diff --git a/krake/krake/api/app.py b/krake/krake/api/app.py
index 12a007ebe..cf3f0c13f 100644
--- a/krake/krake/api/app.py
+++ b/krake/krake/api/app.py
@@ -21,7 +21,10 @@
 """
 import logging
 import ssl
+from functools import partial
+
 from aiohttp import web, ClientSession
+from krake.api.database import Session
 
 from krake.data.core import RoleBinding
 from . import __version__ as version
@@ -90,11 +93,7 @@ def create_app(config):
         middlewares=[
             middlewares.error_log(),
             authentication,
-            middlewares.database(
-                host=config.etcd.host,
-                port=config.etcd.port,
-                retry=config.etcd.retry_transactions,
-            ),
+            middlewares.retry_transaction(retry=config.etcd.retry_transactions),
         ],
     )
     app["config"] = config
@@ -103,6 +102,9 @@ def create_app(config):
 
     # Cleanup contexts
     app.cleanup_ctx.append(http_session)
+    app.cleanup_ctx.append(
+        partial(db_session, host=config.etcd.host, port=config.etcd.port)
+    )
 
     # Routes
     app.add_routes(routes)
@@ -113,6 +115,23 @@ def create_app(config):
     return app
 
 
+async def db_session(app, host, port):
+    """Async generator creating an database :class:`krake.api.database.Session` that can
+    be used by other components (middleware, route handlers) or the requests. The
+    database session is available under the ``db`` key of the application.
+
+    This function should be used as cleanup context (see
+    :attr:`aiohttp.web.Application.cleanup_ctx`).
+
+    Args:
+        app (aiohttp.web.Application): Web application
+
+    """
+    async with Session(host=host, port=port) as session:
+        app["db"] = session
+        yield
+
+
 async def http_session(app):
     """Async generator creating an :class:`aiohttp.ClientSession` HTTP session
     that can be used by other components (middleware, route handlers). The HTTP
diff --git a/krake/krake/api/helpers.py b/krake/krake/api/helpers.py
index ba84620c3..2f21f1f54 100644
--- a/krake/krake/api/helpers.py
+++ b/krake/krake/api/helpers.py
@@ -41,8 +41,8 @@ def json_error(exc, content):
 def session(request):
     """Load the database session for a given aiohttp request
 
-    Internally, it just returns the value that was assigned by
-    func:`krake.middlewares.database`.
+    Internally, it just returns the value that was given as cleanup context by
+    func:`krake.api.app.db_session`.
 
     Args:
         request (aiohttp.web.Request): HTTP request
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ def session(request):
     Returns:
         krake.database.Session: Database session for the given request
     """
-    return request["db"]
+    return request.app["db"]
 
 
 class Heartbeat(object):
diff --git a/krake/krake/api/middlewares.py b/krake/krake/api/middlewares.py
index 0dc4ea0f5..3cc06cb17 100644
--- a/krake/krake/api/middlewares.py
+++ b/krake/krake/api/middlewares.py
@@ -4,50 +4,42 @@
 from aiohttp import web
 from krake.api.helpers import HttpReason, HttpReasonCode
 
-from .database import Session, TransactionError
+from .database import TransactionError
 
 
-def database(host, port, retry=1):
-    """Middleware factory for per-request etcd database sessions and
-    transaction error handling.
+def retry_transaction(retry=1):
+    """Middleware factory for transaction error handling.
 
-    If an :class:`.database.TransactionError` occurs, the request handler is
-    retried for the specified number of times. If the transaction error
-    persists, a *409 Conflict* HTTP exception is raised.
+    If an :class:`.database.TransactionError` occurs, the request handler is retried for
+    the specified number of times. If the transaction error persists, a *409 Conflict*
+    HTTP exception is raised.
 
     Args:
-        host (str): Host of the etcd server
-        port (int): TCP port of the etcd server
-        retry (int, optional): Number of retries if a transaction error
-            occurs.
+        retry (int, optional): Number of retries if a transaction error occurs.
 
     Returns:
-        aiohttp middleware injecting an etcd database session into each HTTP
-        request and handling transaction errors.
+        coroutine: aiohttp middleware handling transaction errors.
 
     """
     # TODO: Maybe we can share the TCP connection pool across all HTTP
     #     handlers (like for SQLAlchemy engines)
     @web.middleware
-    async def database_middleware(request, handler):
-        async with Session(host=host, port=port) as session:
-            request["db"] = session
-
-            for _ in range(retry + 1):
-                try:
-                    return await handler(request)
-                except TransactionError as err:
-                    request.app.logger.warn("Transaction failed (%s)", err)
-
-            reason = HttpReason(
-                reason="Concurrent writes to database",
-                code=HttpReasonCode.TRANSACTION_ERROR,
-            )
-            raise web.HTTPConflict(
-                text=json.dumps(reason.serialize()), content_type="application/json"
-            )
-
-    return database_middleware
+    async def retry_transaction_middleware(request, handler):
+        for _ in range(retry + 1):
+            try:
+                return await handler(request)
+            except TransactionError as err:
+                request.app.logger.warn("Transaction failed (%s)", err)
+
+        reason = HttpReason(
+            reason="Concurrent writes to database",
+            code=HttpReasonCode.TRANSACTION_ERROR,
+        )
+        raise web.HTTPConflict(
+            text=json.dumps(reason.serialize()), content_type="application/json"
+        )
+
+    return retry_transaction_middleware
 
 
 def error_log():