diff --git a/conftest.py b/conftest.py
index 140a2b67..2bdf05cc 100644
--- a/conftest.py
+++ b/conftest.py
@@ -248,7 +248,7 @@ class DbDict(dict):
             '-d', db, '-i', module,
             '--max-cron-threads', '0',
             '--stop-after-init'
-        ])
+        ], check=True)
         self[module] = db
         return db
 
diff --git a/runbot_merge/__init__.py b/runbot_merge/__init__.py
index 71babc13..0cfc4a5e 100644
--- a/runbot_merge/__init__.py
+++ b/runbot_merge/__init__.py
@@ -33,3 +33,11 @@ def enable_sentry():
         logger.exception("DSN found, failed to enable sentry...")
     else:
         logger.info("DSN found, sentry enabled...")
+
+def _check_citext(cr):
+    cr.execute("select 1 from pg_extension where extname = 'citext'")
+    if not cr.rowcount:
+        try:
+            cr.execute('create extension citext')
+        except Exception:
+            raise AssertionError("runbot_merge needs the citext extension")
diff --git a/runbot_merge/__manifest__.py b/runbot_merge/__manifest__.py
index ba8809ba..976d0dd5 100644
--- a/runbot_merge/__manifest__.py
+++ b/runbot_merge/__manifest__.py
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
     'name': 'merge bot',
-    'version': '1.2',
+    'version': '1.3',
     'depends': ['contacts', 'website'],
     'data': [
         'security/security.xml',
@@ -12,4 +12,5 @@
         'views/templates.xml',
     ],
     'post_load': 'enable_sentry',
+    'pre_init_hook': '_check_citext',
 }
diff --git a/runbot_merge/migrations/13.0.1.3/pre-migration.py b/runbot_merge/migrations/13.0.1.3/pre-migration.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d4e59b7e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/runbot_merge/migrations/13.0.1.3/pre-migration.py
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+def migrate(cr, version):
+    cr.execute("DROP INDEX runbot_merge_unique_gh_login")
diff --git a/runbot_merge/models/res_partner.py b/runbot_merge/models/res_partner.py
index 80417fc9..021cfc69 100644
--- a/runbot_merge/models/res_partner.py
+++ b/runbot_merge/models/res_partner.py
@@ -1,10 +1,15 @@
 from email.utils import parseaddr
 from odoo import fields, models, tools, api
 
+class CIText(fields.Char):
+    type = 'char'
+    column_type = ('citext', 'citext')
+    column_cast_from = ('varchar', 'text')
+
 class Partner(models.Model):
     _inherit = 'res.partner'
 
-    github_login = fields.Char()
+    github_login = CIText()
     delegate_reviewer = fields.Many2many('runbot_merge.pull_requests')
     formatted_email = fields.Char(string="commit email", compute='_rfc5322_formatted')
     review_rights = fields.One2many('res.partner.review', 'partner_id')
diff --git a/runbot_merge/tests/test_basic.py b/runbot_merge/tests/test_basic.py
index 5443a4ba..ebdab3e2 100644
--- a/runbot_merge/tests/test_basic.py
+++ b/runbot_merge/tests/test_basic.py
@@ -2625,10 +2625,14 @@ class TestReviewing(object):
             prx = repo.make_pr(title='title', body='body', target='master', head=c1)
             repo.post_status(prx.head, 'success', 'legal/cla')
             repo.post_status(prx.head, 'success', 'ci/runbot')
-            prx.post_comment('hansen delegate=%s' % users['other'], config['role_reviewer']['token'])
-            prx.post_comment('hansen r+', config['role_user']['token'])
+            # flip case to check that github login is case-insensitive
+            other = ''.join(c.lower() if c.isupper() else c.upper() for c in users['other'])
+            prx.post_comment('hansen delegate=%s' % other, config['role_reviewer']['token'])
         env.run_crons()
 
+        with repo:
+            # check this is ignored
+            prx.post_comment('hansen r+', config['role_user']['token'])
         assert prx.user == users['user']
         assert env['runbot_merge.pull_requests'].search([
             ('repository.name', '=', repo.name),
@@ -2636,6 +2640,7 @@ class TestReviewing(object):
         ]).state == 'validated'
 
         with repo:
+            # check this works
             prx.post_comment('hansen r+', config['role_other']['token'])
         assert env['runbot_merge.pull_requests'].search([
             ('repository.name', '=', repo.name),