diff --git a/modules/comment/controllers/admin_manage_comments.php b/modules/comment/controllers/admin_manage_comments.php
index 49bd85d527..ec876fc4bb 100644
--- a/modules/comment/controllers/admin_manage_comments.php
+++ b/modules/comment/controllers/admin_manage_comments.php
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ public function index() {
     db::build()
       ->delete("comments")
       ->where("state", "IN", array("deleted", "spam"))
-      ->where("updated", "<", new Database_Expression("UNIX_TIMESTAMP() - 86400 * 7"))
+      ->where("updated", "<", db::expr("UNIX_TIMESTAMP() - 86400 * 7"))
       ->execute();
 
     // Redirect to the appropriate queue
diff --git a/modules/digibug/controllers/digibug.php b/modules/digibug/controllers/digibug.php
index 22bbe1a63f..c48e3e87ef 100644
--- a/modules/digibug/controllers/digibug.php
+++ b/modules/digibug/controllers/digibug.php
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ public function close_window() {
   private function _clean_expired() {
     db::build()
       ->delete("digibug_proxies")
-      ->where("request_date", "<=", new Database_Expression("(CURDATE() - INTERVAL 10 DAY)"))
+      ->where("request_date", "<=", db::expr("(CURDATE() - INTERVAL 10 DAY)"))
       ->limit(20)
       ->execute();
   }
diff --git a/modules/gallery/controllers/admin_maintenance.php b/modules/gallery/controllers/admin_maintenance.php
index 7729d797cd..80247a0fec 100644
--- a/modules/gallery/controllers/admin_maintenance.php
+++ b/modules/gallery/controllers/admin_maintenance.php
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ public function index() {
       ->set("state", "stalled")
       ->where("done", "=", 0)
       ->where("state", "<>", "stalled")
-      ->where(new Database_Expression("UNIX_TIMESTAMP(NOW()) - `updated` > 15"))
+      ->where(db::expr("UNIX_TIMESTAMP(NOW()) - `updated` > 15"))
       ->execute();
     $stalled_count = $query->count();
     if ($stalled_count) {
diff --git a/modules/gallery/helpers/gallery_installer.php b/modules/gallery/helpers/gallery_installer.php
index a6b8e6a22e..fb7933f7d7 100644
--- a/modules/gallery/helpers/gallery_installer.php
+++ b/modules/gallery/helpers/gallery_installer.php
@@ -503,7 +503,7 @@ static function upgrade($version) {
       foreach (db::build()
                ->from("items")
                ->select("id", "slug")
-               ->where(new Database_Expression("`slug` REGEXP '[^_A-Za-z0-9-]'"), "=", 1)
+               ->where(db::expr("`slug` REGEXP '[^_A-Za-z0-9-]'"), "=", 1)
                ->execute() as $row) {
         $new_slug = item::convert_filename_to_slug($row->slug);
         if (empty($new_slug)) {
@@ -540,7 +540,7 @@ static function upgrade($version) {
     if ($version == 25) {
       db::build()
         ->update("items")
-        ->set("title", new Database_Expression("`name`"))
+        ->set("title", db::expr("`name`"))
         ->and_open()
         ->where("title", "IS", null)
         ->or_where("title", "=", "")
@@ -581,7 +581,7 @@ static function upgrade($version) {
       $db->query("ALTER TABLE {modules} ADD COLUMN `weight` int(9) DEFAULT NULL");
       $db->query("ALTER TABLE {modules} ADD KEY (`weight`)");
       db::update("modules")
-        ->set("weight", new Database_Expression("`id`"))
+        ->set("weight", db::expr("`id`"))
         ->execute();
       module::set_version("gallery", $version = 32);
     }
diff --git a/modules/gallery/helpers/gallery_task.php b/modules/gallery/helpers/gallery_task.php
index e69ff91aa8..9ccff152a8 100644
--- a/modules/gallery/helpers/gallery_task.php
+++ b/modules/gallery/helpers/gallery_task.php
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ static function rebuild_dirty_images($task) {
       // Choose the dirty images in a random order so that if we run this task multiple times
       // concurrently each task is rebuilding different images simultaneously.
       $result = graphics::find_dirty_images_query()->select("id")
-        ->select(new Database_Expression("RAND() as r"))
+        ->select(db::expr("RAND() as r"))
         ->order_by("r", "ASC")
         ->execute();
       $total_count = $task->get("total_count", $result->count());
@@ -608,7 +608,7 @@ static function fix($task) {
   static function find_dupe_slugs() {
     return db::build()
       ->select_distinct(
-        array("parent_slug" => new Database_Expression("CONCAT(`parent_id`, ':', LOWER(`slug`))")))
+        array("parent_slug" => db::expr("CONCAT(`parent_id`, ':', LOWER(`slug`))")))
       ->select("id")
       ->select(array("C" => "COUNT(\"*\")"))
       ->from("items")
@@ -620,7 +620,7 @@ static function find_dupe_slugs() {
   static function find_dupe_names() {
     return db::build()
       ->select_distinct(
-        array("parent_name" => new Database_Expression("CONCAT(`parent_id`, ':', LOWER(`name`))")))
+        array("parent_name" => db::expr("CONCAT(`parent_id`, ':', LOWER(`name`))")))
       ->select("id")
       ->select(array("C" => "COUNT(\"*\")"))
       ->from("items")
diff --git a/modules/gallery/helpers/module.php b/modules/gallery/helpers/module.php
index 2b446daab9..7c5578af04 100644
--- a/modules/gallery/helpers/module.php
+++ b/modules/gallery/helpers/module.php
@@ -488,7 +488,7 @@ static function set_var($module_name, $name, $value) {
   static function incr_var($module_name, $name, $increment=1) {
     db::build()
       ->update("vars")
-      ->set("value", new Database_Expression("`value` + $increment"))
+      ->set("value", db::expr("`value` + $increment"))
       ->where("module_name", "=", $module_name)
       ->where("name", "=", $name)
       ->execute();
diff --git a/modules/gallery/libraries/ORM_MPTT.php b/modules/gallery/libraries/ORM_MPTT.php
index f20fafa0cf..4556273cc4 100644
--- a/modules/gallery/libraries/ORM_MPTT.php
+++ b/modules/gallery/libraries/ORM_MPTT.php
@@ -54,12 +54,12 @@ function save() {
         // Make a hole in the parent for this new item
         db::build()
           ->update($this->table_name)
-          ->set("left_ptr", new Database_Expression("`left_ptr` + 2"))
+          ->set("left_ptr", db::expr("`left_ptr` + 2"))
           ->where("left_ptr", ">=", $parent->right_ptr)
           ->execute();
         db::build()
           ->update($this->table_name)
-          ->set("right_ptr", new Database_Expression("`right_ptr` + 2"))
+          ->set("right_ptr", db::expr("`right_ptr` + 2"))
           ->where("right_ptr", ">=", $parent->right_ptr)
           ->execute();
         $parent->right_ptr += 2;
@@ -109,12 +109,12 @@ public function delete($ignored_id=null) {
     try {
       db::build()
         ->update($this->table_name)
-        ->set("left_ptr", new Database_Expression("`left_ptr` - 2"))
+        ->set("left_ptr", db::expr("`left_ptr` - 2"))
         ->where("left_ptr", ">", $this->right_ptr)
         ->execute();
       db::build()
         ->update($this->table_name)
-        ->set("right_ptr", new Database_Expression("`right_ptr` - 2"))
+        ->set("right_ptr", db::expr("`right_ptr` - 2"))
         ->where("right_ptr", ">", $this->right_ptr)
         ->execute();
     } catch (Exception $e) {
@@ -253,7 +253,7 @@ protected function move_to($target) {
         // Update the levels for the to-be-moved items
         db::build()
           ->update($this->table_name)
-          ->set("level", new Database_Expression("`level` + $level_delta"))
+          ->set("level", db::expr("`level` + $level_delta"))
           ->where("left_ptr", ">=", $original_left_ptr)
           ->where("right_ptr", "<=", $original_right_ptr)
           ->execute();
@@ -262,12 +262,12 @@ protected function move_to($target) {
       // Make a hole in the target for the move
       db::build()
         ->update($this->table_name)
-        ->set("left_ptr", new Database_Expression("`left_ptr` + $size_of_hole"))
+        ->set("left_ptr", db::expr("`left_ptr` + $size_of_hole"))
         ->where("left_ptr", ">=", $target_right_ptr)
         ->execute();
       db::build()
         ->update($this->table_name)
-        ->set("right_ptr", new Database_Expression("`right_ptr` + $size_of_hole"))
+        ->set("right_ptr", db::expr("`right_ptr` + $size_of_hole"))
         ->where("right_ptr", ">=", $target_right_ptr)
         ->execute();
 
@@ -290,8 +290,8 @@ protected function move_to($target) {
       $new_offset = $target->right_ptr - $left_ptr;
       db::build()
         ->update($this->table_name)
-        ->set("left_ptr", new Database_Expression("`left_ptr` + $new_offset"))
-        ->set("right_ptr", new Database_Expression("`right_ptr` + $new_offset"))
+        ->set("left_ptr", db::expr("`left_ptr` + $new_offset"))
+        ->set("right_ptr", db::expr("`right_ptr` + $new_offset"))
         ->where("left_ptr", ">=", $left_ptr)
         ->where("right_ptr", "<=", $right_ptr)
         ->execute();
@@ -299,12 +299,12 @@ protected function move_to($target) {
       // Close the hole in the source's parent after the move
       db::build()
         ->update($this->table_name)
-        ->set("left_ptr", new Database_Expression("`left_ptr` - $size_of_hole"))
+        ->set("left_ptr", db::expr("`left_ptr` - $size_of_hole"))
         ->where("left_ptr", ">", $right_ptr)
         ->execute();
       db::build()
         ->update($this->table_name)
-        ->set("right_ptr", new Database_Expression("`right_ptr` - $size_of_hole"))
+        ->set("right_ptr", db::expr("`right_ptr` - $size_of_hole"))
         ->where("right_ptr", ">", $right_ptr)
         ->execute();
     } catch (Exception $e) {
diff --git a/modules/gallery/tests/Gallery_Installer_Test.php b/modules/gallery/tests/Gallery_Installer_Test.php
index 67e712de96..d34c3b0e09 100644
--- a/modules/gallery/tests/Gallery_Installer_Test.php
+++ b/modules/gallery/tests/Gallery_Installer_Test.php
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ public function install_registers_gallery_module_test() {
 
   public function install_creates_root_item_test() {
     $max_right_ptr = ORM::factory("item")
-      ->select(new Database_Expression("MAX(`right_ptr`) AS `right_ptr`"))
+      ->select(db::expr("MAX(`right_ptr`) AS `right_ptr`"))
       ->find()->right_ptr;
     $root = ORM::factory('item')->find(1);
     $this->assert_equal("Gallery", $root->title);
diff --git a/modules/notification/helpers/notification.php b/modules/notification/helpers/notification.php
index 0564d3363a..2ff8ff4846 100644
--- a/modules/notification/helpers/notification.php
+++ b/modules/notification/helpers/notification.php
@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@ static function send_comment_published($comment) {
 
   static function send_pending_notifications() {
     foreach (db::build()
-             ->select(new Database_Expression("DISTINCT `email`"))
+             ->select(db::expr("DISTINCT `email`"))
              ->from("pending_notifications")
              ->execute() as $row) {
       $email = $row->email;
diff --git a/modules/tag/helpers/tag.php b/modules/tag/helpers/tag.php
index 14d27c9445..bcd3b0c020 100644
--- a/modules/tag/helpers/tag.php
+++ b/modules/tag/helpers/tag.php
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ static function get_delete_form($tag) {
   static function clear_all($item) {
     db::build()
       ->update("tags")
-      ->set("count", new Database_Expression("`count` - 1"))
+      ->set("count", db::expr("`count` - 1"))
       ->where("count", ">", 0)
       ->where("id", "IN", db::build()->select("tag_id")->from("items_tags")->where("item_id", "=", $item->id))
       ->execute();