diff --git a/electrum/lnrouter.py b/electrum/lnrouter.py
index 62c2256ac..a684bf3e8 100644
--- a/electrum/lnrouter.py
+++ b/electrum/lnrouter.py
@@ -69,7 +69,6 @@ def validate_features(features : int):
             raise UnknownEvenFeatureBits()
 
 Base = declarative_base()
-session_factory = sessionmaker()
 
 FLAG_DISABLE   = 1 << 1
 FLAG_DIRECTION = 1 << 0
@@ -228,10 +227,10 @@ class ChannelDB(PrintError):
         threading.Thread(target=self.sql_thread).start()
 
     def sql_thread(self):
+        self.sql_thread = threading.currentThread()
         engine = create_engine('sqlite:///' + self.path, pool_reset_on_return=None, poolclass=StaticPool)#, echo=True)
-        self.DBSession = scoped_session(session_factory)
-        self.DBSession.remove()
-        self.DBSession.configure(bind=engine, autoflush=False)
+        DBSession = sessionmaker(bind=engine, autoflush=False)
+        self.DBSession = DBSession()
         if not os.path.exists(self.path):
             Base.metadata.create_all(engine)
         self._update_counts()
@@ -248,17 +247,16 @@ class ChannelDB(PrintError):
             future.set_result(result)
         # write
         self.DBSession.commit()
-        self.DBSession.remove()
         self.print_error("SQL thread terminated")
 
     def sql(func):
         def wrapper(self, *args, **kwargs):
+            assert threading.currentThread() != self.sql_thread
             f = concurrent.futures.Future()
             self.db_requests.put((f, func, args, kwargs))
             return f.result(timeout=10)
         return wrapper
 
-    # not @sql
     def _update_counts(self):
         self.num_channels = self.DBSession.query(ChannelInfo).count()
         self.num_nodes = self.DBSession.query(NodeInfo).count()