diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -2,3 +2,6 @@
 
 Provides global read-only configuration and global/action-local read-write
 states to [Scotty](https://github.com/scotty-web/scotty).
+
+For now, `scottish` also provides helpers for database access, especially with
+persistent.
diff --git a/scottish.cabal b/scottish.cabal
--- a/scottish.cabal
+++ b/scottish.cabal
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 name:                scottish
-version:             0.1.0.0
+version:             0.1.0.1
 synopsis:            scotty with batteries included
 description:
   Scotty web framework with batteries included. For configurations/states, you
@@ -45,19 +45,20 @@
   exposed-modules:     Web.Scottish,
                        Web.Scottish.Database
                        Web.Scottish.Database.Persist
-  build-depends:       base          >=4.6     && <4.7
-                     , data-default  >=0.5     && <0.6
-                     , http-types    >= 0.8    && <0.9
-                     , lens          >=3.10    && <4.1
-                     , mtl           >=2.1     && <2.2
-                     , persistent    >=1.3     && <1.4
-                     , resource-pool >=0.2     && <0.3
-                     , scotty        >=0.6     && <0.8
-                     , stm           >=2.4     && <2.5
-                     , text          >=1.0     && <1.1
-                     , transformers  >=0.3     && <0.4
-                     , wai           >=2.0     && <2.2
-                     , warp          >=2.0.3.3 && <2.2
+  build-depends:       base                >=4.6     && <4.7
+                     , data-default        >=0.5     && <0.6
+                     , enclosed-exceptions >=1.0     && <1.1
+                     , http-types          >=0.8     && <0.9
+                     , lens                >=3.10    && <4.1
+                     , mtl                 >=2.1     && <2.2
+                     , persistent          >=1.3     && <1.4
+                     , resource-pool       >=0.2     && <0.3
+                     , scotty              >=0.6     && <0.8
+                     , stm                 >=2.4     && <2.5
+                     , text                >=1.0     && <1.1
+                     , transformers        >=0.3     && <0.4
+                     , wai                 >=2.0     && <2.2
+                     , warp                >=2.0.3.3 && <2.2
   hs-source-dirs:      src
   default-language:    Haskell2010
   ghc-options:         -Wall -fno-warn-orphans
diff --git a/src/Web/Scottish/Database/Persist.hs b/src/Web/Scottish/Database/Persist.hs
--- a/src/Web/Scottish/Database/Persist.hs
+++ b/src/Web/Scottish/Database/Persist.hs
@@ -4,14 +4,26 @@
 -}
 module Web.Scottish.Database.Persist where
 
+import Control.Exception.Enclosed
 import Control.Monad.IO.Class
 import Control.Monad.Trans.Class
 
+import Data.Functor
+
 import Database.Persist.Sql
 
+import Network.HTTP.Types.Status
+
 import Web.Scottish
 import Web.Scottish.Database
 
 runSql :: (MonadTrans t, HasDatabaseConnectionPool Connection config)
-         => SqlPersistM a -> t (Scottish config s s') a
+       => SqlPersistM a -> t (Scottish config s s') a
 runSql s = liftIO . runSqlPersistMPool s >$< getPool
+
+-- | Catches any synchronous exceptions thrown when executing the database
+-- transaction, and 'raise' an 'internalServerError500' instead.
+runSql' :: (HasDatabaseConnectionPool Connection config)
+        => SqlPersistM a -> ScottishActionM' config s' a
+runSql' s = (runSql $ (Just <$> s) `catchAny` \_ -> return Nothing)
+            >>= maybe (raise internalServerError500) return