diff --git a/functions.inc.php b/functions.inc.php
index aa5e31c1..7ef0ff50 100644
--- a/functions.inc.php
+++ b/functions.inc.php
@@ -1464,29 +1464,14 @@ EOF;
  * @return \PDO
  */
 function db_connect() {
-    list($link, $error_text) = db_connect_with_errors();
-
-    if (!$link instanceof PDO) {
-        throw new Exception("Database connection failed: $error_text");
-    }
-
-    return $link;
-}
-
-/**
- * @param bool $ignore_errors
- * @return array [PDO link | false, string $error_text];
- */
-function db_connect_with_errors() {
     global $CONF;
-    global $DEBUG_TEXT;
-
-    $error_text = '';
 
+    /* some attempt at not reopening an existing connection */
     static $link;
     if (isset($link) && $link) {
-        return array($link, $error_text);
+        return $link;
     }
+
     $link = false;
 
     $options = array(
@@ -1520,17 +1505,17 @@ function db_connect_with_errors() {
 
         if (!file_exists($db)) {
             $error_text = 'SQLite database missing: '. $db;
-            return array($link, $error_text);
+            throw new Exception($error_text);
         }
 
         if (!is_writeable($db)) {
             $error_text = 'SQLite database not writeable: '. $db;
-            return array($link, $error_text);
+            throw new Exception($error_text);
         }
 
         if (!is_writeable(dirname($db))) {
             $error_text = 'The directory the SQLite database is in is not writeable: '. dirname($db);
-            return array($link, $error_text);
+            throw new Exception($error_text);
         }
 
         $dsn = "sqlite:{$db}";
@@ -1556,7 +1541,8 @@ function db_connect_with_errors() {
         }
     }
 
-    return array($link, $error_text);
+    return $link;
+
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/public/setup.php b/public/setup.php
index d824e782..f044b775 100644
--- a/public/setup.php
+++ b/public/setup.php
@@ -184,7 +184,15 @@ if ($f_sqlite_open == 1) {
 //
 // Database connection
 //
-list($link, $error_text) = db_connect_with_errors();
+$link = null;
+$error_text = null;
+
+try {
+    $link = db_connect();
+}
+catch(Exception $e) {
+    $error_text = $e->getMessage();
+}
 
 if (!empty($link) && $error_text == "") {
     print "<li>Testing database connection (using {$CONF['database_type']}) - Success</li>";
diff --git a/tests/bootstrap.php b/tests/bootstrap.php
index 3a1d4edb..0bafb9d0 100644
--- a/tests/bootstrap.php
+++ b/tests/bootstrap.php
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ if (getenv('DATABASE') == 'postgresql') {
     $user = getenv('PGUSER') ?: 'postgres';
     $pass = getenv('PGPASSWORD') ?: '';
     $host = getenv('PGHOST') ?: 'localhost';
-    
+
     $CONF['database_type'] = 'pgsql';
     $CONF['database_user'] = $user;
     $CONF['database_password'] = $pass;
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ if (getenv('DATABASE') == 'mysql') {
     $config = parse_ini_file($expand_tilde('~/.my.cnf'));
 
     if (empty($config)) {
-        $config = ['user'=>'root', 'host' => '127.0.0.1', 'password' => ''];
+        $config = ['user' => 'root', 'host' => '127.0.0.1', 'password' => ''];
     }
 
     if (isset($config['socket'])) {
@@ -79,13 +79,13 @@ if (getenv('DATABASE') == 'mysql') {
     echo "Using: MySQL database for tests\n";
 }
 
-
-list($db, $error_text) = db_connect_with_errors();
-
-if ($db === false) {
+try {
+    $db = db_connect();
+} catch (Exception $e) {
     echo "failed to connect to database\n";
-    echo $error_text;
+    echo $e->getMessage();
     exit(1);
+
 }
 
 require_once(dirname(__FILE__) . '/../public/upgrade.php');