diff --git a/src/output-gazetteer.cpp b/src/output-gazetteer.cpp
index 51222b608..d92db5e05 100644
--- a/src/output-gazetteer.cpp
+++ b/src/output-gazetteer.cpp
@@ -31,21 +31,16 @@ void output_gazetteer_t::delete_unused_classes(char osm_type, osmid_t osm_id)
     }
 }
 
-void output_gazetteer_t::connect()
-{
-    m_conn.reset(new pg_conn_t(m_options.database_options.conninfo()));
-}
-
 int output_gazetteer_t::start()
 {
     int srid = m_options.projection->target_srs();
 
-    connect();
-
     /* (Re)create the table unless we are appending */
     if (!m_options.append) {
+        pg_conn_t conn{m_options.database_options.conninfo()};
+
         /* Drop any existing table */
-        m_conn->exec("DROP TABLE IF EXISTS place CASCADE");
+        conn.exec("DROP TABLE IF EXISTS place CASCADE");
 
         /* Create the new table */
 
@@ -64,14 +59,14 @@ int output_gazetteer_t::start()
             sql += " TABLESPACE " + m_options.tblsmain_data.get();
         }
 
-        m_conn->exec(sql);
+        conn.exec(sql);
 
         std::string index_sql =
             "CREATE INDEX place_id_idx ON place USING BTREE (osm_type, osm_id)";
         if (m_options.tblsmain_index) {
             index_sql += " TABLESPACE " + m_options.tblsmain_index.get();
         }
-        m_conn->exec(index_sql);
+        conn.exec(index_sql);
     }
 
     return 0;
diff --git a/src/output-gazetteer.hpp b/src/output-gazetteer.hpp
index cdc44530b..21518785d 100644
--- a/src/output-gazetteer.hpp
+++ b/src/output-gazetteer.hpp
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@
 #include "osmium-builder.hpp"
 #include "osmtypes.hpp"
 #include "output.hpp"
-#include "pgsql.hpp"
 #include "util.hpp"
 
 class output_gazetteer_t : public output_t
@@ -22,9 +21,7 @@ class output_gazetteer_t : public output_t
     : output_t(cloned_mid, other->m_options), m_copy(copy_thread),
       m_builder(other->m_options.projection, true),
       osmium_buffer(PLACE_BUFFER_SIZE, osmium::memory::Buffer::auto_grow::yes)
-    {
-        connect();
-    }
+    {}
 
 public:
     output_gazetteer_t(std::shared_ptr<middle_query_t> const &mid,
@@ -110,7 +107,6 @@ class output_gazetteer_t : public output_t
     int process_node(osmium::Node const &node);
     int process_way(osmium::Way *way);
     int process_relation(osmium::Relation const &rel);
-    void connect();
 
     void delete_unused_full(char osm_type, osmid_t osm_id)
     {
@@ -120,7 +116,6 @@ class output_gazetteer_t : public output_t
     }
 
     db_copy_mgr_t<db_deleter_place_t> m_copy;
-    std::unique_ptr<pg_conn_t> m_conn;
     gazetteer_style_t m_style;
 
     geom::osmium_builder_t m_builder;