diff --git a/src/database.rs b/src/database.rs
index a330884e..62346659 100644
--- a/src/database.rs
+++ b/src/database.rs
@@ -288,12 +288,14 @@ impl KeyValueDatabase {
         Ok(())
     }
 
-    #[cfg_attr(
-        not(any(feature = "rocksdb", feature = "sqlite")),
-        allow(unreachable_code)
-    )]
-    #[allow(clippy::too_many_lines)]
-    pub(crate) fn load_or_create(config: &Config) -> Result<KeyValueDatabase> {
+    pub(crate) fn load_or_create_engine(
+        config: &Config,
+    ) -> Result<Arc<dyn KeyValueDatabaseEngine>> {
+        #[cfg(not(any(feature = "rocksdb", feature = "sqlite")))]
+        return Err(Error::BadConfig(
+            "Compiled without support for any databases",
+        ));
+
         Self::check_db_setup(config)?;
 
         if !Path::new(&config.database.path).exists() {
@@ -306,21 +308,28 @@ impl KeyValueDatabase {
             })?;
         }
 
-        #[cfg_attr(
-            not(any(feature = "rocksdb", feature = "sqlite")),
-            allow(unused_variables)
-        )]
-        let builder: Arc<dyn KeyValueDatabaseEngine> =
-            match config.database.backend {
-                #[cfg(feature = "sqlite")]
-                DatabaseBackend::Sqlite => {
-                    Arc::new(Arc::<abstraction::sqlite::Engine>::open(config)?)
-                }
-                #[cfg(feature = "rocksdb")]
-                DatabaseBackend::Rocksdb => {
-                    Arc::new(Arc::<abstraction::rocksdb::Engine>::open(config)?)
-                }
-            };
+        let x: Arc<dyn KeyValueDatabaseEngine> = match config.database.backend {
+            #[cfg(feature = "sqlite")]
+            DatabaseBackend::Sqlite => {
+                Arc::new(Arc::<abstraction::sqlite::Engine>::open(config)?)
+            }
+            #[cfg(feature = "rocksdb")]
+            DatabaseBackend::Rocksdb => {
+                Arc::new(Arc::<abstraction::rocksdb::Engine>::open(config)?)
+            }
+        };
+
+        #[cfg(any(feature = "rocksdb", feature = "sqlite"))]
+        return Ok(x);
+    }
+
+    #[cfg_attr(
+        not(any(feature = "rocksdb", feature = "sqlite")),
+        allow(unreachable_code)
+    )]
+    #[allow(clippy::too_many_lines)]
+    pub(crate) fn load_or_create(config: &Config) -> Result<KeyValueDatabase> {
+        let builder = Self::load_or_create_engine(config)?;
 
         let db = Self {
             db: builder.clone(),