diff --git a/database/postgis/postgis.go b/database/postgis/postgis.go
index ea17544..a6101ca 100644
--- a/database/postgis/postgis.go
+++ b/database/postgis/postgis.go
@@ -543,13 +543,15 @@ func (pg *PostGIS) EnableGeneralizeUpdates() {
 }
 
 func (pg *PostGIS) Begin() error {
-	pg.txRouter = newTxRouter(pg, false)
-	return nil
+	var err error
+	pg.txRouter, err = newTxRouter(pg, false)
+	return err
 }
 
 func (pg *PostGIS) BeginBulk() error {
-	pg.txRouter = newTxRouter(pg, true)
-	return nil
+	var err error
+	pg.txRouter, err = newTxRouter(pg, true)
+	return err
 }
 
 func (pg *PostGIS) Abort() error {
diff --git a/database/postgis/router.go b/database/postgis/router.go
index 2f27adc..5ffb517 100644
--- a/database/postgis/router.go
+++ b/database/postgis/router.go
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ type TxRouter struct {
 	tx     *sql.Tx
 }
 
-func newTxRouter(pg *PostGIS, bulkImport bool) *TxRouter {
+func newTxRouter(pg *PostGIS, bulkImport bool) (*TxRouter, error) {
 	txr := TxRouter{
 		Tables: make(map[string]TableTx),
 	}
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ func newTxRouter(pg *PostGIS, bulkImport bool) *TxRouter {
 			tt := NewBulkTableTx(pg, table)
 			err := tt.Begin(nil)
 			if err != nil {
-				panic(err) // TODO
+				return nil, err
 			}
 			txr.Tables[tableName] = tt
 		}
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ func newTxRouter(pg *PostGIS, bulkImport bool) *TxRouter {
 			tt := NewSynchronousTableTx(pg, table.FullName, table)
 			err := tt.Begin(tx)
 			if err != nil {
-				panic(err) // TODO
+				return nil, err
 			}
 			txr.Tables[tableName] = tt
 		}
@@ -42,13 +42,13 @@ func newTxRouter(pg *PostGIS, bulkImport bool) *TxRouter {
 			tt := NewSynchronousTableTx(pg, table.FullName, table)
 			err := tt.Begin(tx)
 			if err != nil {
-				panic(err) // TODO
+				return nil, err
 			}
 			txr.Tables[tableName] = tt
 		}
 	}
 
-	return &txr
+	return &txr, nil
 }
 
 func (txr *TxRouter) End() error {