diff --git a/eclair-core/src/main/scala/fr/acinq/eclair/db/Databases.scala b/eclair-core/src/main/scala/fr/acinq/eclair/db/Databases.scala
index eb982b0f7e..e31ed5cd1b 100644
--- a/eclair-core/src/main/scala/fr/acinq/eclair/db/Databases.scala
+++ b/eclair-core/src/main/scala/fr/acinq/eclair/db/Databases.scala
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@ import java.io.File
 import java.sql.{Connection, DriverManager}
 
 import fr.acinq.eclair.db.sqlite._
+import grizzled.slf4j.Logging
+import org.sqlite.SQLiteException
 
 trait Databases {
 
@@ -35,24 +37,39 @@ trait Databases {
 
   val pendingRelay: PendingRelayDb
 
-  def backup(file: File) : Unit
+  def backup(file: File): Unit
 }
 
-object Databases {
+object Databases extends Logging {
 
   /**
     * Given a parent folder it creates or loads all the databases from a JDBC connection
+    *
     * @param dbdir
     * @return
     */
   def sqliteJDBC(dbdir: File): Databases = {
     dbdir.mkdir()
-    val sqliteEclair = DriverManager.getConnection(s"jdbc:sqlite:${new File(dbdir, "eclair.sqlite")}")
-    val sqliteNetwork = DriverManager.getConnection(s"jdbc:sqlite:${new File(dbdir, "network.sqlite")}")
-    val sqliteAudit = DriverManager.getConnection(s"jdbc:sqlite:${new File(dbdir, "audit.sqlite")}")
-    SqliteUtils.obtainExclusiveLock(sqliteEclair) // there should only be one process writing to this file
+    var sqliteEclair: Connection = null
+    var sqliteNetwork: Connection = null
+    var sqliteAudit: Connection = null
+    try {
+      sqliteEclair = DriverManager.getConnection(s"jdbc:sqlite:${new File(dbdir, "eclair.sqlite")}")
+      sqliteNetwork = DriverManager.getConnection(s"jdbc:sqlite:${new File(dbdir, "network.sqlite")}")
+      sqliteAudit = DriverManager.getConnection(s"jdbc:sqlite:${new File(dbdir, "audit.sqlite")}")
+      SqliteUtils.obtainExclusiveLock(sqliteEclair) // there should only be one process writing to this file
+      logger.info("successful lock on eclair.sqlite")
+      databaseByConnections(sqliteAudit, sqliteNetwork, sqliteEclair)
+    } catch {
+      case t: Throwable => {
+        logger.error("could not create connection to sqlite databases: ", t)
+        if (sqliteEclair != null) sqliteEclair.close()
+        if (sqliteNetwork != null) sqliteNetwork.close()
+        if (sqliteAudit != null) sqliteAudit.close()
+        throw t
+      }
+    }
 
-    databaseByConnections(sqliteAudit, sqliteNetwork, sqliteEclair)
   }
 
   def databaseByConnections(auditJdbc: Connection, networkJdbc: Connection, eclairJdbc: Connection) = new Databases {
@@ -62,9 +79,10 @@ object Databases {
     override val peers = new SqlitePeersDb(eclairJdbc)
     override val payments = new SqlitePaymentsDb(eclairJdbc)
     override val pendingRelay = new SqlitePendingRelayDb(eclairJdbc)
+
     override def backup(file: File): Unit = {
       SqliteUtils.using(eclairJdbc.createStatement()) {
-        statement =>  {
+        statement => {
           statement.executeUpdate(s"backup to ${file.getAbsolutePath}")
         }
       }
diff --git a/eclair-core/src/main/scala/fr/acinq/eclair/db/sqlite/SqliteUtils.scala b/eclair-core/src/main/scala/fr/acinq/eclair/db/sqlite/SqliteUtils.scala
index 4b5b957e1a..509ed89768 100644
--- a/eclair-core/src/main/scala/fr/acinq/eclair/db/sqlite/SqliteUtils.scala
+++ b/eclair-core/src/main/scala/fr/acinq/eclair/db/sqlite/SqliteUtils.scala
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ object SqliteUtils {
    *
    * The lock will be kept until the database is closed, or if the locking mode is explicitly reset.
    */
-  def obtainExclusiveLock(sqlite: Connection) {
+  def obtainExclusiveLock(sqlite: Connection) = synchronized {
     val statement = sqlite.createStatement()
     statement.execute("PRAGMA locking_mode = EXCLUSIVE")
     // we have to make a write to actually obtain the lock