diff --git a/lib/ntbb-database.lib.php b/lib/ntbb-database.lib.php
index f1b0a1d2a..52739453f 100644
--- a/lib/ntbb-database.lib.php
+++ b/lib/ntbb-database.lib.php
@@ -25,13 +25,12 @@ class PSDatabase {
 		if (!$this->db) {
 			try {
 				$this->db = new PDO(
-					"mysql:dbname={$this->database};host={$this->server};charset={$this->charset}",
+					"mysql:dbname={$this->database};host={$this->server};charset={$this->charset};wait_timeout=7200",
 					$this->username,
 					$this->password,
 					[PDO::ATTR_PERSISTENT => true]
 				);
 				$this->db->setAttribute(PDO::ATTR_DEFAULT_FETCH_MODE, PDO::FETCH_ASSOC);
-				$this->db->exec("SET SESSION wait_timeout = 7200");
 			} catch (PDOException $e) {
 				if (strpos($e->getMessage(), '1040') !== false || strpos($e->getMessage(), 'Too many connections') !== false) {
 					http_response_code(503);