diff --git a/omemo/omemo/sql.py b/omemo/omemo/sql.py
index 69954d062ce1698a24939938c0b1695eff4af4b5..aefe9e60233a99bcd71a676bba060aaa9a90f7b3 100644
--- a/omemo/omemo/sql.py
+++ b/omemo/omemo/sql.py
@@ -27,6 +27,13 @@ class SQLDatabase():
         :type dbConn: Connection
         """
         self.dbConn = dbConn
+        c = self.dbConn.cursor()
+        c.execute("PRAGMA synchronous=NORMAL;")
+        c.execute("PRAGMA journal_mode;")
+        mode = c.fetchone()[0]
+        # WAL is a persistent DB mode, dont override it if user has set it
+        if mode != 'wal':
+            c.execute("PRAGMA journal_mode=MEMORY;")
         self.createDb()
         self.migrateDb()