diff --git a/blockchain.go b/blockchain.go
index a5c74d6..5f6892d 100644
--- a/blockchain.go
+++ b/blockchain.go
@@ -254,8 +254,14 @@ func blockchainVerifyEverything() error {
 		}
 		blockKeyOps, err := b.dbGetKeyOps()
 		if err != nil {
+			if err := b.Close(); err != nil {
+				panic(err)
+			}
 			return fmt.Errorf("block %d: cannot get key ops: %v", height, err)
 		}
+		if err = b.Close(); err != nil {
+			panic(err)
+		}
 		Q := QuorumForHeight(height)
 		for keyOpKeyHash, keyOps := range blockKeyOps {
 			if len(keyOps) != Q {
@@ -431,6 +437,10 @@ func OpenBlockFile(fileName string) (*Block, error) {
 	return &b, nil
 }
 
+func (b *Block) Close() error {
+	return b.db.Close()
+}
+
 // Returns an integer value from the _meta table within the block
 func (b *Block) dbGetMetaInt(key string) (int, error) {
 	var value string
diff --git a/p2p.go b/p2p.go
index 54915ef..6c51896 100644
--- a/p2p.go
+++ b/p2p.go
@@ -737,6 +737,7 @@ func (p2pc *p2pConnection) handleBlock(msg StrIfMap) {
 		return
 	}
 	log.Println("Accepted block", blk.Hash, "at height", blk.Height)
+	blk.Close()
 }
 
 // Connect to a peer. Does everything except starting the handler goroutine.