diff --git a/src/Console/DatabaseStructure.php b/src/Console/DatabaseStructure.php
index 343c90023..3898774a5 100644
--- a/src/Console/DatabaseStructure.php
+++ b/src/Console/DatabaseStructure.php
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ HELP;
 
 		switch ($this->getArgument(0)) {
 			case "dryrun":
-				$output = DBStructure::update($basePath, true, false);
+				$output = DBStructure::dryRun();
 				break;
 			case "update":
 				$force    = $this->getOption(['f', 'force'], false);
diff --git a/src/Core/Installer.php b/src/Core/Installer.php
index 70ee4bba4..85538d579 100644
--- a/src/Core/Installer.php
+++ b/src/Core/Installer.php
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ class Installer
 	 */
 	public function installDatabase($basePath)
 	{
-		$result = DBStructure::update($basePath, false, true, true);
+		$result = DBStructure::install($basePath);
 
 		if ($result) {
 			$txt = DI::l10n()->t('You may need to import the file "database.sql" manually using phpmyadmin or mysql.') . EOL;
diff --git a/src/Core/Update.php b/src/Core/Update.php
index 96d2f0a8b..204c0d0ac 100644
--- a/src/Core/Update.php
+++ b/src/Core/Update.php
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ use Friendica\Database\DBA;
 use Friendica\Database\DBStructure;
 use Friendica\DI;
 use Friendica\Network\HTTPException\InternalServerErrorException;
+use Friendica\Util\DateTimeFormat;
 use Friendica\Util\Strings;
 
 class Update
@@ -143,14 +144,20 @@ class Update
 						return '';
 					}
 
+					DI::config()->set('system', 'maintenance', 1);
+		
 					// run the pre_update_nnnn functions in update.php
 					for ($version = $stored + 1; $version <= $current; $version++) {
 						Logger::notice('Execute pre update.', ['version' => $version]);
+						DI::config()->set('system', 'maintenance_reason', DI::l10n()->t('%s: executing pre update %d',
+							DateTimeFormat::utcNow() . ' ' . date('e'), $version));
 						$r = self::runUpdateFunction($version, 'pre_update', $sendMail);
 						if (!$r) {
 							Logger::warning('Pre update failed', ['version' => $version]);
 							DI::config()->set('system', 'update', Update::FAILED);
 							DI::lock()->release('dbupdate');
+							DI::config()->set('system', 'maintenance', 0);
+							DI::config()->set('system', 'maintenance_reason', '');
 							return $r;
 						} else {
 							Logger::notice('Pre update executed.', ['version' => $version]);
@@ -159,7 +166,7 @@ class Update
 
 					// update the structure in one call
 					Logger::notice('Execute structure update');
-					$retval = DBStructure::update($basePath, $verbose, true);
+					$retval = DBStructure::performUpdate(false, $verbose);
 					if (!empty($retval)) {
 						if ($sendMail) {
 							self::updateFailed(
@@ -170,6 +177,8 @@ class Update
 						Logger::error('Update ERROR.', ['from' => $stored, 'to' => $current, 'retval' => $retval]);
 						DI::config()->set('system', 'update', Update::FAILED);
 						DI::lock()->release('dbupdate');
+						DI::config()->set('system', 'maintenance', 0);
+						DI::config()->set('system', 'maintenance_reason', '');
 						return $retval;
 					} else {
 						Logger::notice('Database structure update finished.', ['from' => $stored, 'to' => $current]);
@@ -178,11 +187,15 @@ class Update
 					// run the update_nnnn functions in update.php
 					for ($version = $stored + 1; $version <= $current; $version++) {
 						Logger::notice('Execute post update.', ['version' => $version]);
+						DI::config()->set('system', 'maintenance_reason', DI::l10n()->t('%s: executing post update %d',
+							DateTimeFormat::utcNow() . ' ' . date('e'), $version));
 						$r = self::runUpdateFunction($version, 'update', $sendMail);
 						if (!$r) {
 							Logger::warning('Post update failed', ['version' => $version]);
 							DI::config()->set('system', 'update', Update::FAILED);
 							DI::lock()->release('dbupdate');
+							DI::config()->set('system', 'maintenance', 0);
+							DI::config()->set('system', 'maintenance_reason', '');
 							return $r;
 						} else {
 							DI::config()->set('system', 'build', $version);
@@ -193,6 +206,8 @@ class Update
 					DI::config()->set('system', 'build', $current);
 					DI::config()->set('system', 'update', Update::SUCCESS);
 					DI::lock()->release('dbupdate');
+					DI::config()->set('system', 'maintenance', 0);
+					DI::config()->set('system', 'maintenance_reason', '');
 
 					Logger::notice('Update success.', ['from' => $stored, 'to' => $current]);
 					if ($sendMail) {
diff --git a/src/Database/DBStructure.php b/src/Database/DBStructure.php
index 9b69f7b11..f461cedd5 100644
--- a/src/Database/DBStructure.php
+++ b/src/Database/DBStructure.php
@@ -361,6 +361,54 @@ class DBStructure
 		return ($sql);
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * Perform a database structure dryrun (means: just simulating)
+	 *
+	 * @throws Exception
+	 */
+	public static function dryRun()
+	{
+		self::update(DI::app()->getBasePath(), true, false);
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Updates DB structure and returns eventual errors messages
+	 *
+	 * @param bool $enable_maintenance_mode Set the maintenance mode
+	 * @param bool $verbose                 Display the SQL commands
+	 *
+	 * @return string Empty string if the update is successful, error messages otherwise
+	 * @throws Exception
+	 */
+	public static function performUpdate(bool $enable_maintenance_mode = true, bool $verbose = false)
+	{
+		if ($enable_maintenance_mode) {
+			DI::config()->set('system', 'maintenance', 1);
+		}
+
+		$status = self::update(DI::app()->getBasePath(), $verbose, true);
+
+		if ($enable_maintenance_mode) {
+			DI::config()->set('system', 'maintenance', 0);
+			DI::config()->set('system', 'maintenance_reason', '');
+		}
+
+		return $status;
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Updates DB structure from the installation and returns eventual errors messages
+	 *
+	 * @param string $basePath   The base path of this application
+	 *
+	 * @return string Empty string if the update is successful, error messages otherwise
+	 * @throws Exception
+	 */
+	public static function install(string $basePath)
+	{
+		return self::update($basePath, false, true, true);
+	}
+
 	/**
 	 * Updates DB structure and returns eventual errors messages
 	 *
@@ -373,14 +421,15 @@ class DBStructure
 	 * @return string Empty string if the update is successful, error messages otherwise
 	 * @throws Exception
 	 */
-	public static function update($basePath, $verbose, $action, $install = false, array $tables = null, array $definition = null)
+	private static function update($basePath, $verbose, $action, $install = false, array $tables = null, array $definition = null)
 	{
-		if ($action && !$install) {
-			if (self::isUpdating()) {
-				return DI::l10n()->t('Another database update is currently running.');
-			}
+		$in_maintenance_mode = DI::config()->get('system', 'maintenance');
 
-			DI::config()->set('system', 'maintenance', 1);
+		if ($action && !$install && self::isUpdating()) {
+			return DI::l10n()->t('Another database update is currently running.');
+		}
+
+		if ($in_maintenance_mode) {
 			DI::config()->set('system', 'maintenance_reason', DI::l10n()->t('%s: Database update', DateTimeFormat::utcNow() . ' ' . date('e')));
 		}
 
@@ -680,7 +729,7 @@ class DBStructure
 				}
 
 				if ($action) {
-					if (!$install) {
+					if ($in_maintenance_mode) {
 						DI::config()->set('system', 'maintenance_reason', DI::l10n()->t('%s: updating %s table.', DateTimeFormat::utcNow() . ' ' . date('e'), $name));
 					}
 
@@ -737,9 +786,6 @@ class DBStructure
 		self::checkInitialValues();
 
 		if ($action && !$install) {
-			DI::config()->set('system', 'maintenance', 0);
-			DI::config()->set('system', 'maintenance_reason', '');
-
 			if ($errors) {
 				DI::config()->set('system', 'dbupdate', self::UPDATE_FAILED);
 			} else {
diff --git a/src/Module/Admin/DBSync.php b/src/Module/Admin/DBSync.php
index 662fe08e2..df7fdeaa6 100644
--- a/src/Module/Admin/DBSync.php
+++ b/src/Module/Admin/DBSync.php
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ class DBSync extends BaseAdmin
 				break;
 			case 'check':
 				// @TODO Seems like a similar logic like Update::check()
-				$retval = DBStructure::update($a->getBasePath(), false, true);
+				$retval = DBStructure::performUpdate();
 				if ($retval === '') {
 					$o = DI::l10n()->t("Database structure update %s was successfully applied.", DB_UPDATE_VERSION) . "<br />";
 				} else {
diff --git a/src/Module/Admin/Summary.php b/src/Module/Admin/Summary.php
index a130c4839..c232b5be5 100644
--- a/src/Module/Admin/Summary.php
+++ b/src/Module/Admin/Summary.php
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ class Summary extends BaseAdmin
 		}
 
 		if (DI::config()->get('system', 'dbupdate', DBStructure::UPDATE_NOT_CHECKED) == DBStructure::UPDATE_NOT_CHECKED) {
-			DBStructure::update($a->getBasePath(), false, true);
+			DBStructure::performUpdate();
 		}
 
 		if (DI::config()->get('system', 'dbupdate') == DBStructure::UPDATE_FAILED) {