diff --git a/db/db.go b/db/db.go
index 9576e65..c2afe2e 100644
--- a/db/db.go
+++ b/db/db.go
@@ -24,7 +24,38 @@ var (
 	}
 )
 
-func New(path string) (*gorm.DB, error) {
+type DB struct {
+	*gorm.DB
+}
+
+func (db *DB) GetSetting(key string) string {
+	setting := &model.Setting{}
+	db.
+		Where("key = ?", key).
+		First(setting)
+	return setting.Value
+}
+
+func (db *DB) SetSetting(key, value string) {
+	db.
+		Where(model.Setting{Key: key}).
+		Assign(model.Setting{Value: value}).
+		FirstOrCreate(&model.Setting{})
+}
+
+func (db *DB) GetUserFromName(name string) *model.User {
+	user := &model.User{}
+	err := db.
+		Where("name = ?", name).
+		First(user).
+		Error
+	if gorm.IsRecordNotFoundError(err) {
+		return nil
+	}
+	return user
+}
+
+func New(path string) (*DB, error) {
 	pathAndArgs := fmt.Sprintf("%s?%s", path, dbOptions.Encode())
 	db, err := gorm.Open("sqlite3", pathAndArgs)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -45,5 +76,5 @@ func New(path string) (*gorm.DB, error) {
 		Password: "admin",
 		IsAdmin:  true,
 	})
-	return db, nil
+	return &DB{DB: db}, nil
 }
diff --git a/scanner/scanner.go b/scanner/scanner.go
index 027a577..5478185 100644
--- a/scanner/scanner.go
+++ b/scanner/scanner.go
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
 	"github.com/rainycape/unidecode"
 
+	"github.com/sentriz/gonic/db"
 	"github.com/sentriz/gonic/mime"
 	"github.com/sentriz/gonic/model"
 	"github.com/sentriz/gonic/scanner/stack"
@@ -51,14 +52,14 @@ func decoded(in string) string {
 	return result
 }
 
-func withTx(db *gorm.DB, cb func(tx *gorm.DB)) {
+func withTx(db *db.DB, cb func(tx *gorm.DB)) {
 	tx := db.Begin()
 	defer tx.Commit()
 	cb(tx)
 }
 
 type Scanner struct {
-	db        *gorm.DB
+	db        *db.DB
 	musicPath string
 	// these two are for the transaction we do for every folder.
 	// the boolean is there so we dont begin or commit multiple
@@ -78,7 +79,7 @@ type Scanner struct {
 	seenTracksErr int              // n tracks we we couldn't scan
 }
 
-func New(db *gorm.DB, musicPath string) *Scanner {
+func New(db *db.DB, musicPath string) *Scanner {
 	return &Scanner{
 		db:          db,
 		musicPath:   musicPath,
diff --git a/scanner/scanner_test.go b/scanner/scanner_test.go
index be9d653..dbea10d 100644
--- a/scanner/scanner_test.go
+++ b/scanner/scanner_test.go
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ import (
 	"log"
 	"testing"
 
-	"github.com/jinzhu/gorm"
 	_ "github.com/jinzhu/gorm/dialects/sqlite"
 
 	"github.com/sentriz/gonic/db"
@@ -24,7 +23,7 @@ func init() {
 	log.SetOutput(ioutil.Discard)
 }
 
-func resetTables(db *gorm.DB) {
+func resetTables(db *db.DB) {
 	tx := db.Begin()
 	defer tx.Commit()
 	tx.Exec("delete from tracks")
@@ -32,7 +31,7 @@ func resetTables(db *gorm.DB) {
 	tx.Exec("delete from albums")
 }
 
-func resetTablesPause(db *gorm.DB, b *testing.B) {
+func resetTablesPause(db *db.DB, b *testing.B) {
 	b.StopTimer()
 	defer b.StartTimer()
 	resetTables(db)
diff --git a/server/handler/handler.go b/server/handler/handler.go
index 3877293..27e5bc2 100644
--- a/server/handler/handler.go
+++ b/server/handler/handler.go
@@ -3,10 +3,9 @@ package handler
 import (
 	"html/template"
 
-	"github.com/jinzhu/gorm"
 	"github.com/wader/gormstore"
 
-	"github.com/sentriz/gonic/model"
+	"github.com/sentriz/gonic/db"
 )
 
 type contextKey int
@@ -17,35 +16,8 @@ const (
 )
 
 type Controller struct {
-	DB        *gorm.DB
+	DB        *db.DB
 	SessDB    *gormstore.Store
 	Templates map[string]*template.Template
 	MusicPath string
 }
-
-func (c *Controller) GetSetting(key string) string {
-	setting := &model.Setting{}
-	c.DB.
-		Where("key = ?", key).
-		First(setting)
-	return setting.Value
-}
-
-func (c *Controller) SetSetting(key, value string) {
-	c.DB.
-		Where(model.Setting{Key: key}).
-		Assign(model.Setting{Value: value}).
-		FirstOrCreate(&model.Setting{})
-}
-
-func (c *Controller) GetUserFromName(name string) *model.User {
-	user := &model.User{}
-	err := c.DB.
-		Where("name = ?", name).
-		First(user).
-		Error
-	if gorm.IsRecordNotFoundError(err) {
-		return nil
-	}
-	return user
-}
diff --git a/server/handler/handler_admin.go b/server/handler/handler_admin.go
index 8ded909..09c760c 100644
--- a/server/handler/handler_admin.go
+++ b/server/handler/handler_admin.go
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ func (c *Controller) ServeLoginDo(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		http.Redirect(w, r, r.Header.Get("Referer"), http.StatusSeeOther)
 		return
 	}
-	user := c.GetUserFromName(username)
+	user := c.DB.GetUserFromName(username)
 	if user == nil || password != user.Password {
 		session.AddFlash("invalid username / password")
 		sessionLogSave(w, r, session)
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ func (c *Controller) ServeHome(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		Order("updated_at DESC").
 		Limit(8).
 		Find(&data.RecentFolders)
-	data.CurrentLastFMAPIKey = c.GetSetting("lastfm_api_key")
+	data.CurrentLastFMAPIKey = c.DB.GetSetting("lastfm_api_key")
 	scheme := firstExisting(
 		"http", // fallback
 		r.Header.Get("X-Forwarded-Proto"),
@@ -104,8 +104,8 @@ func (c *Controller) ServeLinkLastFMDo(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		return
 	}
 	sessionKey, err := lastfm.GetSession(
-		c.GetSetting("lastfm_api_key"),
-		c.GetSetting("lastfm_secret"),
+		c.DB.GetSetting("lastfm_api_key"),
+		c.DB.GetSetting("lastfm_secret"),
 		token,
 	)
 	session := r.Context().Value(contextSessionKey).(*sessions.Session)
@@ -240,8 +240,8 @@ func (c *Controller) ServeCreateUserDo(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 
 func (c *Controller) ServeUpdateLastFMAPIKey(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	data := &templateData{}
-	data.CurrentLastFMAPIKey = c.GetSetting("lastfm_api_key")
-	data.CurrentLastFMAPISecret = c.GetSetting("lastfm_secret")
+	data.CurrentLastFMAPIKey = c.DB.GetSetting("lastfm_api_key")
+	data.CurrentLastFMAPISecret = c.DB.GetSetting("lastfm_secret")
 	renderTemplate(w, r, c.Templates["update_lastfm_api_key.tmpl"], data)
 }
 
@@ -256,8 +256,8 @@ func (c *Controller) ServeUpdateLastFMAPIKeyDo(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Re
 		http.Redirect(w, r, r.Header.Get("Referer"), http.StatusSeeOther)
 		return
 	}
-	c.SetSetting("lastfm_api_key", apiKey)
-	c.SetSetting("lastfm_secret", secret)
+	c.DB.SetSetting("lastfm_api_key", apiKey)
+	c.DB.SetSetting("lastfm_secret", secret)
 	http.Redirect(w, r, "/admin/home", http.StatusSeeOther)
 }
 
diff --git a/server/handler/handler_sub_by_folder.go b/server/handler/handler_sub_by_folder.go
index cdf0823..23fd0c6 100644
--- a/server/handler/handler_sub_by_folder.go
+++ b/server/handler/handler_sub_by_folder.go
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ func (c *Controller) GetAlbumList(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		respondError(w, r, 10, "please provide a `type` parameter")
 		return
 	}
-	q := c.DB
+	q := c.DB.DB
 	switch listType {
 	case "alphabeticalByArtist":
 		q = q.Joins(`
diff --git a/server/handler/handler_sub_by_tags.go b/server/handler/handler_sub_by_tags.go
index 79bfc2d..c21040e 100644
--- a/server/handler/handler_sub_by_tags.go
+++ b/server/handler/handler_sub_by_tags.go
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ func (c *Controller) GetAlbumListTwo(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		respondError(w, r, 10, "please provide a `type` parameter")
 		return
 	}
-	q := c.DB
+	q := c.DB.DB
 	switch listType {
 	case "alphabeticalByArtist":
 		q = q.Joins(`
diff --git a/server/handler/handler_sub_common.go b/server/handler/handler_sub_common.go
index 9868f6e..2812d84 100644
--- a/server/handler/handler_sub_common.go
+++ b/server/handler/handler_sub_common.go
@@ -129,8 +129,8 @@ func (c *Controller) Scrobble(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		First(track, id)
 	// scrobble with above info
 	err = lastfm.Scrobble(
-		c.GetSetting("lastfm_api_key"),
-		c.GetSetting("lastfm_secret"),
+		c.DB.GetSetting("lastfm_api_key"),
+		c.DB.GetSetting("lastfm_secret"),
 		user.LastFMSession,
 		track,
 		// clients will provide time in miliseconds, so use that or
diff --git a/server/handler/middleware_admin.go b/server/handler/middleware_admin.go
index 8558edb..964f3b6 100644
--- a/server/handler/middleware_admin.go
+++ b/server/handler/middleware_admin.go
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ func (c *Controller) WithUserSession(next http.HandlerFunc) http.HandlerFunc {
 			return
 		}
 		// take username from sesion and add the user row to the context
-		user := c.GetUserFromName(username)
+		user := c.DB.GetUserFromName(username)
 		if user == nil {
 			// the username in the client's session no longer relates to a
 			// user in the database (maybe the user was deleted)
diff --git a/server/handler/middleware_sub.go b/server/handler/middleware_sub.go
index 7b49e58..c11a145 100644
--- a/server/handler/middleware_sub.go
+++ b/server/handler/middleware_sub.go
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ func (c *Controller) WithValidSubsonicArgs(next http.HandlerFunc) http.HandlerFu
 				"please provide parameters `t` and `s`, or just `p`")
 			return
 		}
-		user := c.GetUserFromName(username)
+		user := c.DB.GetUserFromName(username)
 		if user == nil {
 			respondError(w, r, 40, "invalid username `%s`", username)
 			return
diff --git a/server/handler/respond_admin.go b/server/handler/respond_admin.go
index d109c1f..3a39dbb 100644
--- a/server/handler/respond_admin.go
+++ b/server/handler/respond_admin.go
@@ -11,31 +11,35 @@ import (
 )
 
 type templateData struct {
-	AlbumCount             int
-	AllUsers               []*model.User
-	ArtistCount            int
+	// common
+	Flashes []interface{}
+	User    *model.User
+	// home
+	AlbumCount    int
+	ArtistCount   int
+	TrackCount    int
+	RequestRoot   string
+	RecentFolders []*model.Album
+	AllUsers      []*model.User
+	//
 	CurrentLastFMAPIKey    string
 	CurrentLastFMAPISecret string
-	Flashes                []interface{}
-	RecentFolders          []*model.Album
-	RequestRoot            string
 	SelectedUser           *model.User
-	TrackCount             int
-	User                   *model.User
 }
 
-func renderTemplate(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request,
-	tmpl *template.Template, data *templateData) {
-	session := r.Context().Value(contextSessionKey).(*sessions.Session)
+func renderTemplate(
+	w http.ResponseWriter,
+	r *http.Request,
+	tmpl *template.Template,
+	data *templateData,
+) {
 	if data == nil {
 		data = &templateData{}
 	}
+	session := r.Context().Value(contextSessionKey).(*sessions.Session)
 	data.Flashes = session.Flashes()
 	sessionLogSave(w, r, session)
-	user, ok := r.Context().Value(contextUserKey).(*model.User)
-	if ok {
-		data.User = user
-	}
+	data.User = r.Context().Value(contextUserKey).(*model.User)
 	err := tmpl.Execute(w, data)
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Printf("error executing template: %v\n", err)
diff --git a/server/server.go b/server/server.go
index 29afe06..b914c31 100644
--- a/server/server.go
+++ b/server/server.go
@@ -5,8 +5,7 @@ import (
 	"net/http"
 	"time"
 
-	"github.com/jinzhu/gorm"
-
+	"github.com/sentriz/gonic/db"
 	"github.com/sentriz/gonic/server/handler"
 )
 
@@ -18,7 +17,7 @@ type Server struct {
 }
 
 func New(
-	db *gorm.DB,
+	db *db.DB,
 	musicPath string,
 	listenAddr string,
 	assetPath string,
diff --git a/server/server_admin.go b/server/server_admin.go
index 3b8cbc8..24ea248 100644
--- a/server/server_admin.go
+++ b/server/server_admin.go
@@ -80,12 +80,12 @@ func staticHandler(assets *Assets, path string) http.HandlerFunc {
 }
 
 func (s *Server) SetupAdmin() error {
-	sessionKey := []byte(s.GetSetting("session_key"))
+	sessionKey := []byte(s.DB.GetSetting("session_key"))
 	if len(sessionKey) == 0 {
 		sessionKey = securecookie.GenerateRandomKey(32)
-		s.SetSetting("session_key", string(sessionKey))
+		s.DB.SetSetting("session_key", string(sessionKey))
 	}
-	s.SessDB = gormstore.New(s.DB, sessionKey)
+	s.SessDB = gormstore.New(s.DB.DB, sessionKey)
 	go s.SessDB.PeriodicCleanup(time.Hour, nil)
 	//
 	tmplBase := template.