diff --git a/oml/item/covers.py b/oml/item/covers.py
index e931651..cf6232f 100644
--- a/oml/item/covers.py
+++ b/oml/item/covers.py
@@ -11,13 +11,15 @@ from settings import covers_db_path
 class Covers(dict):
     def __init__(self, db):
         self._db = db
-
-    def connect(self):
-        self.conn = sqlite3.connect(self._db, timeout=10)
         self.create()
 
+    def connect(self):
+        conn = sqlite3.connect(self._db, timeout=10)
+        return conn
+
     def create(self):
-        c = self.conn.cursor()
+        conn = self.connect()
+        c = conn.cursor()
         c.execute(u'CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS cover (id varchar(64) unique, data blob)')
         c.execute(u'CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS setting (key varchar(256) unique, value text)')
         if int(self.get_setting(c, 'version', 0)) < 1:
@@ -42,34 +44,34 @@ class Covers(dict):
 
     def __getitem__(self, id, default=None):
         sql = u'SELECT data FROM cover WHERE id=?'
-        self.connect()
-        c = self.conn.cursor()
+        conn = self.connect()
+        c = conn.cursor()
         c.execute(sql, (id, ))
         data = default
         for row in c:
             data = row[0]
             break
         c.close()
-        self.conn.close()
+        conn.close()
         return data
 
     def __setitem__(self, id, data):
         sql = u'INSERT OR REPLACE INTO cover values (?, ?)'
-        self.connect()
-        c = self.conn.cursor()
+        conn = self.connect()
+        c = conn.cursor()
         data = sqlite3.Binary(data)
         c.execute(sql, (id, data))
-        self.conn.commit()
+        conn.commit()
         c.close()
-        self.conn.close()
+        conn.close()
 
     def __delitem__(self, id):
         sql = u'DELETE FROM cover WHERE id = ?'
-        self.connect()
-        c = self.conn.cursor()
+        conn = self.connect()
+        c = conn.cursor()
         c.execute(sql, (id, ))
-        self.conn.commit()
+        conn.commit()
         c.close()
-        self.conn.close()
+        conn.close()
 
 covers = Covers(covers_db_path)