diff --git a/src/core/qgsspatialiteutils.cpp b/src/core/qgsspatialiteutils.cpp
index 31ef00ac9171..2ed23caf4051 100644
--- a/src/core/qgsspatialiteutils.cpp
+++ b/src/core/qgsspatialiteutils.cpp
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ int spatialite_database_unique_ptr::open( const QString &path )
 
   sqlite3 *database = nullptr;
   int result = sqlite3_open( path.toUtf8(), &database );
-  reset( database );
+  std::unique_ptr< sqlite3, QgsSpatialiteCloser>::reset( database );
 
 #if defined(SPATIALITE_HAS_INIT_EX)
   if ( result == SQLITE_OK )
@@ -43,6 +43,11 @@ int spatialite_database_unique_ptr::open( const QString &path )
   return result;
 }
 
+void spatialite_database_unique_ptr::reset()
+{
+  std::unique_ptr< sqlite3, QgsSpatialiteCloser>::reset();
+}
+
 int spatialite_database_unique_ptr::open_v2( const QString &path, int flags, const char *zVfs )
 {
 #if defined(SPATIALITE_HAS_INIT_EX)
@@ -54,7 +59,7 @@ int spatialite_database_unique_ptr::open_v2( const QString &path, int flags, con
 
   sqlite3 *database = nullptr;
   int result = sqlite3_open_v2( path.toUtf8(), &database, flags, zVfs );
-  reset( database );
+  std::unique_ptr< sqlite3, QgsSpatialiteCloser>::reset( database );
 
 #if defined(SPATIALITE_HAS_INIT_EX)
   if ( result == SQLITE_OK )
diff --git a/src/core/qgsspatialiteutils.h b/src/core/qgsspatialiteutils.h
index 805b1d17100a..c3012d170a7c 100644
--- a/src/core/qgsspatialiteutils.h
+++ b/src/core/qgsspatialiteutils.h
@@ -64,6 +64,20 @@ class CORE_EXPORT spatialite_database_unique_ptr : public std::unique_ptr< sqlit
      */
     int open( const QString &path );
 
+    /**
+     * Will close the connection and set the internal pointer to nullptr.
+     */
+    void reset();
+
+    /**
+     * It is not allowed to set an arbitrary sqlite3 handle on this object.
+     *
+     * A dedicated spatialite context (connection) is created when calling open or
+     * open_v2. This context needs to be kept together with the handle, hence it is
+     * not allowed to reset to a handle with missing context.
+     */
+    void reset( sqlite3 *handle ) = delete;
+
     /**
      * Opens the database at the specified file \a path.
      *
diff --git a/src/providers/spatialite/qspatialite/qsql_spatialite.cpp b/src/providers/spatialite/qspatialite/qsql_spatialite.cpp
index 49648b2db65c..6f662c7cdcd9 100644
--- a/src/providers/spatialite/qspatialite/qsql_spatialite.cpp
+++ b/src/providers/spatialite/qspatialite/qsql_spatialite.cpp
@@ -494,16 +494,6 @@ QSpatiaLiteDriver::QSpatiaLiteDriver(QObject * parent)
     d = new QSpatiaLiteDriverPrivate();
 }
 
-QSpatiaLiteDriver::QSpatiaLiteDriver(sqlite3 *connection, QObject *parent)
-    : QSqlDriver(parent)
-{
-    d = new QSpatiaLiteDriverPrivate();
-    d->access.reset( connection );
-    setOpen(true);
-    setOpenError(false);
-}
-
-
 QSpatiaLiteDriver::~QSpatiaLiteDriver()
 {
     delete d;
diff --git a/src/providers/spatialite/qspatialite/qsql_spatialite.h b/src/providers/spatialite/qspatialite/qsql_spatialite.h
index 5955ef4176f2..7cd765e2db69 100644
--- a/src/providers/spatialite/qspatialite/qsql_spatialite.h
+++ b/src/providers/spatialite/qspatialite/qsql_spatialite.h
@@ -92,10 +92,7 @@ class Q_EXPORT_SQLDRIVER_SQLITE QSpatiaLiteDriver : public QSqlDriver
     friend class QSpatiaLiteResult;
 public:
     explicit QSpatiaLiteDriver(QObject *parent = 0);
-    /**
-     * Ownership of \a connection is taken.
-     */
-    explicit QSpatiaLiteDriver(sqlite3 *connection, QObject *parent = 0);
+
     ~QSpatiaLiteDriver();
     bool hasFeature(DriverFeature f) const;
     bool open(const QString & db,