diff --git a/bigchaindb/pipelines/block.py b/bigchaindb/pipelines/block.py
index 59375c57..0e9f8d04 100644
--- a/bigchaindb/pipelines/block.py
+++ b/bigchaindb/pipelines/block.py
@@ -53,10 +53,10 @@ class Block:
         Returns:
             The transaction.
         """
-        r.table('backlog')\
-         .get(tx['id'])\
-         .delete(durability='hard')\
-         .run(self.bigchain.conn)
+        self.bigchain.connection.run(
+                r.table('backlog')
+                .get(tx['id'])
+                .delete(durability='hard'))
 
         return tx
 
@@ -118,12 +118,14 @@ def initial():
 
     b = Bigchain()
 
-    rs = r.table('backlog')\
-          .between([b.me, r.minval],
-                   [b.me, r.maxval],
-                   index='assignee__transaction_timestamp')\
-          .order_by(index=r.asc('assignee__transaction_timestamp'))\
-          .run(b.conn)
+    rs = b.connection.run(
+            r.table('backlog')
+            .between(
+                [b.me, r.minval],
+                [b.me, r.maxval],
+                index='assignee__transaction_timestamp')
+            .order_by(index=r.asc('assignee__transaction_timestamp')))
+
     return rs
 
 
diff --git a/bigchaindb/pipelines/election.py b/bigchaindb/pipelines/election.py
index 7a0e114c..cf464e5c 100644
--- a/bigchaindb/pipelines/election.py
+++ b/bigchaindb/pipelines/election.py
@@ -25,9 +25,10 @@ class Election:
         """
         Checks if block has enough invalid votes to make a decision
         """
-        next_block = r.table('bigchain')\
-            .get(next_vote['vote']['voting_for_block'])\
-            .run(self.bigchain.conn)
+        next_block = self.bigchain.connection.run(
+                r.table('bigchain')
+                .get(next_vote['vote']['voting_for_block']))
+
         if self.bigchain.block_election_status(next_block) == self.bigchain.BLOCK_INVALID:
             return next_block