diff --git a/aa_composer.js b/aa_composer.js
index 40c0c658..54d01dee 100644
--- a/aa_composer.js
+++ b/aa_composer.js
@@ -1726,11 +1726,11 @@ function checkStorageSizes() {
 
 function checkBalances() {
 	mutex.lockOrSkip(['checkBalances'], function (unlock) {
-		db.takeConnectionFromPool(function (conn) { // block conection for the entire duration of the check
+		db.takeConnectionForLongQueries(function ({ conn, close }) { // block conection for the entire duration of the check
 			conn.query("SELECT 1 FROM aa_triggers", function (rows) {
 				if (rows.length > 0) {
 					console.log("skipping checkBalances because there are unhandled triggers");
-					conn.release();
+					close();
 					return unlock();
 				}
 				var sql_create_temp = "CREATE TEMPORARY TABLE aa_outputs_balances ( \n\
@@ -1813,7 +1813,7 @@ function checkBalances() {
 						});
 					},
 					function () {
-						conn.release();
+						close();
 						unlock();
 					}
 				);
diff --git a/sqlite_pool.js b/sqlite_pool.js
index 90b5cb38..582b5aa3 100644
--- a/sqlite_pool.js
+++ b/sqlite_pool.js
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ module.exports = function(db_name, MAX_CONNECTIONS, bReadOnly){
 	var arrConnections = [];
 	var arrQueue = [];
 
-	function connect(handleConnection){
+	function connect(handleConnection, forLongQuery){
 		console.log("opening new db connection");
 		var db = openDb(function(err){
 			if (err)
@@ -72,6 +72,10 @@ module.exports = function(db_name, MAX_CONNECTIONS, bReadOnly){
 			start_ts: 0,
 			
 			release: function(){
+				if (forLongQuery) {
+					console.error('Please use close from arguments. Release not supported in long query!')
+					return;
+				}
 				//console.log("released connection");
 				this.bInUse = false;
 				if (arrQueue.length === 0)
@@ -166,8 +170,11 @@ module.exports = function(db_name, MAX_CONNECTIONS, bReadOnly){
 			dropTemporaryTable: dropTemporaryTable
 			
 		};
-		setInterval(connection.printLongQuery.bind(connection), 60 * 1000);
-		arrConnections.push(connection);
+		
+		if (!forLongQuery) {
+			setInterval(connection.printLongQuery.bind(connection), 60 * 1000);
+			arrConnections.push(connection);
+		}
 	}
 
 	// accumulate array of functions for async.series()
@@ -222,6 +229,29 @@ module.exports = function(db_name, MAX_CONNECTIONS, bReadOnly){
 		arrQueue.push(handleConnection);
 	}
 	
+	function takeConnectionForLongQueries(handleConnection){
+		if (!handleConnection)
+			return new Promise(resolve => takeConnectionForLongQueries(resolve));
+		
+		if (!bReady){
+			console.log("takeConnectionForLongQueries will wait for ready");
+			eventEmitter.once('ready', function(){
+				console.log("db is now ready");
+				takeConnectionForLongQueries(handleConnection);
+			});
+			return;
+		}
+		
+		connect((connection) => {
+			handleConnection({
+				conn: connection,
+				close: () => {
+					connection.db.close();
+				}
+			})
+		}, true);
+	}
+	
 	function onDbReady(){
 		if (bCordova && !cordovaSqlite)
 			cordovaSqlite = window.cordova.require('cordova-sqlite-plugin.SQLite');
@@ -328,6 +358,7 @@ module.exports = function(db_name, MAX_CONNECTIONS, bReadOnly){
 	pool.query = query;
 	pool.addQuery = addQuery;
 	pool.takeConnectionFromPool = takeConnectionFromPool;
+	pool.takeConnectionForLongQueries = takeConnectionForLongQueries;
 	pool.getCountUsedConnections = getCountUsedConnections;
 	pool.close = close;
 	pool.escape = escape;