diff --git a/system/database/DB_driver.php b/system/database/DB_driver.php
index aeeb2d0..7551e48 100644
--- a/system/database/DB_driver.php
+++ b/system/database/DB_driver.php
@@ -435,6 +435,18 @@
 	// --------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 	/**
+	 * Persistent database connection
+	 *
+	 * @return	resource
+	 */
+	public function db_pconnect()
+	{
+		return $this->db_connect(TRUE);
+	}
+
+	// --------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+	/**
 	 * Reconnect
 	 *
 	 * Keep / reestablish the db connection if no queries have been
diff --git a/system/database/drivers/cubrid/cubrid_driver.php b/system/database/drivers/cubrid/cubrid_driver.php
index 0db5173..2e79faa 100644
--- a/system/database/drivers/cubrid/cubrid_driver.php
+++ b/system/database/drivers/cubrid/cubrid_driver.php
@@ -102,61 +102,23 @@
 	/**
 	 * Non-persistent database connection
 	 *
-	 * @return	resource
-	 */
-	public function db_connect()
-	{
-		return $this->_cubrid_connect();
-	}
-
-	// --------------------------------------------------------------------
-
-	/**
-	 * Persistent database connection
-	 *
-	 * In CUBRID persistent DB connection is supported natively in CUBRID
-	 * engine which can be configured in the CUBRID Broker configuration
-	 * file by setting the CCI_PCONNECT parameter to ON. In that case, all
-	 * connections established between the client application and the
-	 * server will become persistent.
-	 *
-	 * @return	resource
-	 */
-	public function db_pconnect()
-	{
-		return $this->_cubrid_connect(TRUE);
-	}
-
-	// --------------------------------------------------------------------
-
-	/**
-	 * CUBRID connection
-	 *
-	 * A CUBRID-specific method to create a connection to the database.
-	 * Except for determining if a persistent connection should be used,
-	 * the rest of the logic is the same for db_connect() and db_pconnect().
-	 *
 	 * @param	bool	$persistent
 	 * @return	resource
 	 */
-	protected function _cubrid_connect($persistent = FALSE)
+	public function db_connect($persistent = FALSE)
 	{
 		if (preg_match('/^CUBRID:[^:]+(:[0-9][1-9]{0,4})?:[^:]+:([^:]*):([^:]*):(\?.+)?$/', $this->dsn, $matches))
 		{
-			$_temp = ($persistent !== TRUE) ? 'cubrid_connect_with_url' : 'cubrid_pconnect_with_url';
-			$conn_id = ($matches[2] === '' && $matches[3] === '' && $this->username !== '' && $this->password !== '')
-					? $_temp($this->dsn, $this->username, $this->password)
-					: $_temp($this->dsn);
-		}
-		else
-		{
-			$_temp = ($persistent !== TRUE) ? 'cubrid_connect' : 'cubrid_pconnect';
-			$conn_id = ($this->username !== '')
-					? $_temp($this->hostname, $this->port, $this->database, $this->username, $this->password)
-					: $_temp($this->hostname, $this->port, $this->database);
+			$func = ($persistent !== TRUE) ? 'cubrid_connect_with_url' : 'cubrid_pconnect_with_url';
+			return ($matches[2] === '' && $matches[3] === '' && $this->username !== '' && $this->password !== '')
+				? $func($this->dsn, $this->username, $this->password)
+				: $func($this->dsn);
 		}
 
-		return $conn_id;
+		$func = ($persistent !== TRUE) ? 'cubrid_connect' : 'cubrid_pconnect';
+		return ($this->username !== '')
+			? $func($this->hostname, $this->port, $this->database, $this->username, $this->password)
+			: $func($this->hostname, $this->port, $this->database);
 	}
 
 	// --------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/system/database/drivers/ibase/ibase_driver.php b/system/database/drivers/ibase/ibase_driver.php
index 4cff5f4..c85b199 100644
--- a/system/database/drivers/ibase/ibase_driver.php
+++ b/system/database/drivers/ibase/ibase_driver.php
@@ -69,23 +69,14 @@
 	/**
 	 * Non-persistent database connection
 	 *
+	 * @param	bool	$persistent
 	 * @return	resource
 	 */
-	public function db_connect()
+	public function db_connect($persistent = FALSE)
 	{
-		return @ibase_connect($this->hostname.':'.$this->database, $this->username, $this->password, $this->char_set);
-	}
-
-	// --------------------------------------------------------------------
-
-	/**
-	 * Persistent database connection
-	 *
-	 * @return	resource
-	 */
-	public function db_pconnect()
-	{
-		return @ibase_pconnect($this->hostname.':'.$this->database, $this->username, $this->password, $this->char_set);
+		return ($persistent === TRUE)
+			? @ibase_pconnect($this->hostname.':'.$this->database, $this->username, $this->password, $this->char_set)
+			: @ibase_connect($this->hostname.':'.$this->database, $this->username, $this->password, $this->char_set);
 	}
 
 	// --------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/system/database/drivers/mssql/mssql_driver.php b/system/database/drivers/mssql/mssql_driver.php
index 9e53d4e..075542a 100644
--- a/system/database/drivers/mssql/mssql_driver.php
+++ b/system/database/drivers/mssql/mssql_driver.php
@@ -130,18 +130,6 @@
 	// --------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 	/**
-	 * Persistent database connection
-	 *
-	 * @return	resource
-	 */
-	public function db_pconnect()
-	{
-		return $this->db_connect(TRUE);
-	}
-
-	// --------------------------------------------------------------------
-
-	/**
 	 * Select the database
 	 *
 	 * @param	string	$database
diff --git a/system/database/drivers/mysql/mysql_driver.php b/system/database/drivers/mysql/mysql_driver.php
index 499d426..9fbd94c 100644
--- a/system/database/drivers/mysql/mysql_driver.php
+++ b/system/database/drivers/mysql/mysql_driver.php
@@ -146,18 +146,6 @@
 	// --------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 	/**
-	 * Persistent database connection
-	 *
-	 * @return	resource
-	 */
-	public function db_pconnect()
-	{
-		return $this->db_connect(TRUE);
-	}
-
-	// --------------------------------------------------------------------
-
-	/**
 	 * Reconnect
 	 *
 	 * Keep / reestablish the db connection if no queries have been
diff --git a/system/database/drivers/mysqli/mysqli_driver.php b/system/database/drivers/mysqli/mysqli_driver.php
index 083b0c6..b2d0bcc 100644
--- a/system/database/drivers/mysqli/mysqli_driver.php
+++ b/system/database/drivers/mysqli/mysqli_driver.php
@@ -114,18 +114,6 @@
 	// --------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 	/**
-	 * Persistent database connection
-	 *
-	 * @return	object
-	 */
-	public function db_pconnect()
-	{
-		return $this->db_connect(TRUE);
-	}
-
-	// --------------------------------------------------------------------
-
-	/**
 	 * Reconnect
 	 *
 	 * Keep / reestablish the db connection if no queries have been
diff --git a/system/database/drivers/oci8/oci8_driver.php b/system/database/drivers/oci8/oci8_driver.php
index f309a82..7453db7 100644
--- a/system/database/drivers/oci8/oci8_driver.php
+++ b/system/database/drivers/oci8/oci8_driver.php
@@ -208,27 +208,15 @@
 	/**
 	 * Non-persistent database connection
 	 *
+	 * @param	bool	$persistent
 	 * @return	resource
 	 */
-	public function db_connect()
+	public function db_connect($persistent = FALSE)
 	{
-		return ( ! empty($this->char_set))
-			? @oci_connect($this->username, $this->password, $this->dsn, $this->char_set)
-			: @oci_connect($this->username, $this->password, $this->dsn);
-	}
-
-	// --------------------------------------------------------------------
-
-	/**
-	 * Persistent database connection
-	 *
-	 * @return	resource
-	 */
-	public function db_pconnect()
-	{
+		$func = ($persistent === TRUE) ? 'oci_pconnect' : 'oci_connect';
 		return empty($this->char_set)
-			? @oci_pconnect($this->username, $this->password, $this->dsn)
-			: @oci_pconnect($this->username, $this->password, $this->dsn, $this->char_set);
+			? $func($this->username, $this->password, $this->dsn)
+			: $func($this->username, $this->password, $this->dsn, $this->char_set);
 	}
 
 	// --------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/system/database/drivers/odbc/odbc_driver.php b/system/database/drivers/odbc/odbc_driver.php
index 662a106..14c85c8 100644
--- a/system/database/drivers/odbc/odbc_driver.php
+++ b/system/database/drivers/odbc/odbc_driver.php
@@ -104,23 +104,14 @@
 	/**
 	 * Non-persistent database connection
 	 *
+	 * @param	bool	$persistent
 	 * @return	resource
 	 */
-	public function db_connect()
+	public function db_connect($persistent = FALSE)
 	{
-		return @odbc_connect($this->dsn, $this->username, $this->password);
-	}
-
-	// --------------------------------------------------------------------
-
-	/**
-	 * Persistent database connection
-	 *
-	 * @return	resource
-	 */
-	public function db_pconnect()
-	{
-		return @odbc_pconnect($this->dsn, $this->username, $this->password);
+		return ($persistent === TRUE)
+			? odbc_pconnect($this->dsn, $this->username, $this->password)
+			: odbc_connect($this->dsn, $this->username, $this->password);
 	}
 
 	// --------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/system/database/drivers/pdo/pdo_driver.php b/system/database/drivers/pdo/pdo_driver.php
index 49612b9..0173148 100644
--- a/system/database/drivers/pdo/pdo_driver.php
+++ b/system/database/drivers/pdo/pdo_driver.php
@@ -135,18 +135,6 @@
 	// --------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 	/**
-	 * Persistent database connection
-	 *
-	 * @return	object
-	 */
-	public function db_pconnect()
-	{
-		return $this->db_connect(TRUE);
-	}
-
-	// --------------------------------------------------------------------
-
-	/**
 	 * Database version number
 	 *
 	 * @return	string
diff --git a/system/database/drivers/postgre/postgre_driver.php b/system/database/drivers/postgre/postgre_driver.php
index 7d17f79..1140d50 100644
--- a/system/database/drivers/postgre/postgre_driver.php
+++ b/system/database/drivers/postgre/postgre_driver.php
@@ -162,18 +162,6 @@
 	// --------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 	/**
-	 * Persistent database connection
-	 *
-	 * @return	resource
-	 */
-	public function db_pconnect()
-	{
-		return $this->db_connect(TRUE);
-	}
-
-	// --------------------------------------------------------------------
-
-	/**
 	 * Reconnect
 	 *
 	 * Keep / reestablish the db connection if no queries have been
diff --git a/system/database/drivers/sqlite/sqlite_driver.php b/system/database/drivers/sqlite/sqlite_driver.php
index 9928aed..dd9e1e8 100644
--- a/system/database/drivers/sqlite/sqlite_driver.php
+++ b/system/database/drivers/sqlite/sqlite_driver.php
@@ -62,45 +62,17 @@
 	/**
 	 * Non-persistent database connection
 	 *
+	 * @param	bool	$persistent
 	 * @return	resource
 	 */
-	public function db_connect()
+	public function db_connect($persistent = FALSE)
 	{
-		if ( ! $conn_id = @sqlite_open($this->database, FILE_WRITE_MODE, $error))
-		{
-			log_message('error', $error);
+		$error = NULL;
+		$conn_id = ($persistent === TRUE)
+			? sqlite_popen($this->database, 0666, $error)
+			: sqlite_open($this->database, 0666, $error);
 
-			if ($this->db_debug)
-			{
-				$this->display_error($error, '', TRUE);
-			}
-
-			return FALSE;
-		}
-
-		return $conn_id;
-	}
-
-	// --------------------------------------------------------------------
-
-	/**
-	 * Persistent database connection
-	 *
-	 * @return	resource
-	 */
-	public function db_pconnect()
-	{
-		if ( ! $conn_id = @sqlite_popen($this->database, FILE_WRITE_MODE, $error))
-		{
-			log_message('error', $error);
-
-			if ($this->db_debug)
-			{
-				$this->display_error($error, '', TRUE);
-			}
-
-			return FALSE;
-		}
+		isset($error) && log_message('error', $error);
 
 		return $conn_id;
 	}
diff --git a/system/database/drivers/sqlite3/sqlite3_driver.php b/system/database/drivers/sqlite3/sqlite3_driver.php
index 30c38ec..a7d0d08 100644
--- a/system/database/drivers/sqlite3/sqlite3_driver.php
+++ b/system/database/drivers/sqlite3/sqlite3_driver.php
@@ -63,10 +63,16 @@
 	/**
 	 * Non-persistent database connection
 	 *
-	 * @return	object	type SQLite3
+	 * @param	bool	$persistent
+	 * @return	SQLite3
 	 */
-	public function db_connect()
+	public function db_connect($persistent = FALSE)
 	{
+		if ($persistent)
+		{
+			log_message('debug', 'SQLite3 doesn\'t support persistent connections');
+		}
+
 		try
 		{
 			return ( ! $this->password)
@@ -82,19 +88,6 @@
 	// --------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 	/**
-	 * Persistent database connection
-	 *
-	 * @return  object	type SQLite3
-	 */
-	public function db_pconnect()
-	{
-		log_message('debug', 'SQLite3 doesn\'t support persistent connections');
-		return $this->db_connect();
-	}
-
-	// --------------------------------------------------------------------
-
-	/**
 	 * Database version number
 	 *
 	 * @return	string
diff --git a/system/database/drivers/sqlsrv/sqlsrv_driver.php b/system/database/drivers/sqlsrv/sqlsrv_driver.php
index a723b78..58f2e34 100644
--- a/system/database/drivers/sqlsrv/sqlsrv_driver.php
+++ b/system/database/drivers/sqlsrv/sqlsrv_driver.php
@@ -144,18 +144,6 @@
 	// --------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 	/**
-	 * Persistent database connection
-	 *
-	 * @return	resource
-	 */
-	public function db_pconnect()
-	{
-		return $this->db_connect(TRUE);
-	}
-
-	// --------------------------------------------------------------------
-
-	/**
 	 * Select the database
 	 *
 	 * @param	string	$database