diff --git a/bmds_ui/analysis/apps.py b/bmds_ui/analysis/apps.py
index 9aaebd51..fa9c834c 100644
--- a/bmds_ui/analysis/apps.py
+++ b/bmds_ui/analysis/apps.py
@@ -3,6 +3,3 @@
 
 class Config(AppConfig):
     name = "bmds_ui.analysis"
-
-    def ready(self):
-        from .signals import init_command  # noqa: F401
diff --git a/bmds_ui/analysis/signals.py b/bmds_ui/analysis/signals.py
deleted file mode 100644
index f4334262..00000000
--- a/bmds_ui/analysis/signals.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,11 +0,0 @@
-from django.db.backends.signals import connection_created
-from django.dispatch import receiver
-
-
-@receiver(connection_created)
-def init_command(sender, connection, **kwargs) -> None:
-    # https://code.djangoproject.com/ticket/24018
-    command = connection.settings_dict.get("STARTUP_OPTIONS", {}).get("init_command")
-    if connection.vendor == "sqlite" and command:
-        cursor = connection.cursor()
-        cursor.execute(command)
diff --git a/bmds_ui/desktop/sqlite3/__init__.py b/bmds_ui/desktop/sqlite3/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e69de29b
diff --git a/bmds_ui/desktop/sqlite3/base.py b/bmds_ui/desktop/sqlite3/base.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6de3d7a9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bmds_ui/desktop/sqlite3/base.py
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+from sqlite3 import dbapi2 as Database
+
+from django.db.backends.sqlite3 import base
+from django.db.backends.sqlite3._functions import register as register_functions
+from django.utils.asyncio import async_unsafe
+
+
+class DatabaseWrapper(base.DatabaseWrapper):
+    # TODO - remove w/ django 5.1 release
+    # adapted from https://blog.pecar.me/sqlite-django-config
+    # https://gcollazo.com/optimal-sqlite-settings-for-django/
+    def _start_transaction_under_autocommit(self):
+        # Acquire a write lock immediately for transactions
+        self.cursor().execute("BEGIN IMMEDIATE")
+
+    @async_unsafe
+    def get_new_connection(self, conn_params):
+        conn = Database.connect(**conn_params)
+        register_functions(conn)
+
+        conn.execute("PRAGMA foreign_keys=ON")
+        conn.execute("PRAGMA legacy_alter_table = OFF")
+        conn.execute("PRAGMA journal_mode = WAL")
+        conn.execute("PRAGMA synchronous = NORMAL")
+        conn.execute("PRAGMA busy_timeout = 5000")
+        conn.execute("PRAGMA temp_store = MEMORY")
+        conn.execute("PRAGMA mmap_size = 134217728")
+        conn.execute("PRAGMA journal_size_limit = 67108864")
+        conn.execute("PRAGMA cache_size = 2000")
+
+        return conn
diff --git a/bmds_ui/main/settings/desktop.py b/bmds_ui/main/settings/desktop.py
index e1bc9101..f0a0cf28 100644
--- a/bmds_ui/main/settings/desktop.py
+++ b/bmds_ui/main/settings/desktop.py
@@ -32,9 +32,8 @@
 
 DATABASES = {
     "default": {
-        "ENGINE": "django.db.backends.sqlite3",
-        "NAME": os.getenv("BMDS_DB", APP_HOME / "pybmds.sqlite3"),
-        "STARTUP_OPTIONS": {"init_command": "PRAGMA journal_mode=wal;"},
+        "ENGINE": "bmds_ui.desktop.sqlite3",
+        "NAME": os.getenv("BMDS_DB", APP_HOME / "bmds-desktop.db"),
     }
 }