diff --git a/database.go b/database.go
index 0a6c604..8fce9fd 100644
--- a/database.go
+++ b/database.go
@@ -45,7 +45,25 @@ func (ndb newsDatabase) upvotesDBWithDataset(ctx context.Context) (*sql.Conn, er
 	// is writing to the frontpage database.
 	s := fmt.Sprintf("attach database 'file:%s?mode=ro' as frontpage", frontpageDatabaseFilename)
 	_, err = conn.ExecContext(ctx, s)
-	return conn, errors.Wrap(err, "attach frontpage database")
+	if err != nil && err.Error() != "database frontpage is already in use" {
+		return conn, errors.Wrap(err, "attach frontpage database")
+	}
+
+	return conn, nil
+}
+
+func (ndb newsDatabase) attachFrontpageDB() error {
+	frontpageDatabaseFilename := fmt.Sprintf("%s/%s", ndb.sqliteDataDir, sqliteDataFilename)
+
+	s := fmt.Sprintf("attach database 'file:%s?mode=ro' as frontpage", frontpageDatabaseFilename)
+
+	_, err := ndb.upvotesDB.Exec(s)
+
+	if err != nil && err.Error() != "database frontpage is already in use" {
+		return errors.Wrap(err, "attach frontpage database")
+	}
+
+	return nil
 }
 
 func (ndb newsDatabase) close() {
@@ -173,7 +191,12 @@ func (ndb newsDatabase) initUpvotesDB() error {
 		_, _ = ndb.upvotesDB.Exec(s)
 	}
 
-	return nil
+	frontpageDatabaseFilename := fmt.Sprintf("%s/%s", ndb.sqliteDataDir, sqliteDataFilename)
+
+	// attach the dataset table
+	s := fmt.Sprintf("attach database 'file:%s?mode=ro' as frontpage", frontpageDatabaseFilename)
+	_, err := ndb.upvotesDB.Exec(s)
+	return errors.Wrap(err, "attach frontpage database")
 }
 
 func openNewsDatabase(sqliteDataDir string) (newsDatabase, error) {
diff --git a/position.go b/position.go
index 622814a..c9c3de5 100644
--- a/position.go
+++ b/position.go
@@ -228,7 +228,10 @@ func (app app) getDetailedPositions(ctx context.Context, userID int) ([]Position
 func (app app) getPositions(ctx context.Context, userID int64, storyIDs []int) ([]Position, error) {
 	positions := make([]Position, 0)
 
-	db := app.ndb.upvotesDB
+	db, err := app.ndb.upvotesDBWithDataset(ctx)
+	if err != nil {
+		return positions, errors.Wrap(err, "upvotesDBWithDataset")
+	}
 
 	// TODO: only select votes relevant to the stories on the page
 	getPositionsStatement, err := db.PrepareContext(ctx, `
diff --git a/vote.go b/vote.go
index be6fbb8..d722e4c 100644
--- a/vote.go
+++ b/vote.go
@@ -27,6 +27,11 @@ var (
 )
 
 func (app app) prepareVoteStatements() error {
+	err := app.ndb.attachFrontpageDB()
+	if err != nil {
+		return errors.Wrap(err, "attachFrontpageDB")
+	}
+
 	if insertVoteStmt == nil {
 
 		var e error
@@ -109,7 +114,11 @@ func (app app) vote(ctx context.Context, userID int64, storyID int, direction in
 		return 0, 0, err
 	}
 
-	tx, e := app.ndb.upvotesDB.BeginTx(ctx, nil)
+	db, err := app.ndb.upvotesDBWithDataset(ctx)
+	if err != nil {
+		return 0, 0, errors.Wrap(err, "upvotesDBWithDataset")
+	}
+	tx, e := db.BeginTx(ctx, nil)
 	if e != nil {
 		err = errors.Wrap(e, "BeginTX")
 		return
@@ -163,7 +172,6 @@ func (app app) vote(ctx context.Context, userID int64, storyID int, direction in
 }
 
 func (app app) voteHandler() func(http.ResponseWriter, *http.Request, voteParams) error {
-
 	return func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request, p voteParams) error {
 		userID := app.getUserID(r)