diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 8f3f1065..7ccdbbd2 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -58,22 +58,22 @@ Define your keymaps, commands, and autocommands as simple Lua tables, building a
 This project uses git tags to adhere to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/). To check the latest
 version, see the [git tag list](https://github.com/mrjones2014/legendary.nvim/tags).
 
-With `packer.nvim`:
+With `lazy.nvim`:
 
 ```lua
 -- to use a version
-use({
+{
   'mrjones2014/legendary.nvim',
-  tag = 'v2.1.0',
+  version = 'v2.1.0',
   -- sqlite is only needed if you want to use frecency sorting
-  -- requires = 'kkharji/sqlite.lua'
-})
+  -- dependencies = { 'kkharji/sqlite.lua' }
+}
 -- or, to get rolling updates
-use({
+{
   'mrjones2014/legendary.nvim',
   -- sqlite is only needed if you want to use frecency sorting
-  -- requires = 'kkharji/sqlite.lua'
-})
+  -- dependencies = { 'kkharji/sqlite.lua' }
+}
 ```
 
 With `vim-plug`:
@@ -346,7 +346,7 @@ require('legendary').setup({
     -- settings for frecency sorting.
     -- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frecency
     -- Set `frecency = false` to disable.
-    -- this feature requires sqlite.lua (https://github.com/tami5/sqlite.lua)
+    -- this feature requires sqlite.lua (https://github.com/kkharji/sqlite.lua)
     -- and will be automatically disabled if sqlite is not available.
     -- NOTE: THIS TAKES PRECEDENCE OVER OTHER SORT OPTIONS!
     frecency = {
diff --git a/lua/legendary/api/db/init.lua b/lua/legendary/api/db/init.lua
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..64ed9fc2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lua/legendary/api/db/init.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+local M = {}
+
+M.disabled_due_to_error = false
+
+function M.is_supported()
+  if M.disabled_due_to_error then
+    return false
+  end
+
+  local has_sqlite, _ = pcall(require, 'sqlite')
+  if not has_sqlite then
+    return false
+  end
+
+  return true
+end
+
+return M
diff --git a/lua/legendary/api/db/wrapper.lua b/lua/legendary/api/db/wrapper.lua
index c18592ef..93befd65 100644
--- a/lua/legendary/api/db/wrapper.lua
+++ b/lua/legendary/api/db/wrapper.lua
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 
 local ok, sqlite = pcall(require, 'sqlite')
 if not ok then
-  error('Frecency sorting requires sqlite.lua (https://github.com/tami5/sqlite.lua) ' .. tostring(sqlite))
+  error('Frecency sorting requires sqlite.lua (https://github.com/kkharji/sqlite.lua) ' .. tostring(sqlite))
   return
 end
 
@@ -64,7 +64,8 @@ function M:bootstrap()
     return sqlite:open(db_path)
   end)
   if not db_ok then
-    Log.error('Failed to open database at %s: %s', db_path, db_opened)
+    Log.error('Disabling frecency sort, failed to open database at %s: %s', db_path, db_opened)
+    require('legendary.api.db').disabled_due_to_error = true
     return
   else
     self.db = db_opened
diff --git a/lua/legendary/data/itemlist.lua b/lua/legendary/data/itemlist.lua
index c82138ab..df8856cb 100644
--- a/lua/legendary/data/itemlist.lua
+++ b/lua/legendary/data/itemlist.lua
@@ -116,10 +116,17 @@ function ItemList:sort_inplace()
   local items = self.items
 
   if Config.sort.frecency ~= false then
-    local has_sqlite, _ = pcall(require, 'sqlite')
-    if has_sqlite then
+    if require('legendary.api.db').is_supported() then
       -- inline require because this module requires sqlite and is a bit heavier
       local DbClient = require('legendary.api.db.client').init()
+      -- if bootstrapping fails, bail
+      if not require('legendary.api.db').is_supported() then
+        Log.debug(
+          'Config.sort.frecency is enabled, but sqlite is not available or database could not be opened, '
+            .. 'frecency is automatically disabled.'
+        )
+        return
+      end
       local frecency_scores = DbClient.get_item_scores()
       Log.debug('Computed item scores: %s', vim.inspect(frecency_scores))
 
@@ -146,7 +153,10 @@ function ItemList:sort_inplace()
       self.items = items
       return
     else
-      Log.debug('Config.sort.frecency is enabled, but sqlite is not availabe, so frecency is automatically disabled.')
+      Log.debug(
+        'Config.sort.frecency is enabled, but sqlite is not available or database could not be opened, '
+          .. 'frecency is automatically disabled.'
+      )
     end
   end
 
diff --git a/lua/legendary/ui/init.lua b/lua/legendary/ui/init.lua
index 4152e38d..3b9d154e 100644
--- a/lua/legendary/ui/init.lua
+++ b/lua/legendary/ui/init.lua
@@ -9,13 +9,23 @@ local Log = require('legendary.log')
 
 local function update_item_frecency_score(item)
   if Config.sort.frecency ~= false then
-    local has_sqlite, _ = pcall(require, 'sqlite')
-    if has_sqlite then
+    if require('legendary.api.db').is_supported() then
       Log.trace('Updating scoring data for selected item.')
       local DbClient = require('legendary.api.db.client').init()
+      -- if bootstrapping fails, bail
+      if not require('legendary.api.db').is_supported() then
+        Log.debug(
+          'Config.sort.frecency is enabled, but sqlite is not available or database could not be opened, '
+            .. 'frecency is automatically disabled.'
+        )
+        return
+      end
       DbClient.update_item_score(item)
     else
-      Log.debug('Config.sort.frecency is enabled, but sqlite is not availabe, so frecency is automatically disabled.')
+      Log.debug(
+        'Config.sort.frecency is enabled, but sqlite is not available or database could not be opened, '
+          .. 'frecency is automatically disabled.'
+      )
     end
   end
 end