diff --git a/bigchaindb/backend/mongodb/changefeed.py b/bigchaindb/backend/mongodb/changefeed.py
index 59d53b72..c155bb6f 100644
--- a/bigchaindb/backend/mongodb/changefeed.py
+++ b/bigchaindb/backend/mongodb/changefeed.py
@@ -89,13 +89,14 @@ def run_changefeed(conn, table, last_ts):
         try:
             # XXX: hack to force reconnection, in case the connection
             # is lost while waiting on the cursor. See #1154.
-            conn.connection = 1
+            conn._conn = None
             namespace = conn.dbname + '.' + table
-            cursor = conn.conn.local.oplog.rs.find(
+            query = conn.query().local.oplog.rs.find(
                 {'ns': namespace, 'ts': {'$gt': last_ts}},
                 {'o._id': False},
                 cursor_type=pymongo.CursorType.TAILABLE_AWAIT
             )
+            cursor = conn.run(query)
             logging.debug('Tailing oplog at %s/%s', namespace, last_ts)
             while cursor.alive:
                 try:
diff --git a/bigchaindb/backend/mongodb/query.py b/bigchaindb/backend/mongodb/query.py
index a0d8ed12..17d50f02 100644
--- a/bigchaindb/backend/mongodb/query.py
+++ b/bigchaindb/backend/mongodb/query.py
@@ -286,8 +286,9 @@ def get_last_voted_block(conn, node_pubkey):
 @register_query(MongoDBConnection)
 def get_new_blocks_feed(conn, start_block_id):
     namespace = conn.dbname + '.bigchain'
-    query = {'o.id': start_block_id, 'op': 'i', 'ns': namespace}
+    match = {'o.id': start_block_id, 'op': 'i', 'ns': namespace}
     # Neccesary to find in descending order since tests may write same block id several times
-    last_ts = conn.conn.local.oplog.rs.find(query).sort('$natural', -1).next()['ts']
+    query = conn.query().local.oplog.rs.find(match).sort('$natural', -1).next()['ts']
+    last_ts = conn.run(query)
     feed = run_changefeed(conn, 'bigchain', last_ts)
     return (evt['o'] for evt in feed if evt['op'] == 'i')
diff --git a/tests/backend/mongodb/test_changefeed.py b/tests/backend/mongodb/test_changefeed.py
index cfe50e57..e1d11706 100644
--- a/tests/backend/mongodb/test_changefeed.py
+++ b/tests/backend/mongodb/test_changefeed.py
@@ -142,8 +142,7 @@ def test_connection_failure():
     from bigchaindb.backend.mongodb.changefeed import run_changefeed
 
     conn = mock.MagicMock()
-    find = conn.conn.local.oplog.rs.find
-    find.side_effect = [ConnectionError(), RuntimeError()]
+    conn.run.side_effect = [ConnectionError(), RuntimeError()]
     changefeed = run_changefeed(conn, 'backlog', -1)
     with pytest.raises(RuntimeError):
         for record in changefeed: