ b/PluralKit.Core/Database/Functions/functions.sql
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 create function message_context(account_id bigint, guild_id bigint, channel_id bigint)
     returns table (
         system_id int,
+        is_deleting bool,
         log_channel bigint,
         in_blacklist bool,
         in_log_blacklist bool,
@@ -27,6 +28,7 @@ as $$
         guild as (select * from servers where id = guild_id)
     select
         system.id as system_id,
+        system.is_deleting,
         guild.log_channel,
         (channel_id = any(guild.blacklist)) as in_blacklist,
         (channel_id = any(guild.log_blacklist)) as in_log_blacklist,
diff --git a/PluralKit.Core/Database/Migrations/29.sql b/PluralKit.Core/Database/Migrations/29.sql
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b83528a4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/PluralKit.Core/Database/Migrations/29.sql
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+-- schema version 29
+
+alter table systems add column is_deleting bool default false;
+
+update info set schema_version = 29;
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/PluralKit.Core/Database/Repository/ModelRepository.System.cs b/PluralKit.Core/Database/Repository/ModelRepository.System.cs
index bfaa31d2..96e554ea 100644
--- a/PluralKit.Core/Database/Repository/ModelRepository.System.cs
+++ b/PluralKit.Core/Database/Repository/ModelRepository.System.cs
@@ -142,10 +142,11 @@ public partial class ModelRepository
         });
     }
 
-    public Task DeleteSystem(SystemId id)
+    public async Task DeleteSystem(SystemId id)
     {
+        await _db.Execute(c => c.QueryAsync("update systems set is_deleting = true where id = @id", new { id = id }));
         var query = new Query("systems").AsDelete().Where("id", id);
+        await _db.ExecuteQuery(query);
         _logger.Information("Deleted {SystemId}", id);
-        return _db.ExecuteQuery(query);
     }
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/PluralKit.Core/Database/Utils/DatabaseMigrator.cs b/PluralKit.Core/Database/Utils/DatabaseMigrator.cs
index 26eff955..029cd550 100644
--- a/PluralKit.Core/Database/Utils/DatabaseMigrator.cs
+++ b/PluralKit.Core/Database/Utils/DatabaseMigrator.cs
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ namespace PluralKit.Core;
 internal class DatabaseMigrator
 {
     private const string RootPath = "PluralKit.Core.Database"; // "resource path" root for SQL files
-    private const int TargetSchemaVersion = 28;
+    private const int TargetSchemaVersion = 29;
     private readonly ILogger _logger;
 
     public DatabaseMigrator(ILogger logger)