diff --git a/bigchaindb/db/utils.py b/bigchaindb/db/utils.py
index 7b2939e6..8e34fd99 100644
--- a/bigchaindb/db/utils.py
+++ b/bigchaindb/db/utils.py
@@ -161,10 +161,7 @@ def create_votes_secondary_index(conn, dbname):
     r.db(dbname).table('votes').index_wait().run(conn)
 
 
-def init():
-    # Try to access the keypair, throws an exception if it does not exist
-    b = bigchaindb.Bigchain()
-
+def init_database():
     conn = get_conn()
     dbname = get_database_name()
     create_database(conn, dbname)
@@ -172,10 +169,18 @@ def init():
     table_names = ['bigchain', 'backlog', 'votes']
     for table_name in table_names:
         create_table(conn, dbname, table_name)
+
     create_bigchain_secondary_index(conn, dbname)
     create_backlog_secondary_index(conn, dbname)
     create_votes_secondary_index(conn, dbname)
 
+
+def init():
+    # Try to access the keypair, throws an exception if it does not exist
+    b = bigchaindb.Bigchain()
+
+    init_database()
+
     logger.info('Create genesis block.')
     b.create_genesis_block()
     logger.info('Done, have fun!')
@@ -184,9 +189,9 @@ def init():
 def drop(assume_yes=False):
     conn = get_conn()
     dbname = bigchaindb.config['database']['name']
-
     if assume_yes:
         response = 'y'
+
     else:
         response = input('Do you want to drop `{}` database? [y/n]: '.format(dbname))
 
@@ -197,5 +202,6 @@ def drop(assume_yes=False):
             logger.info('Done.')
         except r.ReqlOpFailedError:
             raise exceptions.DatabaseDoesNotExist('Database `{}` does not exist'.format(dbname))
+
     else:
         logger.info('Drop aborted')
diff --git a/tests/db/conftest.py b/tests/db/conftest.py
index f55a4c34..fe4508b7 100644
--- a/tests/db/conftest.py
+++ b/tests/db/conftest.py
@@ -10,11 +10,13 @@ import pytest
 import rethinkdb as r
 
 from bigchaindb import Bigchain
-from bigchaindb.db import get_conn
+from bigchaindb.db import get_conn, init_database
 from bigchaindb.common import crypto
+from bigchaindb.common.exceptions import DatabaseAlreadyExists
 
 USER2_SK, USER2_VK = crypto.generate_key_pair()
 
+
 @pytest.fixture(autouse=True)
 def restore_config(request, node_config):
     from bigchaindb import config_utils
@@ -25,53 +27,17 @@ def restore_config(request, node_config):
 def setup_database(request, node_config):
     print('Initializing test db')
     db_name = node_config['database']['name']
-    get_conn().repl()
+    conn = get_conn()
+
+    if r.db_list().contains(db_name).run(conn):
+        r.db_drop(db_name).run(conn)
+
     try:
-        r.db_create(db_name).run()
-    except r.ReqlOpFailedError as e:
-        if e.message == 'Database `{}` already exists.'.format(db_name):
-            r.db_drop(db_name).run()
-            r.db_create(db_name).run()
-        else:
-            raise
+        init_database()
+    except DatabaseAlreadyExists:
+        print('Database already exists.')
 
-    print('Finished initializing test db')
-
-    # setup tables
-    r.db(db_name).table_create('bigchain').run()
-    r.db(db_name).table_create('backlog').run()
-    r.db(db_name).table_create('votes').run()
-
-    # create the secondary indexes
-    # to order blocks by timestamp
-    r.db(db_name).table('bigchain').index_create('block_timestamp', r.row['block']['timestamp']).run()
-    # to order blocks by block number
-    r.db(db_name).table('bigchain').index_create('block_number', r.row['block']['block_number']).run()
-    # to order transactions by timestamp
-    r.db(db_name).table('backlog').index_create('transaction_timestamp', r.row['transaction']['timestamp']).run()
-    # to query by payload uuid
-    r.db(db_name).table('bigchain').index_create(
-        'metadata_id',
-        r.row['block']['transactions']['transaction']['metadata']['id'],
-        multi=True,
-    ).run()
-    # compound index to read transactions from the backlog per assignee
-    r.db(db_name).table('backlog')\
-        .index_create('assignee__transaction_timestamp', [r.row['assignee'], r.row['transaction']['timestamp']])\
-        .run()
-    # compound index to order votes by block id and node
-    r.db(db_name).table('votes').index_create('block_and_voter',
-                                              [r.row['vote']['voting_for_block'], r.row['node_pubkey']]).run()
-    # secondary index for asset uuid
-    r.db(db_name).table('bigchain')\
-                .index_create('asset_id',
-                              r.row['block']['transactions']['transaction']['asset']['id'], multi=True)\
-                .run()
-    # order transactions by id
-    r.db(db_name).table('bigchain').index_create('transaction_id', r.row['block']['transactions']['id'],
-                                                 multi=True).run()
-
-    r.db(db_name).table('bigchain').index_wait('transaction_id').run()
+    print('Finishing init database')
 
     def fin():
         print('Deleting `{}` database'.format(db_name))
@@ -81,7 +47,6 @@ def setup_database(request, node_config):
         except r.ReqlOpFailedError as e:
             if e.message != 'Database `{}` does not exist.'.format(db_name):
                 raise
-
         print('Finished deleting `{}`'.format(db_name))
 
     request.addfinalizer(fin)