diff --git a/src/dbwrapper.cpp b/src/dbwrapper.cpp
index 42f57676ab9..09c68fbe550 100644
--- a/src/dbwrapper.cpp
+++ b/src/dbwrapper.cpp
@@ -15,20 +15,6 @@
 #include <memenv.h>
 #include <stdint.h>
 
-void HandleError(const leveldb::Status& status)
-{
-    if (status.ok())
-        return;
-    LogPrintf("%s\n", status.ToString());
-    if (status.IsCorruption())
-        throw dbwrapper_error("Database corrupted");
-    if (status.IsIOError())
-        throw dbwrapper_error("Database I/O error");
-    if (status.IsNotFound())
-        throw dbwrapper_error("Database entry missing");
-    throw dbwrapper_error("Unknown database error");
-}
-
 static leveldb::Options GetOptions(size_t nCacheSize)
 {
     leveldb::Options options;
@@ -61,13 +47,13 @@ CDBWrapper::CDBWrapper(const boost::filesystem::path& path, size_t nCacheSize, b
         if (fWipe) {
             LogPrintf("Wiping LevelDB in %s\n", path.string());
             leveldb::Status result = leveldb::DestroyDB(path.string(), options);
-            HandleError(result);
+            dbwrapper_private::HandleError(result);
         }
         TryCreateDirectory(path);
         LogPrintf("Opening LevelDB in %s\n", path.string());
     }
     leveldb::Status status = leveldb::DB::Open(options, path.string(), &pdb);
-    HandleError(status);
+    dbwrapper_private::HandleError(status);
     LogPrintf("Opened LevelDB successfully\n");
 
     // The base-case obfuscation key, which is a noop.
@@ -105,7 +91,7 @@ CDBWrapper::~CDBWrapper()
 bool CDBWrapper::WriteBatch(CDBBatch& batch, bool fSync)
 {
     leveldb::Status status = pdb->Write(fSync ? syncoptions : writeoptions, &batch.batch);
-    HandleError(status);
+    dbwrapper_private::HandleError(status);
     return true;
 }
 
@@ -143,6 +129,20 @@ void CDBIterator::Next() { piter->Next(); }
 
 namespace dbwrapper_private {
 
+void HandleError(const leveldb::Status& status)
+{
+    if (status.ok())
+        return;
+    LogPrintf("%s\n", status.ToString());
+    if (status.IsCorruption())
+        throw dbwrapper_error("Database corrupted");
+    if (status.IsIOError())
+        throw dbwrapper_error("Database I/O error");
+    if (status.IsNotFound())
+        throw dbwrapper_error("Database entry missing");
+    throw dbwrapper_error("Unknown database error");
+}
+
 const std::vector<unsigned char>& GetObfuscateKey(const CDBWrapper &w)
 {
     return w.obfuscate_key;
diff --git a/src/dbwrapper.h b/src/dbwrapper.h
index 9eca2edf607..a0779d3ab99 100644
--- a/src/dbwrapper.h
+++ b/src/dbwrapper.h
@@ -23,14 +23,16 @@ public:
     dbwrapper_error(const std::string& msg) : std::runtime_error(msg) {}
 };
 
-void HandleError(const leveldb::Status& status);
-
 class CDBWrapper;
 
 /** These should be considered an implementation detail of the specific database.
  */
 namespace dbwrapper_private {
 
+/** Handle database error by throwing dbwrapper_error exception.
+ */
+void HandleError(const leveldb::Status& status);
+
 /** Work around circular dependency, as well as for testing in dbwrapper_tests.
  * Database obfuscation should be considered an implementation detail of the
  * specific database.
@@ -208,7 +210,7 @@ public:
             if (status.IsNotFound())
                 return false;
             LogPrintf("LevelDB read failure: %s\n", status.ToString());
-            HandleError(status);
+            dbwrapper_private::HandleError(status);
         }
         try {
             CDataStream ssValue(strValue.data(), strValue.data() + strValue.size(), SER_DISK, CLIENT_VERSION);
@@ -242,7 +244,7 @@ public:
             if (status.IsNotFound())
                 return false;
             LogPrintf("LevelDB read failure: %s\n", status.ToString());
-            HandleError(status);
+            dbwrapper_private::HandleError(status);
         }
         return true;
     }