diff --git a/bigchaindb/pipelines/vote.py b/bigchaindb/pipelines/vote.py
index b89e0786..cb751d0f 100644
--- a/bigchaindb/pipelines/vote.py
+++ b/bigchaindb/pipelines/vote.py
@@ -10,10 +10,12 @@ from collections import Counter
 from multipipes import Pipeline, Node
 from bigchaindb.common import exceptions
 
+import bigchaindb
+from bigchaindb import Bigchain
+from bigchaindb.backend import connect, get_changefeed
+from bigchaindb.backend.changefeed import ChangeFeed
 from bigchaindb.consensus import BaseConsensusRules
 from bigchaindb.models import Transaction, Block
-from bigchaindb.pipelines.utils import ChangeFeed
-from bigchaindb import Bigchain
 
 
 class Vote:
@@ -142,12 +144,6 @@ def initial():
     return rs
 
 
-def get_changefeed():
-    """Create and return the changefeed for the bigchain table."""
-
-    return ChangeFeed('bigchain', operation=ChangeFeed.INSERT, prefeed=initial())
-
-
 def create_pipeline():
     """Create and return the pipeline of operations to be distributed
     on different processes."""
@@ -168,7 +164,10 @@ def create_pipeline():
 def start():
     """Create, start, and return the block pipeline."""
 
+    connection = connect(**bigchaindb.config['database'])
+    changefeed = get_changefeed(connection, 'bigchain', ChangeFeed.INSERT,
+                                prefeed=initial())
     pipeline = create_pipeline()
-    pipeline.setup(indata=get_changefeed())
+    pipeline.setup(indata=changefeed)
     pipeline.start()
     return pipeline
diff --git a/tests/pipelines/test_vote.py b/tests/pipelines/test_vote.py
index 0f471c0b..feac58bc 100644
--- a/tests/pipelines/test_vote.py
+++ b/tests/pipelines/test_vote.py
@@ -487,7 +487,9 @@ def test_invalid_block_voting(monkeypatch, b, user_pk):
 
 
 def test_voter_considers_unvoted_blocks_when_single_node(monkeypatch, b):
-    from bigchaindb.backend import query
+    import bigchaindb
+    from bigchaindb.backend import query, get_changefeed, connect
+    from bigchaindb.backend.changefeed import ChangeFeed
     from bigchaindb.pipelines import vote
 
     outpipe = Pipe()
@@ -507,8 +509,11 @@ def test_voter_considers_unvoted_blocks_when_single_node(monkeypatch, b):
     block_ids.append(block_2.id)
     b.write_block(block_2)
 
+    connection = connect(**bigchaindb.config['database'])
+    changefeed = get_changefeed(connection, 'bigchain', ChangeFeed.INSERT,
+                                prefeed=vote.initial())
     vote_pipeline = vote.create_pipeline()
-    vote_pipeline.setup(indata=vote.get_changefeed(), outdata=outpipe)
+    vote_pipeline.setup(indata=changefeed, outdata=outpipe)
     vote_pipeline.start()
 
     # We expects two votes, so instead of waiting an arbitrary amount
@@ -535,7 +540,9 @@ def test_voter_considers_unvoted_blocks_when_single_node(monkeypatch, b):
 
 
 def test_voter_chains_blocks_with_the_previous_ones(monkeypatch, b):
-    from bigchaindb.backend import query
+    import bigchaindb
+    from bigchaindb.backend import query, connect, get_changefeed
+    from bigchaindb.backend.changefeed import ChangeFeed
     from bigchaindb.pipelines import vote
 
     outpipe = Pipe()
@@ -554,8 +561,11 @@ def test_voter_chains_blocks_with_the_previous_ones(monkeypatch, b):
     block_ids.append(block_2.id)
     b.write_block(block_2)
 
+    connection = connect(**bigchaindb.config['database'])
+    changefeed = get_changefeed(connection, 'bigchain', ChangeFeed.INSERT,
+                                prefeed=vote.initial())
     vote_pipeline = vote.create_pipeline()
-    vote_pipeline.setup(indata=vote.get_changefeed(), outdata=outpipe)
+    vote_pipeline.setup(indata=changefeed, outdata=outpipe)
     vote_pipeline.start()
 
     # We expects two votes, so instead of waiting an arbitrary amount