diff --git a/app.js b/app.js
index 8486f9b..42d24e4 100644
--- a/app.js
+++ b/app.js
@@ -88,7 +88,8 @@ const Admiral = new Fleet({
   },
   services: [
     { name: "prometheus", path: path.join(__dirname, "./utils/services/prometheus.js") },
-    { name: "image", path: path.join(__dirname, "./utils/services/image.js")}
+    { name: "image", path: path.join(__dirname, "./utils/services/image.js")},
+    { name: "database", path: path.join(__dirname, "./utils/services/database.js")}
   ]
 });
 
diff --git a/commands/general/channel.js b/commands/general/channel.js
index a44924d..2d0430f 100644
--- a/commands/general/channel.js
+++ b/commands/general/channel.js
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ class ChannelCommand extends Command {
     if (this.args.length === 0) return "You need to provide whether I should be enabled or disabled in this channel!";
     if (this.args[0] !== "disable" && this.args[0] !== "enable") return "That's not a valid option!";
 
-    const guildDB = await db.getGuild(this.message.channel.guild.id);
+    const guildDB = await db(this.ipc, "getGuild", this.message.channel.guild.id);
 
     if (this.args[0].toLowerCase() === "disable") {
       let channel;
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ class ChannelCommand extends Command {
         channel = this.message.channel;
       }
 
-      await db.disableChannel(channel);
+      await db(this.ipc, "disableChannel", channel);
       return `I have been disabled in this channel. To re-enable me, just run \`${guildDB.prefix}channel enable\`.`;
     } else if (this.args[0].toLowerCase() === "enable") {
       let channel;
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ class ChannelCommand extends Command {
         channel = this.message.channel;
       }
 
-      await db.enableChannel(channel);
+      await db(this.ipc, "enableChannel", channel);
       return "I have been re-enabled in this channel.";
     }
   }
diff --git a/commands/general/count.js b/commands/general/count.js
index 48cf792..dcb15ad 100644
--- a/commands/general/count.js
+++ b/commands/general/count.js
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ class CountCommand extends Command {
   async run() {
     if (this.message.channel.guild && !this.message.channel.permissionsOf(this.client.user.id).has("addReactions")) return "I don't have the `Add Reactions` permission!";
     if (this.message.channel.guild && !this.message.channel.permissionsOf(this.client.user.id).has("embedLinks")) return "I don't have the `Embed Links` permission!";
-    const counts = await database.getCounts();
+    const counts = await database(this.ipc, "getCounts");
     const countArray = [];
     for (const entry of Object.entries(counts)) {
       countArray.push(entry);
diff --git a/commands/general/help.js b/commands/general/help.js
index a2524cc..e7958f1 100644
--- a/commands/general/help.js
+++ b/commands/general/help.js
@@ -8,13 +8,13 @@ const Command = require("../../classes/command.js");
 
 class HelpCommand extends Command {
   async run() {
-    const { prefix } = this.message.channel.guild ? await database.getGuild(this.message.channel.guild.id) : "N/A";
+    const { prefix } = this.message.channel.guild ? await database(this.ipc, "getGuild", this.message.channel.guild.id) : "N/A";
     const commands = collections.commands;
     const aliases = collections.aliases;
     if (this.args.length !== 0 && (commands.has(this.args[0].toLowerCase()) || aliases.has(this.args[0].toLowerCase()))) {
       const command = aliases.has(this.args[0].toLowerCase()) ? collections.aliases.get(this.args[0].toLowerCase()) : this.args[0].toLowerCase();
       const info = collections.info.get(command);
-      const counts = await database.getCounts();
+      const counts = await database(this.ipc, "getCounts");
       const embed = {
         "embed": {
           "author": {
diff --git a/commands/general/prefix.js b/commands/general/prefix.js
index 19b29c4..d2b295c 100644
--- a/commands/general/prefix.js
+++ b/commands/general/prefix.js
@@ -4,10 +4,10 @@ const Command = require("../../classes/command.js");
 class PrefixCommand extends Command {
   async run() {
     if (!this.message.channel.guild) return "This command only works in servers!";
-    const guild = await database.getGuild(this.message.channel.guild.id);
+    const guild = await database(this.ipc, "getGuild", this.message.channel.guild.id);
     if (this.args.length !== 0) {
       if (!this.message.member.permissions.has("administrator") && this.message.member.id !== process.env.OWNER) return "You need to be an administrator to change the bot prefix!";
-      await database.setPrefix(this.args[0], this.message.channel.guild);
+      await database(this.ipc, "setPrefix", this.args[0], this.message.channel.guild);
       return `The prefix has been changed to ${this.args[0]}.`;
     } else {
       return `The current prefix is \`${guild.prefix}\`.`;
diff --git a/commands/tags/tags.js b/commands/tags/tags.js
index 8cbe641..880d0d2 100644
--- a/commands/tags/tags.js
+++ b/commands/tags/tags.js
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ class TagsCommand extends Command {
   // todo: find a way to split this into subcommands
   async run() {
     if (!this.message.channel.guild) return "This command only works in servers!";
-    const guild = await database.getGuild(this.message.channel.guild.id);
+    const guild = await database(this.ipc, "getGuild", this.message.channel.guild.id);
 
     if ((guild.tagsDisabled || guild.tags_disabled) && this.args[0].toLowerCase() !== ("enable" || "disable")) return;
     if (this.args.length === 0) return "You need to provide the name of the tag you want to view!";
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ class TagsCommand extends Command {
         if (this.args[1] === undefined) return "You need to provide the name of the tag you want to delete!";
         if (!tags[this.args[1].toLowerCase()]) return "This tag doesn't exist!";
         if (tags[this.args[1].toLowerCase()].author !== this.message.author.id && !this.message.member.permissions.has("manageMessages") && this.message.author.id !== process.env.OWNER) return "You don't own this tag!";
-        await database.removeTag(this.args[1].toLowerCase(), this.message.channel.guild);
+        await database(this.ipc, "removeTag", this.args[1].toLowerCase(), this.message.channel.guild);
         return `The tag \`${this.args[1].toLowerCase()}\` has been deleted!`;
       case "edit":
         if (this.args[1] === undefined) return "You need to provide the name of the tag you want to edit!";
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ class TagsCommand extends Command {
       case "enable":
       case "disable":
         if (!this.message.member.permissions.has("manageMessages") && this.message.author.id !== process.env.OWNER) return "You don't have permission to disable tags!";
-        var toggleResult = await database.toggleTags(this.message.channel.guild);
+        var toggleResult = await database(this.ipc, "toggleTags", this.message.channel.guild);
         return `Tags for this guild have been ${toggleResult ? "disabled" : "enabled"}. To ${toggleResult ? "enable" : "disable"} them again, run ${guild.prefix}tags ${toggleResult ? "enable" : "disable"}.`;
       default:
         if (!tags[this.args[0].toLowerCase()]) return "This tag doesn't exist!";
@@ -86,11 +86,11 @@ class TagsCommand extends Command {
   async setTag(content, name, message) {
     if ((!content || content.length === 0) && message.attachments.length === 0) return "You need to provide the content of the tag!";
     if (message.attachments.length !== 0 && content) {
-      await database.setTag(name, { content: `${content} ${message.attachments[0].url}`, author: message.author.id }, message.channel.guild);
+      await database(this.ipc, "setTag", name, { content: `${content} ${message.attachments[0].url}`, author: message.author.id }, message.channel.guild);
     } else if (message.attachments.length !== 0) {
-      await database.setTag(name, { content: message.attachments[0].url, author: message.author.id }, message.channel.guild);
+      await database(this.ipc, "setTag", name, { content: message.attachments[0].url, author: message.author.id }, message.channel.guild);
     } else {
-      await database.setTag(name, { content: content, author: message.author.id }, message.channel.guild);
+      await database(this.ipc, "setTag", name, { content: content, author: message.author.id }, message.channel.guild);
     }
     return;
   }
diff --git a/events/guildCreate.js b/events/guildCreate.js
index b33e8e2..1df65ec 100644
--- a/events/guildCreate.js
+++ b/events/guildCreate.js
@@ -4,5 +4,5 @@ const logger = require("../utils/logger.js");
 // run when the bot is added to a guild
 module.exports = async (client, cluster, worker, ipc, guild) => {
   logger.log(`[GUILD JOIN] ${guild.name} (${guild.id}) added the bot.`);
-  await db.addGuild(guild);
+  await db(ipc, "addGuild", guild);
 };
diff --git a/events/messageCreate.js b/events/messageCreate.js
index 950db8b..2357bbd 100644
--- a/events/messageCreate.js
+++ b/events/messageCreate.js
@@ -20,9 +20,9 @@ module.exports = async (client, cluster, worker, ipc, message) => {
     if (cachedPrefix) {
       prefixCandidate = cachedPrefix;
     } else {
-      let guildDB = await database.getGuild(message.channel.guild.id);
+      let guildDB = await database(ipc, "getGuild", message.channel.guild.id);
       if (!guildDB) {
-        guildDB = await database.fixGuild(message.channel.guild);
+        guildDB = await database(ipc, "fixGuild", message.channel.guild);
       }
       prefixCandidate = guildDB.prefix;
       collections.prefixCache.set(message.channel.guild.id, guildDB.prefix);
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ module.exports = async (client, cluster, worker, ipc, message) => {
       const disabled = collections.disabledCache.get(message.channel.guild.id);
       if (disabled.includes(message.channel.id) && command != "channel") return;
     } else if (message.channel.guild) {
-      const guildDB = await database.getGuild(message.channel.guild.id);
+      const guildDB = await database(ipc, "getGuild", message.channel.guild.id);
       collections.disabledCache.set(message.channel.guild.id, guildDB.disabled);
       if (guildDB.disabled.includes(message.channel.id) && command !== "channel") return;
     }
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ module.exports = async (client, cluster, worker, ipc, message) => {
     }
   };
   try {
-    await database.addCount(collections.aliases.has(command) ? collections.aliases.get(command) : command);
+    await database(ipc, "addCount", collections.aliases.has(command) ? collections.aliases.get(command) : command);
     const startTime = new Date();
     // eslint-disable-next-line no-unused-vars
     const commandClass = new cmd(client, cluster, worker, ipc, message, parsed._, message.content.substring(prefix.length).trim().replace(command, "").trim(), (({ _, ...o }) => o)(parsed)); // we also provide the message content as a parameter for cases where we need more accuracy
diff --git a/shard.js b/shard.js
index ff29a22..fe266d6 100644
--- a/shard.js
+++ b/shard.js
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ class Shard extends BaseClusterWorker {
     // connect to lavalink
     if (!sound.status && !sound.connected) sound.connect(this.bot);
 
-    database.setup();
+    database(this.ipc, "setup");
 
     this.activityChanger();
 
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ class Shard extends BaseClusterWorker {
     for (const command in collections.commands) {
       handler.unload(command);
     }
-    require("./utils/database.js").stop();
+    database(this.ipc, "stop");
     done();
   }
 
diff --git a/utils/database.js b/utils/database.js
index cb9e677..20972ac 100644
--- a/utils/database.js
+++ b/utils/database.js
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
-// wrapper for the database drivers in ./database/
+// wrapper for the database service
 
-module.exports = require(`./database/${process.env.DB ? process.env.DB.split("://")[0] : "dummy"}.js`);
\ No newline at end of file
+module.exports = async (ipc, name, ...args) => {
+  return ipc.command("database", { name, args }, true);
+};
diff --git a/utils/services/database.js b/utils/services/database.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f38947f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/utils/services/database.js
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+// service wrapper for the database drivers in ../database/
+const { BaseServiceWorker } = require("eris-fleet");
+
+const database = require(`../database/${process.env.DB ? process.env.DB.split("://")[0] : "dummy"}.js`);
+
+class DatabaseWorker extends BaseServiceWorker {
+  constructor(setup) {
+    super(setup);
+    this.serviceReady();
+  }
+
+  async handleCommand(data) {
+    try {
+      if (database[data.name]) {
+        return await database[data.name](...data.args);
+      } else {
+        throw "Unknown query";
+      }
+    } catch (err) {
+      return { err: typeof err === "string" ? err : err.message };
+    }
+  }
+
+  shutdown(done) {
+    database.stop().then(() => done);
+  }
+}
+
+module.exports = DatabaseWorker;
diff --git a/utils/services/prometheus.js b/utils/services/prometheus.js
index c9a7a57..72ce76d 100644
--- a/utils/services/prometheus.js
+++ b/utils/services/prometheus.js
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ esmbot_connected_workers ${servers.length}
             res.write(`esmbot_max_jobs{worker="${i}"} ${w.max}\n`);
           }
         }
-        const counts = await database.getCounts();
+        const counts = await database(this.ipc, "getCounts");
         for (const [i, w] of Object.entries(counts)) {
           res.write(`esmbot_command_count{command="${i}"} ${w}\n`);
         }
diff --git a/utils/soundplayer.js b/utils/soundplayer.js
index 004636a..2ad6762 100644
--- a/utils/soundplayer.js
+++ b/utils/soundplayer.js
@@ -89,6 +89,7 @@ exports.play = async (client, sound, message, music = false) => {
 };
 
 exports.nextSong = async (client, message, connection, track, info, music, voiceChannel, loop = false, inQueue = false, lastTrack = null) => {
+  this.skipVotes.set(this.message.channel.guild.id, { count: 0, ids: [] });
   const parts = Math.floor((0 / info.length) * 10);
   let playingMessage;
   if (!music && this.players.get(voiceChannel.guild.id)) {