diff --git a/quotesdb/src/bin/api/db/d1.rs b/quotesdb/src/bin/api/db/d1.rs
index f28e571..20363c5 100644
--- a/quotesdb/src/bin/api/db/d1.rs
+++ b/quotesdb/src/bin/api/db/d1.rs
@@ -684,17 +684,12 @@ impl QuoteRepository for D1Repository {
     /// with the given `quote_id` exists.
     async fn create_report(&self, quote_id: &str, reason: Option<&str>) -> Result<(), DbError> {
         // Step 1: verify the quote exists.
-        #[derive(serde::Deserialize)]
-        struct ExistsRow {
-            count: i64,
-        }
-
         let exists_row = self
             .db
             .prepare("SELECT COUNT(*) AS count FROM quotes WHERE id = ?1")
             .bind(&[JsValue::from_str(quote_id)])
             .map_err(|e| DbError::Internal(e.to_string()))?
-            .first::<ExistsRow>(None)
+            .first::<CountRow>(None)
             .await
             .map_err(|e| DbError::Internal(e.to_string()))?;
 
diff --git a/quotesdb/src/bin/api/handlers/mod.rs b/quotesdb/src/bin/api/handlers/mod.rs
index 733d8c6..21bbc07 100644
--- a/quotesdb/src/bin/api/handlers/mod.rs
+++ b/quotesdb/src/bin/api/handlers/mod.rs
@@ -565,7 +565,7 @@ async fn report_handler(
     let reason = body.and_then(|Json(input)| input.reason);
 
     // Validate reason length — enforced here before the DB call.
-    if reason.as_deref().map(|r| r.len()).unwrap_or(0) > 256 {
+    if reason.as_deref().map(|r| r.chars().count()).unwrap_or(0) > 256 {
         return error_response(
             StatusCode::BAD_REQUEST,
             "reason must be at most 256 characters",