diff --git a/required.php b/required.php
index b81e8b8..ad6b0df 100644
--- a/required.php
+++ b/required.php
@@ -106,7 +106,10 @@ try {
         'server' => $SETTINGS['database']['server'],
         'username' => $SETTINGS['database']['user'],
         'password' => $SETTINGS['database']['password'],
-        'charset' => $SETTINGS['database']['charset']
+        'charset' => $SETTINGS['database']['charset'],
+        'option' => [
+            PDO::ATTR_ERRMODE => PDO::ERRMODE_EXCEPTION 
+        ]
     ]);
 } catch (Exception $ex) {
     //header('HTTP/1.1 500 Internal Server Error');
@@ -145,23 +148,6 @@ function dieifnotloggedin() {
     }
 }
 
-/**
- * Check if the previous database action had a problem.
- * @param array $specials int=>string array with special response messages for SQL errors
- */
-function checkDBError($specials = []) {
-    global $database;
-    $errors = $database->error();
-    if (!is_null($errors[1])) {
-        foreach ($specials as $code => $text) {
-            if ($errors[1] == $code) {
-                sendError($text);
-            }
-        }
-        sendError("A database error occurred:<br /><code>" . $errors[2] . "</code>");
-    }
-}
-
 function redirectIfNotLoggedIn() {
     global $SETTINGS;
     if ($_SESSION['loggedin'] !== TRUE) {