diff --git a/postgres-persistence/src/main/java/com/netflix/conductor/postgres/util/PostgresQueueListener.java b/postgres-persistence/src/main/java/com/netflix/conductor/postgres/util/PostgresQueueListener.java
index 4fcbe5326..e0a99beda 100644
--- a/postgres-persistence/src/main/java/com/netflix/conductor/postgres/util/PostgresQueueListener.java
+++ b/postgres-persistence/src/main/java/com/netflix/conductor/postgres/util/PostgresQueueListener.java
@@ -166,7 +166,7 @@ private void requestStats() {
                 conn.setAutoCommit(previousAutoCommitMode);
             }
         } catch (SQLException e) {
-            if (!e.getSQLState().equals("08003")) {
+            if (!isSQLExceptionConnectionDoesNotExists(e)) {
                 logger.error("Error fetching notifications {}", e.getSQLState());
             }
             connect();
@@ -187,7 +187,7 @@ private void handleNotifications() {
             }
             processPayload(notifications[notifications.length - 1].getParameter());
         } catch (SQLException e) {
-            if (e.getSQLState() != "08003") {
+            if (!isSQLExceptionConnectionDoesNotExists(e)) {
                 logger.error("Error fetching notifications {}", e.getSQLState());
             }
             connect();
@@ -223,4 +223,8 @@ private void processPayload(String payload) {
             throw new RuntimeException(e);
         }
     }
+
+    private static boolean isSQLExceptionConnectionDoesNotExists(SQLException e) {
+        return "08003".equals(e.getSQLState());
+    }
 }