diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index 9e16000..8ddc3a9 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -8,8 +8,8 @@ pub use database::Database;
 use actix_web::{get, post, web, App, HttpRequest, HttpResponse, HttpServer, Responder};
 use scraper::{Html, Selector};
 use serde::Deserialize;
-use std::collections::HashMap;
-use std::sync::{Mutex, MutexGuard};
+use std::{collections::HashMap, sync::MutexGuard};
+use std::sync::Mutex;
 use validator::Validate;
 use sanitize_html::{sanitize_str, rules::predefined::DEFAULT, errors::SanitizeError};
 use clap::Parser;
@@ -19,6 +19,58 @@ struct AppState {
     arguments: Arguments,
 }
 
+enum DatabaseAccessError {
+    BadOrigin,
+    AccessError,
+    DatabaseError
+}
+
+impl DatabaseAccessError {
+    fn to_http_response(&self) -> HttpResponse {
+        match self {
+            Self::BadOrigin => HttpResponse::BadRequest().reason("bad origin").finish(),
+            Self::AccessError => HttpResponse::InternalServerError().reason("database access error").finish(), // e.g. PoisonError
+            Self::DatabaseError => HttpResponse::InternalServerError().reason("database error").finish(),
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+impl AppState {
+    fn get_db<'a>(
+        &'a self,
+        request: &HttpRequest,
+    ) -> Result<MutexGuard<'a, Database>, DatabaseAccessError> {
+        self.get_db_with_origin(get_request_origin(request))
+    }
+
+    fn get_db_with_origin<'a>(
+        &'a self,
+        origin: Option<String>,
+    ) -> Result<MutexGuard<'a, Database>, DatabaseAccessError> {
+        let origin = match origin {
+            Some(origin) => origin,
+            None => return Err(DatabaseAccessError::BadOrigin),
+        };
+        match self.databases.get(&origin) {
+            Some(database) => Ok(match database.lock() {
+                Ok(database) => database,
+                Err(_) => return Err(DatabaseAccessError::AccessError),
+            }),
+            None => return Err(DatabaseAccessError::AccessError),
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+fn get_request_origin(request: &HttpRequest) -> Option<String> {
+    match request.head().headers().get("Origin") {
+        Some(origin) => match origin.to_str() {
+            Ok(origin) => Some(origin.to_owned()),
+            Err(_) => None,
+        },
+        None => None,
+    }
+}
+
 #[derive(Default, Parser)]
 #[clap(author, version, about)]
 struct Arguments {
@@ -34,37 +86,29 @@ struct Arguments {
     email_required: bool,
 }
 
-fn get_db<'a>(
-    data: &'a web::Data<AppState>,
-    request: &HttpRequest,
-) -> Result<MutexGuard<'a, Database>, HttpResponse> {
-    let origin = match request.head().headers().get("Origin") {
-        Some(origin) => match origin.to_str() {
-            Ok(origin) => origin,
-            Err(_) => return Err(HttpResponse::BadRequest().reason("bad origin").finish()),
-        },
-        None => return Err(HttpResponse::BadRequest().reason("bad origin").finish()),
-    };
-    match data.databases.get(origin) {
-        Some(database) => Ok(match database.lock() {
-            Ok(database) => database,
-            Err(_) => return Err(HttpResponse::InternalServerError().reason("database error").finish()),
-        }),
-        None => return Err(HttpResponse::BadRequest().reason("bad origin").finish()),
-    }
-}
-
 #[get("/{content_id}")]
 async fn get_comments(
     data: web::Data<AppState>,
     request: HttpRequest,
     content_id: web::Path<String>,
 ) -> impl Responder {
-    let database = match get_db(&data, &request) {
-        Ok(database) => database,
-        Err(response) => return response,
+    let origin = get_request_origin(&request);
+    let comments = match web::block(move || {
+        Ok(match match data.get_db_with_origin(origin) {
+            Ok(database) => database,
+            Err(err) => return Err(err),
+        }.get_comments(&content_id) {
+            Ok(comments) => comments,
+            Err(_) => return Err(DatabaseAccessError::DatabaseError),
+        })
+    }).await { 
+        Ok(comments) => match comments {
+            Ok(comments) => comments,
+            Err(err) => return err.to_http_response(),
+        },
+        Err(_) => return DatabaseAccessError::AccessError.to_http_response(),
     };
-    HttpResponse::Ok().json(database.get_comments(&content_id).unwrap())
+    HttpResponse::Ok().json(comments)
 }
 
 #[derive(Deserialize)]
@@ -139,9 +183,9 @@ async fn post_comment(
                 },
                 Err(_) => return HttpResponse::InternalServerError().reason("failed to get page data").finish(),
             };
-            let database = match get_db(&data, &request) {
+            let database = match data.get_db(&request) {
                 Ok(database) => database,
-                Err(response) => return response,
+                Err(err) => return err.to_http_response(),
             };
             if let Some(parent) = comment.parent {
                 'outer2: loop {