diff --git a/lix/libexpr/eval-cache.cc b/lix/libexpr/eval-cache.cc
index d75243d01..10040c1cc 100644
--- a/lix/libexpr/eval-cache.cc
+++ b/lix/libexpr/eval-cache.cc
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ struct AttrDb
 
         state->db = SQLite(dbPath);
         state->db.isCache();
-        state->db.exec(schema);
+        state->db.exec(schema, always_progresses);
 
         state->insertAttribute = state->db.create(
             "insert or replace into Attributes(parent, name, type, value) values (?, ?, ?, ?)");
diff --git a/lix/libfetchers/cache.cc b/lix/libfetchers/cache.cc
index 8b8773be9..0d9cc9e50 100644
--- a/lix/libfetchers/cache.cc
+++ b/lix/libfetchers/cache.cc
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 #include "lix/libutil/async.hh"
 #include "lix/libutil/sync.hh"
 #include "lix/libstore/store-api.hh"
+#include "lix/libutil/types.hh"
 #include "lix/libutil/users.hh"
 
 #include <nlohmann/json.hpp>
@@ -50,7 +51,7 @@ struct CacheImpl : Cache
 
         state->db = SQLite(dbPath);
         state->db.isCache();
-        state->db.exec(schema);
+        state->db.exec(schema, always_progresses);
 
         state->add = state->db.create(
             "insert or replace into Cache(input, info, path, immutable, timestamp) values (?, ?, ?, ?, ?)");
diff --git a/lix/libstore/local-store.cc b/lix/libstore/local-store.cc
index f2d6dac7c..ce2276160 100644
--- a/lix/libstore/local-store.cc
+++ b/lix/libstore/local-store.cc
@@ -342,20 +342,20 @@ LocalStore::LocalStore(LocalStoreConfig config)
 
         if (curSchema < 8) {
             SQLiteTxn txn = state->db.beginTransaction();
-            state->db.exec("alter table ValidPaths add column ultimate integer");
-            state->db.exec("alter table ValidPaths add column sigs text");
+            state->db.exec("alter table ValidPaths add column ultimate integer", always_progresses);
+            state->db.exec("alter table ValidPaths add column sigs text", always_progresses);
             txn.commit();
         }
 
         if (curSchema < 9) {
             SQLiteTxn txn = state->db.beginTransaction();
-            state->db.exec("drop table FailedPaths");
+            state->db.exec("drop table FailedPaths", always_progresses);
             txn.commit();
         }
 
         if (curSchema < 10) {
             SQLiteTxn txn = state->db.beginTransaction();
-            state->db.exec("alter table ValidPaths add column ca text");
+            state->db.exec("alter table ValidPaths add column ca text", always_progresses);
             txn.commit();
         }
 
@@ -525,7 +525,7 @@ void LocalStore::openDB(DBState & state, bool create)
        all.  This can cause database corruption if the system
        crashes. */
     std::string syncMode = settings.fsyncMetadata ? "normal" : "off";
-    db.exec("pragma synchronous = " + syncMode);
+    db.exec("pragma synchronous = " + syncMode, always_progresses);
 
     /* Set the SQLite journal mode.  WAL mode is fastest, so it's the
        default. */
@@ -538,7 +538,7 @@ void LocalStore::openDB(DBState & state, bool create)
         prevMode = use.getStr(0);
     }
     if (prevMode != mode)
-        db.exec("pragma main.journal_mode = " + mode + ";");
+        db.exec("pragma main.journal_mode = " + mode + ";", always_progresses);
 
     if (mode == "wal" ) {
          /* persist the WAL files when the DB connection is closed.
@@ -547,13 +547,13 @@ void LocalStore::openDB(DBState & state, bool create)
          * journal_size_limit to 2^40 bytes results in the WAL files getting
          * truncated to 0 on exit and limits the on disk size of the WAL files
          * to 2^40 bytes following a checkpoint */
-        db.exec("pragma main.journal_size_limit = 1099511627776;");
+        db.exec("pragma main.journal_size_limit = 1099511627776;", always_progresses);
         db.setPersistWAL(true);
 
         /* Increase the auto-checkpoint interval to 40000 pages.  This
            seems enough to ensure that instantiating the NixOS system
            derivation is done in a single fsync(). */
-        db.exec("pragma wal_autocheckpoint = 40000;");
+        db.exec("pragma wal_autocheckpoint = 40000;", always_progresses);
     }
 
     /* Initialise the database schema, if necessary. */
@@ -561,7 +561,7 @@ void LocalStore::openDB(DBState & state, bool create)
         static const char schema[] =
 #include "schema.sql.gen.hh"
             ;
-        db.exec(schema);
+        db.exec(schema, always_progresses);
     }
 }
 
@@ -812,7 +812,7 @@ void LocalStore::registerDrvOutput(const Realisation & info)
                 (outputId.outputName)
                 .exec();
         }
-    });
+    }, always_progresses);
 }
 
 void LocalStore::cacheDrvOutputMapping(
@@ -885,7 +885,7 @@ std::shared_ptr<const ValidPathInfo> LocalStore::queryPathInfoUncached(const Sto
     return retrySQLite([&]() {
         auto state(_dbState.lockSync(always_progresses));
         return queryPathInfoInternal(*state, path);
-    });
+    }, always_progresses);
 }
 
 
@@ -973,7 +973,7 @@ bool LocalStore::isValidPathUncached(const StorePath & path)
     return retrySQLite([&]() {
         auto state(_dbState.lockSync(always_progresses));
         return isValidPath_(*state, path);
-    });
+    }, always_progresses);
 }
 
 
@@ -994,7 +994,7 @@ StorePathSet LocalStore::queryAllValidPaths()
         StorePathSet res;
         while (use.next()) res.insert(parseStorePath(use.getStr(0)));
         return res;
-    });
+    }, always_progresses);
 }
 
 
@@ -1012,7 +1012,7 @@ void LocalStore::queryReferrers(const StorePath & path, StorePathSet & referrers
     return retrySQLite([&]() {
         auto state(_dbState.lockSync(always_progresses));
         queryReferrers(*state, path, referrers);
-    });
+    }, always_progresses);
 }
 
 
@@ -1028,7 +1028,7 @@ StorePathSet LocalStore::queryValidDerivers(const StorePath & path)
             derivers.insert(parseStorePath(useQueryValidDerivers.getStr(1)));
 
         return derivers;
-    });
+    }, always_progresses);
 }
 
 
@@ -1046,7 +1046,7 @@ LocalStore::queryStaticPartialDerivationOutputMap(const StorePath & path)
                 use.getStr(0), parseStorePath(use.getStr(1)));
 
         return outputs;
-    });
+    }, always_progresses);
 }
 
 std::optional<StorePath> LocalStore::queryPathFromHashPart(const std::string & hashPart)
@@ -1066,7 +1066,7 @@ std::optional<StorePath> LocalStore::queryPathFromHashPart(const std::string & h
         if (s.has_value() && s->starts_with(prefix))
             return parseStorePath(*s);
         return {};
-    });
+    }, always_progresses);
 }
 
 
@@ -1164,7 +1164,7 @@ void LocalStore::registerValidPaths(const ValidPathInfos & infos)
             }});
 
         txn.commit();
-    });
+    }, always_progresses);
 }
 
 
@@ -1524,7 +1524,7 @@ void LocalStore::invalidatePathChecked(const StorePath & path)
         }
 
         txn.commit();
-    });
+    }, always_progresses);
 }
 
 
@@ -1733,7 +1733,7 @@ void LocalStore::addSignatures(const StorePath & storePath, const StringSet & si
         updatePathInfo(*state, *info);
 
         txn.commit();
-    });
+    }, always_progresses);
 }
 
 
@@ -1821,7 +1821,7 @@ std::shared_ptr<const Realisation> LocalStore::queryRealisationUncached(const Dr
     auto maybeRealisation = retrySQLite([&]() {
         auto state(_dbState.lockSync(always_progresses));
         return queryRealisation_(*state, id);
-    });
+    }, always_progresses);
     if (maybeRealisation)
         return std::make_shared<const Realisation>(maybeRealisation.value());
     else
diff --git a/lix/libstore/nar-info-disk-cache.cc b/lix/libstore/nar-info-disk-cache.cc
index c31ae33c6..b3b13a121 100644
--- a/lix/libstore/nar-info-disk-cache.cc
+++ b/lix/libstore/nar-info-disk-cache.cc
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 #include "lix/libutil/sync.hh"
 #include "lix/libstore/sqlite.hh"
 #include "lix/libstore/globals.hh"
+#include "lix/libutil/types.hh"
 #include "lix/libutil/users.hh"
 #include "lix/libutil/strings.hh"
 
@@ -97,7 +98,7 @@ public:
 
         state->db.isCache();
 
-        state->db.exec(schema);
+        state->db.exec(schema, always_progresses);
 
         state->insertCache = state->db.create(
             "insert into BinaryCaches(url, timestamp, storeDir, wantMassQuery, priority) values (?1, ?2, ?3, ?4, ?5) on conflict (url) do update set timestamp = ?2, storeDir = ?3, wantMassQuery = ?4, priority = ?5 returning id;");
@@ -158,7 +159,7 @@ public:
                     "insert or replace into LastPurge(dummy, value) values ('', ?)")
                     .use()(now).exec();
             }
-        });
+        }, always_progresses);
     }
 
     Cache & getCache(State & state, const std::string & uri)
@@ -219,7 +220,7 @@ public:
 
             txn.commit();
             return ret.id;
-        });
+        }, always_progresses);
     }
 
     std::optional<CacheInfo> upToDateCacheExists(const std::string & uri) override
@@ -234,7 +235,7 @@ public:
                 .wantMassQuery = cache->wantMassQuery,
                 .priority = cache->priority
             };
-        });
+        }, always_progresses);
     }
 
     std::pair<Outcome, std::shared_ptr<NarInfo>> lookupNarInfo(
@@ -278,7 +279,7 @@ public:
             narInfo->ca = ContentAddress::parseOpt(queryNAR.getStr(11));
 
             return {oValid, narInfo};
-        });
+        }, always_progresses);
     }
 
     std::pair<Outcome, std::shared_ptr<Realisation>> lookupRealisation(
@@ -309,7 +310,7 @@ public:
                     "Local disk cache"));
 
             return {oValid, realisation};
-        });
+        }, always_progresses);
     }
 
     void upsertNarInfo(
@@ -349,7 +350,7 @@ public:
                     (hashPart)
                     (time(0)).exec();
             }
-        });
+        }, always_progresses);
     }
 
     void upsertRealisation(
@@ -366,7 +367,7 @@ public:
                 (realisation.id.to_string())
                 (realisation.toJSON().dump())
                 (time(0)).exec();
-        });
+        }, always_progresses);
 
     }
 
@@ -382,7 +383,7 @@ public:
                 (cache.id)
                 (id.to_string())
                 (time(0)).exec();
-        });
+        }, always_progresses);
     }
 };
 
diff --git a/lix/libstore/sqlite.cc b/lix/libstore/sqlite.cc
index a045a102f..4ef929b06 100644
--- a/lix/libstore/sqlite.cc
+++ b/lix/libstore/sqlite.cc
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 #include "lix/libutil/logging.hh"
 #include "lix/libutil/result.hh"
 #include "lix/libutil/signals.hh"
+#include "lix/libutil/types.hh"
 #include "lix/libutil/url.hh"
 
 #include <chrono>
@@ -85,7 +86,7 @@ SQLite::SQLite(const Path & path, SQLiteOpenMode mode)
         sqlite3_trace(db, &traceSQL, nullptr);
     }
 
-    exec("pragma foreign_keys = 1");
+    exec("pragma foreign_keys = 1", always_progresses);
 }
 
 void SQLite::Close::operator()(sqlite3 * db)
@@ -100,11 +101,11 @@ void SQLite::Close::operator()(sqlite3 * db)
 
 void SQLite::isCache()
 {
-    exec("pragma synchronous = off");
-    exec("pragma main.journal_mode = truncate");
+    exec("pragma synchronous = off", always_progresses);
+    exec("pragma main.journal_mode = truncate", always_progresses);
 }
 
-void SQLite::exec(const std::string & stmt)
+void SQLite::exec(const std::string & stmt, NeverAsync)
 {
     retrySQLite([&]() {
         if (sqlite3_exec(db.get(), stmt.c_str(), 0, 0, 0) != SQLITE_OK)
diff --git a/lix/libstore/sqlite.hh b/lix/libstore/sqlite.hh
index 9098ab078..5d3aa52ef 100644
--- a/lix/libstore/sqlite.hh
+++ b/lix/libstore/sqlite.hh
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ public:
      */
     void isCache();
 
-    void exec(const std::string & stmt);
+    void exec(const std::string & stmt, NeverAsync = {});
 
     SQLiteStmt create(const std::string & stmt);
 
@@ -223,38 +223,43 @@ kj::Promise<Result<void>> handleSQLiteBusyAsync(const SQLiteBusy & e, std::chron
  * database is busy.
  */
 template<typename F>
-auto retrySQLite(F fun)
+    requires(!requires(F f) { []<typename T>(kj::Promise<T>) {}(f()); })
+auto retrySQLite(F fun, NeverAsync = {})
 {
     auto nextWarning = std::chrono::steady_clock::now() + std::chrono::seconds(1);
 
-    if constexpr (requires (F f) { []<typename T>(kj::Promise<Result<T>>){}(f()); }) {
-        return [](std::chrono::time_point<std::chrono::steady_clock> nextWarning, F fun) -> decltype(fun()) {
-            while (true) {
-                kj::Promise<Result<void>> handleBusy{nullptr};
-                try {
-                    if constexpr (std::is_same_v<decltype(fun()), kj::Promise<Result<void>>>) {
-                        LIX_TRY_AWAIT(fun());
-                        co_return result::success();
-                    } else {
-                        co_return LIX_TRY_AWAIT(fun());
-                    }
-                } catch (SQLiteBusy & e) {
-                    handleBusy = handleSQLiteBusyAsync(e, nextWarning);
-                } catch (...) {
-                    co_return result::current_exception();
-                }
-                LIX_TRY_AWAIT(handleBusy);
-            }
-        }(nextWarning, std::move(fun));
-    } else {
-        while (true) {
-            try {
-                return fun();
-            } catch (SQLiteBusy & e) {
-                handleSQLiteBusy(e, nextWarning);
-            }
+    while (true) {
+        try {
+            return fun();
+        } catch (SQLiteBusy & e) {
+            handleSQLiteBusy(e, nextWarning);
         }
     }
 }
 
+template<typename F>
+    requires requires(F f) { []<typename T>(kj::Promise<Result<T>>) {}(f()); }
+auto retrySQLite(F fun)
+{
+    return [](F fun) -> decltype(fun()) {
+        auto nextWarning = std::chrono::steady_clock::now() + std::chrono::seconds(1);
+
+        while (true) {
+            kj::Promise<Result<void>> handleBusy{nullptr};
+            try {
+                if constexpr (std::is_same_v<decltype(fun()), kj::Promise<Result<void>>>) {
+                    LIX_TRY_AWAIT(fun());
+                    co_return result::success();
+                } else {
+                    co_return LIX_TRY_AWAIT(fun());
+                }
+            } catch (SQLiteBusy & e) {
+                handleBusy = handleSQLiteBusyAsync(e, nextWarning);
+            } catch (...) {
+                co_return result::current_exception();
+            }
+            LIX_TRY_AWAIT(handleBusy);
+        }
+    }(std::move(fun));
+}
 }
diff --git a/tests/unit/libstore/nar-info-disk-cache.cc b/tests/unit/libstore/nar-info-disk-cache.cc
index 741c9cb53..5e49a34bd 100644
--- a/tests/unit/libstore/nar-info-disk-cache.cc
+++ b/tests/unit/libstore/nar-info-disk-cache.cc
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 #include <rapidcheck/gtest.h>
 #include "lix/libstore/sqlite.hh"
 #include "lix/libstore/temporary-dir.hh"
+#include "lix/libutil/types.hh"
 #include <sqlite3.h>
 
 
@@ -59,7 +60,7 @@ TEST(NarInfoDiskCacheImpl, create_and_read) {
         }
 
         // Pretend that the caches are older, but keep one up to date, as "background noise"
-        db.exec("update BinaryCaches set timestamp = timestamp - 1 - 7 * 24 * 3600 where url <> 'https://xyz';");
+        db.exec("update BinaryCaches set timestamp = timestamp - 1 - 7 * 24 * 3600 where url <> 'https://xyz';", always_progresses);
 
         // This shows that the in-memory cache works
         {