diff --git a/src/xrpld/app/rdb/backend/detail/Node.cpp b/src/xrpld/app/rdb/backend/detail/Node.cpp
index ed8c5c06aa..04f328390d 100644
--- a/src/xrpld/app/rdb/backend/detail/Node.cpp
+++ b/src/xrpld/app/rdb/backend/detail/Node.cpp
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@ getRowsMinMax(soci::session& session, TableType type)
 bool
 saveValidatedLedger(
     DatabaseCon& ldgDB,
-    DatabaseCon& txnDB,
+    std::unique_ptr<DatabaseCon> const& txnDB,
     Application& app,
     std::shared_ptr<Ledger const> const& ledger,
     bool current)
@@ -254,7 +254,15 @@ saveValidatedLedger(
 
         if (app.config().useTxTables())
         {
-            auto db = txnDB.checkoutDb();
+            if (!txnDB)
+            {
+                // LCOV_EXCL_START
+                JLOG(j.fatal()) << "TxTables db isn't available";
+                Throw<std::runtime_error>("TxTables db isn't available");
+                // LCOV_EXCL_STOP
+            }
+
+            auto db = txnDB->checkoutDb();
 
             soci::transaction tr(*db);
 
diff --git a/src/xrpld/app/rdb/backend/detail/Node.h b/src/xrpld/app/rdb/backend/detail/Node.h
index 412631571e..2c0fd69445 100644
--- a/src/xrpld/app/rdb/backend/detail/Node.h
+++ b/src/xrpld/app/rdb/backend/detail/Node.h
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ getRowsMinMax(soci::session& session, TableType type);
 bool
 saveValidatedLedger(
     DatabaseCon& ldgDB,
-    DatabaseCon& txnDB,
+    std::unique_ptr<DatabaseCon> const& txnDB,
     Application& app,
     std::shared_ptr<Ledger const> const& ledger,
     bool current);
diff --git a/src/xrpld/app/rdb/backend/detail/SQLiteDatabase.cpp b/src/xrpld/app/rdb/backend/detail/SQLiteDatabase.cpp
index 4934205bfd..944ed814f5 100644
--- a/src/xrpld/app/rdb/backend/detail/SQLiteDatabase.cpp
+++ b/src/xrpld/app/rdb/backend/detail/SQLiteDatabase.cpp
@@ -392,8 +392,7 @@ SQLiteDatabaseImp::saveValidatedLedger(
 {
     if (existsLedger())
     {
-        if (!detail::saveValidatedLedger(
-                *lgrdb_, *txdb_, app_, ledger, current))
+        if (!detail::saveValidatedLedger(*lgrdb_, txdb_, app_, ledger, current))
             return false;
     }