diff --git a/src/flex-table.cpp b/src/flex-table.cpp
index 8a25d35a7..f154e02e5 100644
--- a/src/flex-table.cpp
+++ b/src/flex-table.cpp
@@ -249,8 +249,8 @@ void table_connection_t::connect(std::string const &conninfo)
     m_db_connection->exec("SET synchronous_commit = off");
 }
 
-static void
-enable_check_trigger(pg_conn_t *db_connection, flex_table_t const &table)
+static void enable_check_trigger(pg_conn_t const &db_connection,
+                                 flex_table_t const &table)
 {
     std::string checks;
 
@@ -291,7 +291,7 @@ void table_connection_t::start(bool append)
                                       : flex_table_t::table_type::permanent,
             table().full_name()));
 
-        enable_check_trigger(m_db_connection.get(), table());
+        enable_check_trigger(*m_db_connection, table());
     }
 
     prepare();
@@ -310,7 +310,7 @@ void table_connection_t::stop(bool updateable, bool append)
 
     if (table().cluster_by_geom()) {
         if (table().geom_column().needs_isvalid()) {
-            drop_geom_check_trigger(m_db_connection.get(), table().schema(),
+            drop_geom_check_trigger(*m_db_connection, table().schema(),
                                     table().name());
         }
 
@@ -357,7 +357,7 @@ void table_connection_t::stop(bool updateable, bool append)
         m_id_index_created = false;
 
         if (updateable) {
-            enable_check_trigger(m_db_connection.get(), table());
+            enable_check_trigger(*m_db_connection, table());
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/src/pgsql-helper.cpp b/src/pgsql-helper.cpp
index f8d0db29d..8d367a6a5 100644
--- a/src/pgsql-helper.cpp
+++ b/src/pgsql-helper.cpp
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ idlist_t get_ids_from_result(pg_result_t const &result) {
     return ids;
 }
 
-void create_geom_check_trigger(pg_conn_t *db_connection,
+void create_geom_check_trigger(pg_conn_t const &db_connection,
                                std::string const &schema,
                                std::string const &table,
                                std::string const &condition)
@@ -33,38 +33,37 @@ void create_geom_check_trigger(pg_conn_t *db_connection,
     std::string const func_name =
         qualified_name(schema, table + "_osm2pgsql_valid");
 
-    db_connection->exec("CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION {}()\n"
-                        "RETURNS TRIGGER AS $$\n"
-                        "BEGIN\n"
-                        "  IF {} THEN \n"
-                        "    RETURN NEW;\n"
-                        "  END IF;\n"
-                        "  RETURN NULL;\n"
-                        "END;"
-                        "$$ LANGUAGE plpgsql",
-                        func_name, condition);
+    db_connection.exec("CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION {}()\n"
+                       "RETURNS TRIGGER AS $$\n"
+                       "BEGIN\n"
+                       "  IF {} THEN \n"
+                       "    RETURN NEW;\n"
+                       "  END IF;\n"
+                       "  RETURN NULL;\n"
+                       "END;"
+                       "$$ LANGUAGE plpgsql",
+                       func_name, condition);
 
-    db_connection->exec("CREATE TRIGGER \"{}\""
-                        " BEFORE INSERT OR UPDATE"
-                        " ON {}"
-                        " FOR EACH ROW EXECUTE PROCEDURE"
-                        " {}()",
-                        table + "_osm2pgsql_valid",
-                        qualified_name(schema, table), func_name);
+    db_connection.exec("CREATE TRIGGER \"{}\""
+                       " BEFORE INSERT OR UPDATE"
+                       " ON {}"
+                       " FOR EACH ROW EXECUTE PROCEDURE"
+                       " {}()",
+                       table + "_osm2pgsql_valid",
+                       qualified_name(schema, table), func_name);
 }
 
-void drop_geom_check_trigger(pg_conn_t *db_connection,
+void drop_geom_check_trigger(pg_conn_t const &db_connection,
                              std::string const &schema,
                              std::string const &table)
 {
     std::string const func_name =
         qualified_name(schema, table + "_osm2pgsql_valid");
 
-    db_connection->exec(R"(DROP TRIGGER "{}" ON {})",
-                        table + "_osm2pgsql_valid",
-                        qualified_name(schema, table));
+    db_connection.exec(R"(DROP TRIGGER "{}" ON {})", table + "_osm2pgsql_valid",
+                       qualified_name(schema, table));
 
-    db_connection->exec("DROP FUNCTION IF EXISTS {} ()", func_name);
+    db_connection.exec("DROP FUNCTION IF EXISTS {} ()", func_name);
 }
 
 void analyze_table(pg_conn_t const &db_connection, std::string const &schema,
diff --git a/src/pgsql-helper.hpp b/src/pgsql-helper.hpp
index 52f187e14..15a46785d 100644
--- a/src/pgsql-helper.hpp
+++ b/src/pgsql-helper.hpp
@@ -27,12 +27,12 @@ class pg_result_t;
  */
 idlist_t get_ids_from_result(pg_result_t const &result);
 
-void create_geom_check_trigger(pg_conn_t *db_connection,
+void create_geom_check_trigger(pg_conn_t const &db_connection,
                                std::string const &schema,
                                std::string const &table,
                                std::string const &condition);
 
-void drop_geom_check_trigger(pg_conn_t *db_connection,
+void drop_geom_check_trigger(pg_conn_t const &db_connection,
                              std::string const &schema,
                              std::string const &table);
 
diff --git a/src/table.cpp b/src/table.cpp
index 9d148831d..d8f8b446c 100644
--- a/src/table.cpp
+++ b/src/table.cpp
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ void table_t::start(std::string const &conninfo, std::string const &table_space)
         m_sql_conn->exec(sql);
 
         if (m_srid != "4326") {
-            create_geom_check_trigger(m_sql_conn.get(), m_target->schema(),
+            create_geom_check_trigger(*m_sql_conn, m_target->schema(),
                                       m_target->name(), "ST_IsValid(NEW.way)");
         }
     }
@@ -188,7 +188,7 @@ void table_t::stop(bool updateable, bool enable_hstore_index,
 
     if (!m_append) {
         if (m_srid != "4326") {
-            drop_geom_check_trigger(m_sql_conn.get(), m_target->schema(),
+            drop_geom_check_trigger(*m_sql_conn, m_target->schema(),
                                     m_target->name());
         }
 
@@ -237,7 +237,7 @@ void table_t::stop(bool updateable, bool enable_hstore_index,
             m_sql_conn->exec("CREATE INDEX ON {} USING BTREE (osm_id) {}",
                              qual_name, tablespace_clause(table_space_index));
             if (m_srid != "4326") {
-                create_geom_check_trigger(m_sql_conn.get(), m_target->schema(),
+                create_geom_check_trigger(*m_sql_conn, m_target->schema(),
                                           m_target->name(),
                                           "ST_IsValid(NEW.way)");
             }