diff --git a/pylib/anki/collection.py b/pylib/anki/collection.py
index 01f96fa8c..b21a78e26 100644
--- a/pylib/anki/collection.py
+++ b/pylib/anki/collection.py
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ import anki.template
 from anki import hooks
 from anki.cards import Card
 from anki.consts import *
-from anki.db import DB
+from anki.dbproxy import DBProxy
 from anki.decks import DeckManager
 from anki.errors import AnkiError
 from anki.lang import _, ngettext
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ defaultConf = {
 
 # this is initialized by storage.Collection
 class _Collection:
-    db: Optional[DB]
+    db: Optional[DBProxy]
     sched: Union[V1Scheduler, V2Scheduler]
     crt: int
     mod: int
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ class _Collection:
 
     def __init__(
         self,
-        db: DB,
+        db: DBProxy,
         backend: RustBackend,
         server: Optional["anki.storage.ServerData"] = None,
         log: bool = False,
@@ -267,7 +267,7 @@ crt=?, mod=?, scm=?, dty=?, usn=?, ls=?, conf=?""",
     def reopen(self) -> None:
         "Reconnect to DB (after changing threads, etc)."
         if not self.db:
-            self.db = DB(self.path)
+            self.db = DBProxy(self.path)
             self.media.connect()
             self._openLog()
 
diff --git a/pylib/anki/dbproxy.py b/pylib/anki/dbproxy.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1d11e2a03
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pylib/anki/dbproxy.py
@@ -0,0 +1,112 @@
+# Copyright: Ankitects Pty Ltd and contributors
+# License: GNU AGPL, version 3 or later; http://www.gnu.org/licenses/agpl.html
+
+import os
+import time
+from sqlite3 import Cursor
+from sqlite3 import dbapi2 as sqlite
+from typing import Any, List, Type
+
+
+class DBProxy:
+    def __init__(self, path: str, timeout: int = 0) -> None:
+        self._db = sqlite.connect(path, timeout=timeout)
+        self._db.text_factory = self._textFactory
+        self._path = path
+        self.echo = os.environ.get("DBECHO")
+        self.mod = False
+
+    def execute(self, sql: str, *a, **ka) -> Cursor:
+        s = sql.strip().lower()
+        # mark modified?
+        for stmt in "insert", "update", "delete":
+            if s.startswith(stmt):
+                self.mod = True
+        t = time.time()
+        if ka:
+            # execute("...where id = :id", id=5)
+            res = self._db.execute(sql, ka)
+        else:
+            # execute("...where id = ?", 5)
+            res = self._db.execute(sql, a)
+        if self.echo:
+            # print a, ka
+            print(sql, "%0.3fms" % ((time.time() - t) * 1000))
+            if self.echo == "2":
+                print(a, ka)
+        return res
+
+    def executemany(self, sql: str, l: Any) -> None:
+        self.mod = True
+        t = time.time()
+        self._db.executemany(sql, l)
+        if self.echo:
+            print(sql, "%0.3fms" % ((time.time() - t) * 1000))
+            if self.echo == "2":
+                print(l)
+
+    def commit(self) -> None:
+        t = time.time()
+        self._db.commit()
+        if self.echo:
+            print("commit %0.3fms" % ((time.time() - t) * 1000))
+
+    def executescript(self, sql: str) -> None:
+        self.mod = True
+        if self.echo:
+            print(sql)
+        self._db.executescript(sql)
+
+    def rollback(self) -> None:
+        self._db.rollback()
+
+    def scalar(self, *a, **kw) -> Any:
+        res = self.execute(*a, **kw).fetchone()
+        if res:
+            return res[0]
+        return None
+
+    def all(self, *a, **kw) -> List:
+        return self.execute(*a, **kw).fetchall()
+
+    def first(self, *a, **kw) -> Any:
+        c = self.execute(*a, **kw)
+        res = c.fetchone()
+        c.close()
+        return res
+
+    def list(self, *a, **kw) -> List:
+        return [x[0] for x in self.execute(*a, **kw)]
+
+    def close(self) -> None:
+        self._db.text_factory = None
+        self._db.close()
+
+    def set_progress_handler(self, *args) -> None:
+        self._db.set_progress_handler(*args)
+
+    def __enter__(self) -> "DBProxy":
+        self._db.execute("begin")
+        return self
+
+    def __exit__(self, exc_type, *args) -> None:
+        self._db.close()
+
+    def totalChanges(self) -> Any:
+        return self._db.total_changes
+
+    def interrupt(self) -> None:
+        self._db.interrupt()
+
+    def setAutocommit(self, autocommit: bool) -> None:
+        if autocommit:
+            self._db.isolation_level = None
+        else:
+            self._db.isolation_level = ""
+
+    # strip out invalid utf-8 when reading from db
+    def _textFactory(self, data: bytes) -> str:
+        return str(data, errors="ignore")
+
+    def cursor(self, factory: Type[Cursor] = Cursor) -> Cursor:
+        return self._db.cursor(factory)
diff --git a/pylib/anki/storage.py b/pylib/anki/storage.py
index 665291cfd..0a1001466 100644
--- a/pylib/anki/storage.py
+++ b/pylib/anki/storage.py
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ from typing import Any, Dict, Optional, Tuple
 
 from anki.collection import _Collection
 from anki.consts import *
-from anki.db import DB
+from anki.dbproxy import DBProxy
 from anki.lang import _
 from anki.media import media_paths_from_col_path
 from anki.rsbackend import RustBackend
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ def Collection(
         for c in ("/", ":", "\\"):
             assert c not in base
     # connect
-    db = DB(path)
+    db = DBProxy(path)
     db.setAutocommit(True)
     if create:
         ver = _createDB(db)
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ def Collection(
     return col
 
 
-def _upgradeSchema(db: DB) -> Any:
+def _upgradeSchema(db: DBProxy) -> Any:
     ver = db.scalar("select ver from col")
     if ver == SCHEMA_VERSION:
         return ver
@@ -238,7 +238,7 @@ def _upgradeClozeModel(col, m) -> None:
 ######################################################################
 
 
-def _createDB(db: DB) -> int:
+def _createDB(db: DBProxy) -> int:
     db.execute("pragma page_size = 4096")
     db.execute("pragma legacy_file_format = 0")
     db.execute("vacuum")
@@ -248,7 +248,7 @@ def _createDB(db: DB) -> int:
     return SCHEMA_VERSION
 
 
-def _addSchema(db: DB, setColConf: bool = True) -> None:
+def _addSchema(db: DBProxy, setColConf: bool = True) -> None:
     db.executescript(
         """
 create table if not exists col (
@@ -329,7 +329,7 @@ values(1,0,0,%(s)s,%(v)s,0,0,0,'','{}','','','{}');
         _addColVars(db, *_getColVars(db))
 
 
-def _getColVars(db: DB) -> Tuple[Any, Any, Dict[str, Any]]:
+def _getColVars(db: DBProxy) -> Tuple[Any, Any, Dict[str, Any]]:
     import anki.collection
     import anki.decks
 
@@ -344,7 +344,7 @@ def _getColVars(db: DB) -> Tuple[Any, Any, Dict[str, Any]]:
 
 
 def _addColVars(
-    db: DB, g: Dict[str, Any], gc: Dict[str, Any], c: Dict[str, Any]
+    db: DBProxy, g: Dict[str, Any], gc: Dict[str, Any], c: Dict[str, Any]
 ) -> None:
     db.execute(
         """
@@ -355,7 +355,7 @@ update col set conf = ?, decks = ?, dconf = ?""",
     )
 
 
-def _updateIndices(db: DB) -> None:
+def _updateIndices(db: DBProxy) -> None:
     "Add indices to the DB."
     db.executescript(
         """
diff --git a/pylib/anki/utils.py b/pylib/anki/utils.py
index d99437e69..33c4ebe08 100644
--- a/pylib/anki/utils.py
+++ b/pylib/anki/utils.py
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ from hashlib import sha1
 from html.entities import name2codepoint
 from typing import Iterable, Iterator, List, Optional, Union
 
-from anki.db import DB
+from anki.dbproxy import DBProxy
 
 _tmpdir: Optional[str]
 
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ def ids2str(ids: Iterable[Union[int, str]]) -> str:
     return "(%s)" % ",".join(str(i) for i in ids)
 
 
-def timestampID(db: DB, table: str) -> int:
+def timestampID(db: DBProxy, table: str) -> int:
     "Return a non-conflicting timestamp for table."
     # be careful not to create multiple objects without flushing them, or they
     # may share an ID.
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ def timestampID(db: DB, table: str) -> int:
     return t
 
 
-def maxID(db: DB) -> int:
+def maxID(db: DBProxy) -> int:
     "Return the first safe ID to use."
     now = intTime(1000)
     for tbl in "cards", "notes":