diff --git a/src/context.rs b/src/context.rs
index d281a936f..b070a3a56 100644
--- a/src/context.rs
+++ b/src/context.rs
@@ -136,10 +136,7 @@ impl Context {
         let ctx = Context {
             inner: Arc::new(inner),
         };
-        ensure!(
-            ctx.sql.open(&ctx, &ctx.dbfile, false).await,
-            "Failed opening sqlite database"
-        );
+        ctx.sql.open(&ctx, &ctx.dbfile, false).await?;
 
         Ok(ctx)
     }
diff --git a/src/imex.rs b/src/imex.rs
index 50805707e..93bb958de 100644
--- a/src/imex.rs
+++ b/src/imex.rs
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ use std::{
     ffi::OsStr,
 };
 
+use anyhow::Context as _;
 use async_std::path::{Path, PathBuf};
 use async_std::{
     fs::{self, File},
@@ -118,7 +119,11 @@ async fn cleanup_aborted_imex(context: &Context, what: ImexMode) {
         dc_delete_files_in_dir(context, context.get_blobdir()).await;
     }
     if what == ImexMode::ExportBackup || what == ImexMode::ImportBackup {
-        context.sql.open(context, context.get_dbfile(), false).await;
+        context
+            .sql
+            .open(context, context.get_dbfile(), false)
+            .await
+            .ok();
     }
 }
 
@@ -166,7 +171,7 @@ pub async fn has_backup_old(context: &Context, dir_name: impl AsRef<Path>) -> Re
             let name = name.to_string_lossy();
             if name.starts_with("delta-chat") && name.ends_with(".bak") {
                 let sql = Sql::new();
-                if sql.open(context, &path, true).await {
+                if sql.open(context, &path, true).await.is_ok() {
                     let curr_backup_time = sql
                         .get_raw_config_int(context, "backup_time")
                         .await
@@ -520,13 +525,11 @@ async fn import_backup(context: &Context, backup_to_import: impl AsRef<Path>) ->
         }
     }
 
-    ensure!(
-        context
-            .sql
-            .open(&context, &context.get_dbfile(), false)
-            .await,
-        "could not re-open db"
-    );
+    context
+        .sql
+        .open(&context, &context.get_dbfile(), false)
+        .await
+        .context("Could not re-open db")?;
 
     delete_and_reset_all_device_msgs(&context).await?;
 
@@ -558,13 +561,11 @@ async fn import_backup_old(context: &Context, backup_to_import: impl AsRef<Path>
     );
     /* error already logged */
     /* re-open copied database file */
-    ensure!(
-        context
-            .sql
-            .open(&context, &context.get_dbfile(), false)
-            .await,
-        "could not re-open db"
-    );
+    context
+        .sql
+        .open(&context, &context.get_dbfile(), false)
+        .await
+        .context("Could not re-open db")?;
 
     delete_and_reset_all_device_msgs(&context).await?;
 
@@ -743,7 +744,7 @@ async fn export_backup_old(context: &Context, dir: impl AsRef<Path>) -> Result<(
     context
         .sql
         .open(&context, &context.get_dbfile(), false)
-        .await;
+        .await?;
 
     if !copied {
         bail!(
@@ -753,11 +754,14 @@ async fn export_backup_old(context: &Context, dir: impl AsRef<Path>) -> Result<(
         );
     }
     let dest_sql = Sql::new();
-    ensure!(
-        dest_sql.open(context, &dest_path_filename, false).await,
-        "could not open exported database {}",
-        dest_path_string
-    );
+    dest_sql
+        .open(context, &dest_path_filename, false)
+        .await
+        .context(format!(
+            "could not open exported database {}",
+            dest_path_string
+        ))?;
+
     let res = match add_files_to_export(context, &dest_sql).await {
         Err(err) => {
             dc_delete_file(context, &dest_path_filename).await;
diff --git a/src/sql.rs b/src/sql.rs
index 86400c70e..e5105b39b 100644
--- a/src/sql.rs
+++ b/src/sql.rs
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ use crate::constants::{ShowEmails, DC_CHAT_ID_TRASH};
 use crate::context::Context;
 use crate::dc_tools::*;
 use crate::ephemeral::start_ephemeral_timers;
+use crate::error::format_err;
 use crate::param::*;
 use crate::peerstate::*;
 
@@ -78,17 +79,22 @@ impl Sql {
     }
 
     // return true on success, false on failure
-    pub async fn open<T: AsRef<Path>>(&self, context: &Context, dbfile: T, readonly: bool) -> bool {
-        match open(context, self, dbfile, readonly).await {
-            Ok(_) => true,
-            Err(err) => match err.downcast_ref::<Error>() {
-                Some(Error::SqlAlreadyOpen) => false,
+    pub async fn open<T: AsRef<Path>>(
+        &self,
+        context: &Context,
+        dbfile: T,
+        readonly: bool,
+    ) -> crate::error::Result<()> {
+        let res = open(context, self, dbfile, readonly).await;
+        if let Err(err) = &res {
+            match err.downcast_ref::<Error>() {
+                Some(Error::SqlAlreadyOpen) => {}
                 _ => {
                     self.close().await;
-                    false
                 }
-            },
+            }
         }
+        res.map_err(|e| format_err!("Could not open db: {}", e))
     }
 
     pub async fn execute<S: AsRef<str>>(