diff --git a/awx/api/views.py b/awx/api/views.py
index 8d7332ef4c..f797d4afe9 100644
--- a/awx/api/views.py
+++ b/awx/api/views.py
@@ -569,7 +569,7 @@ class OrganizationList(ListCreateAPIView):
         # by the license, then we are only willing to create this organization
         # if no organizations exist in the system.
         if (not feature_enabled('multiple_organizations') and
-                self.model.objects.count() > 0):
+                self.model.objects.exists()):
             raise LicenseForbids('Your Tower license only permits a single '
                                  'organization to exist.')