diff --git a/bigchaindb/db/utils.py b/bigchaindb/db/utils.py
index 55ad7c03..d72a4f04 100644
--- a/bigchaindb/db/utils.py
+++ b/bigchaindb/db/utils.py
@@ -1,17 +1,13 @@
 """Utils to initialize and drop the database."""
 
 import logging
-
 import rethinkdb as r
-
 import bigchaindb
+from bigchaindb import exceptions
 
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
-class DatabaseAlreadyExistsException(Exception):
-    pass
-
 def get_conn():
     '''Get the connection to the database.'''
 
@@ -24,7 +20,7 @@ def init():
     dbname = bigchaindb.config['database']['name']
 
     if r.db_list().contains(dbname).run(conn):
-        raise DatabaseAlreadyExistsException('Database `{}` already exists'.format(dbname))
+        raise exceptions.DatabaseAlreadyExistsException('Database `{}` already exists'.format(dbname))
 
     logger.info('Create:')
     logger.info(' - database `%s`', dbname)
diff --git a/bigchaindb/exceptions.py b/bigchaindb/exceptions.py
index eb87ca25..07cb0155 100644
--- a/bigchaindb/exceptions.py
+++ b/bigchaindb/exceptions.py
@@ -19,3 +19,6 @@ class InvalidHash(Exception):
 class InvalidSignature(Exception):
     """Raised if there was an error checking the signature for a particular operation"""
 
+class DatabaseAlreadyExistsException(Exception):
+    """Raised when trying to create the database but the db is already there"""
+