diff --git a/anki/cards.py b/anki/cards.py
index 35b1cf1bf..426d52a65 100644
--- a/anki/cards.py
+++ b/anki/cards.py
@@ -265,7 +265,7 @@ mapper(Card, cardsTable, properties={
 
 mapper(Fact, factsTable, properties={
     'model': relation(Model),
-    'fields': relation(Field, backref="fact", order_by=Field.c.ordinal),
+    'fields': relation(Field, backref="fact", order_by=Field.ordinal),
     })
 
 
diff --git a/anki/db.py b/anki/db.py
index 5ae209a19..a962db142 100644
--- a/anki/db.py
+++ b/anki/db.py
@@ -28,10 +28,11 @@ from sqlalchemy import (Table, Integer, Float, Column, MetaData,
                         ForeignKey, Boolean, String, Date,
                         UniqueConstraint, Index, PrimaryKeyConstraint)
 from sqlalchemy import create_engine
-from sqlalchemy.orm import mapper, sessionmaker, relation, backref, \
+from sqlalchemy.orm import mapper, sessionmaker as _sessionmaker, relation, backref, \
      object_session as _object_session
 from sqlalchemy.sql import select, text, and_
 from sqlalchemy.exceptions import DBAPIError, OperationalError
+import sqlalchemy
 
 # sqlalchemy didn't handle the move to unicodetext nicely
 try:
@@ -100,3 +101,8 @@ def object_session(*args):
         return SessionHelper(s, transaction=False)
     return None
 
+def sessionmaker(*args, **kwargs):
+    if sqlalchemy.__version__ < "0.5":
+        kwargs['transactional'] = not kwargs['autocommit']
+        del kwargs['autocommit']
+    return _sessionmaker(*args, **kwargs)
diff --git a/anki/deck.py b/anki/deck.py
index 981dda5d4..d3a4b7958 100644
--- a/anki/deck.py
+++ b/anki/deck.py
@@ -1909,7 +1909,7 @@ alter table cardModels add column typeAnswer boolean not null default 0""")
                                connect_args={'timeout': 0})
         session = sessionmaker(bind=engine,
                                autoflush=False,
-                               transactional=False)
+                               autocommit=True)
         return (engine, session)
     _attach = staticmethod(_attach)
 
diff --git a/anki/features/chinese/__init__.py b/anki/features/chinese/__init__.py
index 7e1487714..9ce6aec5c 100644
--- a/anki/features/chinese/__init__.py
+++ b/anki/features/chinese/__init__.py
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ class UnihanController(object):
                                     echo=False, strategy='threadlocal')
         self.session = sessionmaker(bind=self.engine,
                                     autoflush=False,
-                                    transactional=True)
+                                    autocommit=True)
         self.type = target
 
     def reading(self, text):
diff --git a/tests/test_deck.py b/tests/test_deck.py
index acdacdf84..ecafcba36 100644
--- a/tests/test_deck.py
+++ b/tests/test_deck.py
@@ -106,9 +106,10 @@ def test_factAddDelete():
         pass
     assert e.data['type'] == 'fieldNotUnique'
     # try delete the first card
-    deck.deleteCard(f.cards[0].id)
+    id1 = f.cards[0].id; id2 = f.cards[1].id
+    deck.deleteCard(id1)
     # and the second should clear the fact
-    deck.deleteCard(f.cards[1].id)
+    deck.deleteCard(id2)
 
 def test_cardOrder():
     deck = DeckStorage.Deck()