diff --git a/core/src/machine/mod.rs b/core/src/machine/mod.rs
index 834a350..26b384d 100644
--- a/core/src/machine/mod.rs
+++ b/core/src/machine/mod.rs
@@ -182,9 +182,11 @@ async fn reconcile(current_thing: Arc<Thing>, mut new_thing: Thing) -> Result<Ou
                 // FIXME: record error (if any)
 
                 new_thing = outgoing.new_thing;
+                // record the log
                 if let Some(rec) = new_thing.reconciliation.changed.get_mut(&name) {
                     rec.last_log = outgoing.log;
                 }
+                // schedule the waker
                 if let Some(duration) = outgoing.waker {
                     new_thing.wakeup(duration, WakerReason::Reconcile);
                 }
diff --git a/core/src/storage/postgres/mod.rs b/core/src/storage/postgres/mod.rs
index 7b9c717..cf098a3 100644
--- a/core/src/storage/postgres/mod.rs
+++ b/core/src/storage/postgres/mod.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 mod utils;
 
-use crate::model::{Internal, Schema, WakerReason};
+use crate::model::{Internal, Schema};
 use crate::{
     model::{DesiredFeature, Metadata, Reconciliation, ReportedFeature, SyntheticFeature, Thing},
     storage::{self},
@@ -210,7 +210,7 @@ WHERE
         thing.metadata.generation = Some(generation as u32);
         thing.metadata.resource_version = Some(resource_version.to_string());
 
-        let (waker, waker_reasons) = waker_data(&thing);
+        let waker = waker_data(&thing);
 
         log::debug!(
             "Creating new thing: {} / {}",
@@ -233,8 +233,7 @@ INSERT INTO things (
     ANNOTATIONS,
     LABELS,
     DATA,
-    WAKER,
-    WAKER_REASONS
+    WAKER
 ) VALUES (
     $1,
     $2,
@@ -245,8 +244,7 @@ INSERT INTO things (
     $7,
     $8,
     $9,
-    $10,
-    $11
+    $10
 )
 "#,
                 &[
@@ -260,7 +258,6 @@ INSERT INTO things (
                     Type::JSONB,       // labels
                     Type::JSON,        // data
                     Type::TIMESTAMPTZ, // waker
-                    Type::JSONB,       // waker reasons
                 ],
             )
             .await
@@ -279,7 +276,6 @@ INSERT INTO things (
                 &Json(&thing.metadata.labels),
                 &Json(data),
                 &waker,
-                &Json(&waker_reasons),
             ],
         )
         .await
@@ -299,7 +295,7 @@ INSERT INTO things (
         let name = &thing.metadata.name;
         let application = &thing.metadata.application;
 
-        let (waker, waker_reasons) = waker_data(&thing);
+        let waker = waker_data(&thing);
 
         log::debug!("Updating existing thing: {application} / {name}");
 
@@ -311,8 +307,7 @@ SET
     ANNOTATIONS = $4,
     LABELS = $5,
     DATA = $6,
-    WAKER = $7,
-    WAKER_REASONS = $8
+    WAKER = $7
 WHERE
         NAME = $1
     AND
@@ -324,7 +319,6 @@ WHERE
         let data = Json(Data::from(&thing));
         let annotations = Json(&thing.metadata.annotations);
         let labels = Json(&thing.metadata.labels);
-        let waker_reasons = Json(&waker_reasons);
 
         let mut types: Vec<Type> = Vec::new();
         let mut params: Vec<&(dyn ToSql + Sync)> = Vec::new();
@@ -342,8 +336,6 @@ WHERE
         params.push(&data);
         types.push(Type::TIMESTAMPTZ);
         params.push(&waker);
-        types.push(Type::JSONB);
-        params.push(&waker_reasons);
 
         if let Some(resource_version) = &thing.metadata.resource_version {
             stmt.push_str(&format!(
@@ -445,15 +437,10 @@ impl Storage {
     }
 }
 
-fn waker_data(thing: &Thing) -> (Option<DateTime<Utc>>, Option<Vec<WakerReason>>) {
-    // FIXME: use unzip_option once available
-    match thing
+fn waker_data(thing: &Thing) -> Option<DateTime<Utc>> {
+    thing
         .internal
         .as_ref()
         .and_then(|i| i.waker.as_ref())
-        .map(|w| (w.when, w.why.iter().map(|r| *r).collect::<Vec<_>>()))
-    {
-        Some(w) => (Some(w.0), Some(w.1)),
-        None => (None, None),
-    }
+        .map(|w| w.when)
 }
diff --git a/core/src/waker/postgres.rs b/core/src/waker/postgres.rs
index 34e6550..9cd70ef 100644
--- a/core/src/waker/postgres.rs
+++ b/core/src/waker/postgres.rs
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 use crate::model::WakerReason;
 use crate::service::Id;
+use crate::storage::postgres::Data;
 use crate::waker::TargetId;
-use anyhow::{anyhow, bail};
+use anyhow::bail;
 use async_trait::async_trait;
 use deadpool_postgres::{Client, Runtime, Transaction};
 use postgres_types::{Json, Type};
@@ -94,7 +95,7 @@ SELECT
     NAME,
     UID,
     RESOURCE_VERSION,
-    WAKER_REASONS
+    DATA
 
 FROM
     things
@@ -178,8 +179,15 @@ where
                 let thing: String = row.try_get("NAME")?;
                 let uid: Uuid = row.try_get("UID")?;
                 let resource_version: Uuid = row.try_get("RESOURCE_VERSION")?;
-                let reasons: Vec<WakerReason> =
-                    row.try_get::<_, Json<Vec<WakerReason>>>("WAKER_REASONS")?.0;
+                let data = row.try_get::<_, Json<Data>>("DATA")?.0;
+
+                let reasons = data
+                    .internal
+                    .as_ref()
+                    .and_then(|i| i.waker.as_ref())
+                    .map(|w| &w.why)
+                    .map(|r| r.iter().map(|r| *r).collect::<Vec<_>>())
+                    .unwrap_or_default();
 
                 // send wakeup
 
@@ -199,7 +207,7 @@ where
 
                 // clear waker
 
-                Self::clear_waker(tx, application, thing, uid, resource_version).await?;
+                Self::clear_waker(tx, application, thing, uid, resource_version, data).await?;
 
                 // done with this entry
 
@@ -215,32 +223,49 @@ where
         thing: String,
         uid: Uuid,
         resource_version: Uuid,
+        mut data: Data,
     ) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
         // we clear the waker and commit the transaction. The oplock should hold, as we have locked
         // the record.
 
+        if let Some(internal) = &mut data.internal {
+            internal.waker = None;
+        }
+
         let stmt = tx
             .prepare_typed_cached(
                 r#"
 UPDATE
     things
 SET
-    WAKER = NULL, WAKER_REASONS = NULL
+    WAKER = NULL,
+    DATA = $1
 WHERE
-        APPLICATION = $1
+        APPLICATION = $2
     AND
-        NAME = $2
+        NAME = $3
     AND
-        UID = $3
+        UID = $4
     AND
-        RESOURCE_VERSION = $4
+        RESOURCE_VERSION = $5
 "#,
-                &[Type::VARCHAR, Type::VARCHAR, Type::UUID, Type::UUID],
+                &[
+                    Type::JSON,
+                    Type::VARCHAR,
+                    Type::VARCHAR,
+                    Type::UUID,
+                    Type::UUID,
+                ],
             )
             .await?;
 
+        let data = Json(&data);
+
         let result = tx
-            .execute(&stmt, &[&application, &thing, &uid, &resource_version])
+            .execute(
+                &stmt,
+                &[&data, &application, &thing, &uid, &resource_version],
+            )
             .await?;
 
         if result == 0 {
diff --git a/database-migration/migrations/00000000000000_init/up.sql b/database-migration/migrations/00000000000000_init/up.sql
index 6b3898d..f1e19d8 100644
--- a/database-migration/migrations/00000000000000_init/up.sql
+++ b/database-migration/migrations/00000000000000_init/up.sql
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@ CREATE TABLE things (
 
     -- internal state (for easier access)
     WAKER TIMESTAMP WITH TIME ZONE NULL,
-    WAKER_REASONS JSONB NULL,
 
     -- constraints
     PRIMARY KEY (NAME, APPLICATION)