diff --git a/src/mothership-app/pb_hooks/src/instances-delete.pb.js b/src/mothership-app/pb_hooks/src/instances-delete.pb.js
index ee0201d5..24d152a8 100644
--- a/src/mothership-app/pb_hooks/src/instances-delete.pb.js
+++ b/src/mothership-app/pb_hooks/src/instances-delete.pb.js
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ routerAdd(
       throw new BadRequestError(`Not authorized`)
     }
 
-    if (record.get('status') !== 'idle') {
+    if (record.getString('status').toLowerCase() !== 'idle') {
       throw new BadRequestError(`Instance must be shut down first.`)
     }
 
diff --git a/src/mothership-app/pb_hooks/src/signup.pb.js b/src/mothership-app/pb_hooks/src/signup.pb.js
index af6a35f5..7d84ee40 100644
--- a/src/mothership-app/pb_hooks/src/signup.pb.js
+++ b/src/mothership-app/pb_hooks/src/signup.pb.js
@@ -169,7 +169,7 @@ routerAdd(
         const instance = new Record(instanceCollection)
         instance.set('subdomain', desiredInstanceName)
         instance.set('uid', user.get('id'))
-        instance.set('status', 'Idle')
+        instance.set('status', 'idle')
         instance.set('version', '0.19.*')
         txDao.saveRecord(instance)
       } catch (e) {