diff --git a/lib/pleroma/web/o_auth/app.ex b/lib/pleroma/web/o_auth/app.ex
index 032011433..7661c2566 100644
--- a/lib/pleroma/web/o_auth/app.ex
+++ b/lib/pleroma/web/o_auth/app.ex
@@ -168,8 +168,13 @@ defmodule Pleroma.Web.OAuth.App do
 
   @spec remove_orphans(pos_integer()) :: :ok
   def remove_orphans(limit \\ 100) do
+    fifteen_mins_ago = DateTime.add(DateTime.utc_now(), -900, :second)
+
     Repo.transaction(fn ->
-      from(a in __MODULE__, where: is_nil(a.user_id), limit: ^limit)
+      from(a in __MODULE__,
+        where: is_nil(a.user_id) and a.inserted_at < ^fifteen_mins_ago,
+        limit: ^limit
+      )
       |> Repo.all()
       |> Enum.each(&Repo.delete(&1))
     end)
diff --git a/test/pleroma/web/o_auth/app_test.exs b/test/pleroma/web/o_auth/app_test.exs
index 725ea3eb8..44219cf90 100644
--- a/test/pleroma/web/o_auth/app_test.exs
+++ b/test/pleroma/web/o_auth/app_test.exs
@@ -56,13 +56,18 @@ defmodule Pleroma.Web.OAuth.AppTest do
 
   test "removes orphaned apps" do
     attrs = %{client_name: "Mastodon-Local", redirect_uris: "."}
-    {:ok, %App{} = app} = App.get_or_make(attrs, ["write"])
-    assert app.scopes == ["write"]
+    {:ok, %App{} = old_app} = App.get_or_make(attrs, ["write"])
 
-    assert app == Pleroma.Repo.get_by(App, %{id: app.id})
+    attrs = %{client_name: "PleromaFE", redirect_uris: "."}
+    {:ok, %App{} = app} = App.get_or_make(attrs, ["write"])
+
+    # backdate the old app so it's within the threshold for being cleaned up
+    {:ok, _} =
+      "UPDATE apps SET inserted_at = now() - interval '1 hour' WHERE id = #{old_app.id}"
+      |> Pleroma.Repo.query()
 
     App.remove_orphans()
 
-    assert nil == Pleroma.Repo.get_by(App, %{id: app.id})
+    assert [app] == Pleroma.Repo.all(App)
   end
 end