diff --git a/pylib/anki/collection.py b/pylib/anki/collection.py
index ace24214d..bc85d74df 100644
--- a/pylib/anki/collection.py
+++ b/pylib/anki/collection.py
@@ -245,16 +245,14 @@ crt=?, mod=?, scm=?, dty=?, usn=?, ls=?, conf=?""",
             return True
         return None
 
-    def close(self, save: bool = True) -> None:
+    def close(self, save: bool = True, downgrade: bool = False) -> None:
         "Disconnect from DB."
         if self.db:
             if save:
                 self.save(trx=False)
             else:
                 self.db.rollback()
-            if not self.server:
-                self.db.execute("pragma journal_mode = delete")
-            self.backend.close_collection()
+            self.backend.close_collection(downgrade=downgrade)
             self.db = None
             self.media.close()
             self._closeLog()
@@ -296,7 +294,7 @@ crt=?, mod=?, scm=?, dty=?, usn=?, ls=?, conf=?""",
         self.save(trx=False)
         self.db.execute("vacuum")
         self.db.execute("analyze")
-        self.close(save=False)
+        self.close(save=False, downgrade=True)
 
     # Object creation helpers
     ##########################################################################
diff --git a/pylib/anki/exporting.py b/pylib/anki/exporting.py
index cba68560d..568e86c8e 100644
--- a/pylib/anki/exporting.py
+++ b/pylib/anki/exporting.py
@@ -280,7 +280,7 @@ class AnkiExporter(Exporter):
         self.count = self.dst.cardCount()
         self.dst.setMod()
         self.postExport()
-        self.dst.close()
+        self.dst.close(downgrade=True)
 
     def postExport(self) -> None:
         # overwrite to apply customizations to the deck before it's closed,
@@ -402,7 +402,7 @@ class AnkiCollectionPackageExporter(AnkiPackageExporter):
         self.count = self.col.cardCount()
         v2 = self.col.schedVer() != 1
         mdir = self.col.media.dir()
-        self.col.close()
+        self.col.close(downgrade=True)
         if not v2:
             z.write(self.col.path, "collection.anki2")
         else:
diff --git a/pylib/anki/importing/anki2.py b/pylib/anki/importing/anki2.py
index 8a4d308aa..a43e0b13f 100644
--- a/pylib/anki/importing/anki2.py
+++ b/pylib/anki/importing/anki2.py
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ class Anki2Importer(Importer):
         try:
             self._import()
         finally:
-            self.src.close(save=False)
+            self.src.close(save=False, downgrade=False)
 
     def _prepareFiles(self) -> None:
         importingV2 = self.file.endswith(".anki21")
diff --git a/pylib/anki/sync.py b/pylib/anki/sync.py
index 64a349316..a0faee227 100644
--- a/pylib/anki/sync.py
+++ b/pylib/anki/sync.py
@@ -638,7 +638,7 @@ class FullSyncer(HttpSyncer):
     def download(self) -> Optional[str]:
         hooks.sync_stage_did_change("download")
         localNotEmpty = self.col.db.scalar("select 1 from cards")
-        self.col.close()
+        self.col.close(downgrade=False)
         cont = self.req("download")
         tpath = self.col.path + ".tmp"
         if cont == "upgradeRequired":
diff --git a/pylib/tests/shared.py b/pylib/tests/shared.py
index a89252ada..819a7be7c 100644
--- a/pylib/tests/shared.py
+++ b/pylib/tests/shared.py
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ def getEmptyCol():
         os.close(fd)
         os.unlink(nam)
         col = aopen(nam)
-        col.close()
+        col.close(downgrade=False)
         getEmptyCol.master = nam
     (fd, nam) = tempfile.mkstemp(suffix=".anki2")
     shutil.copy(getEmptyCol.master, nam)
diff --git a/qt/aqt/main.py b/qt/aqt/main.py
index 3f605db6f..c199b3890 100644
--- a/qt/aqt/main.py
+++ b/qt/aqt/main.py
@@ -440,6 +440,8 @@ close the profile or restart Anki."""
     # Collection load/unload
     ##########################################################################
 
+    downgrade_on_close = True
+
     def loadCollection(self) -> bool:
         try:
             self._loadCollection()
@@ -450,7 +452,7 @@ close the profile or restart Anki."""
             # clean up open collection if possible
             if self.col:
                 try:
-                    self.col.close(save=False)
+                    self.col.close(save=False, downgrade=self.downgrade_on_close)
                 except:
                     pass
                 self.col = None
@@ -506,7 +508,7 @@ close the profile or restart Anki."""
         except:
             corrupt = True
         try:
-            self.col.close()
+            self.col.close(downgrade=self.downgrade_on_close)
         except:
             corrupt = True
         finally:
diff --git a/qt/aqt/sync.py b/qt/aqt/sync.py
index 658874498..c43493fb6 100644
--- a/qt/aqt/sync.py
+++ b/qt/aqt/sync.py
@@ -400,7 +400,7 @@ class SyncThread(QThread):
             self.fireEvent("error", err)
         finally:
             # don't bump mod time unless we explicitly save
-            self.col.close(save=False)
+            self.col.close(save=False, downgrade=False)
             hooks.sync_stage_did_change.remove(syncEvent)
             hooks.sync_progress_did_change.remove(syncMsg)
 
diff --git a/rslib/src/backend/mod.rs b/rslib/src/backend/mod.rs
index 2caa7bad7..66b483ce9 100644
--- a/rslib/src/backend/mod.rs
+++ b/rslib/src/backend/mod.rs
@@ -336,7 +336,7 @@ impl Backend {
         let col_inner = col.take().unwrap();
         if downgrade {
             let log = log::terminal();
-            if let Err(e) = col_inner.downgrade_and_close() {
+            if let Err(e) = col_inner.close(downgrade) {
                 error!(log, " failed: {:?}", e);
             }
         }
diff --git a/rslib/src/collection.rs b/rslib/src/collection.rs
index 8664fb036..a0e1b95c0 100644
--- a/rslib/src/collection.rs
+++ b/rslib/src/collection.rs
@@ -130,8 +130,8 @@ impl Collection {
         self.state.task_state == CollectionTaskState::Normal
     }
 
-    pub(crate) fn downgrade_and_close(self) -> Result<()> {
-        self.storage.downgrade_to_schema_11()
+    pub(crate) fn close(self, downgrade: bool) -> Result<()> {
+        self.storage.close(downgrade)
     }
 
     // fixme: invalidate when config changes
diff --git a/rslib/src/storage/sqlite.rs b/rslib/src/storage/sqlite.rs
index 892ecba14..1f8b962b5 100644
--- a/rslib/src/storage/sqlite.rs
+++ b/rslib/src/storage/sqlite.rs
@@ -204,6 +204,14 @@ impl SqliteStorage {
         Ok(storage)
     }
 
+    pub(crate) fn close(self, downgrade: bool) -> Result<()> {
+        if downgrade {
+            self.downgrade_to_schema_11()?;
+            self.db.pragma_update(None, "journal_mode", &"delete")?;
+        }
+        Ok(())
+    }
+
     // Standard transaction start/stop
     //////////////////////////////////////
 
diff --git a/rslib/src/storage/upgrades/mod.rs b/rslib/src/storage/upgrades/mod.rs
index 85ca40a27..5f71d655d 100644
--- a/rslib/src/storage/upgrades/mod.rs
+++ b/rslib/src/storage/upgrades/mod.rs
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ impl SqliteStorage {
         Ok(())
     }
 
-    pub(crate) fn downgrade_to_schema_11(self) -> Result<()> {
+    pub(super) fn downgrade_to_schema_11(&self) -> Result<()> {
         self.begin_trx()?;
 
         self.downgrade_tags_from_schema13()?;
@@ -30,6 +30,8 @@ impl SqliteStorage {
         self.db
             .execute_batch(include_str!("schema12_downgrade.sql"))?;
 
-        self.commit_trx()
+        self.commit_trx()?;
+
+        Ok(())
     }
 }