diff --git a/mod/ping.php b/mod/ping.php
index 8c28e74744..3f6dc730b2 100644
--- a/mod/ping.php
+++ b/mod/ping.php
@@ -123,11 +123,10 @@ function ping_init(&$a) {
 		$mail = count($mails);
 
 		if ($a->config['register_policy'] == REGISTER_APPROVE && is_site_admin()){
-			$regs = q("SELECT `contact`.`name`, `contact`.`url`, `contact`.`micro`, `register`.`created`, COUNT(*) as `total` FROM `contact` RIGHT JOIN `register` ON `register`.`uid`=`contact`.`uid` WHERE `contact`.`self`=1");
-			if ($regs)
-				$register = $regs[0]['total'];
+			$regs = q("SELECT `contact`.`name`, `contact`.`url`, `contact`.`micro`, `register`.`created` FROM `contact` RIGHT JOIN `register` ON `register`.`uid`=`contact`.`uid` WHERE `contact`.`self`=1");
+			$register = count($regs);
 		} else {
-			$register = "0";
+			$register = 0;
 		}
 
 		$all_events = 0;