diff --git a/cpp/ConnectionPool.cpp b/cpp/ConnectionPool.cpp
index 7ab5ccf..03b2f4b 100644
--- a/cpp/ConnectionPool.cpp
+++ b/cpp/ConnectionPool.cpp
@@ -26,26 +26,6 @@ ConnectionPool::ConnectionPool(std::string dbName, std::string docPath,
     readConnections[i] = new ConnectionState(
         dbName, docPath, SQLITE_OPEN_READONLY | SQLITE_OPEN_FULLMUTEX);
   }
-
-  if (true == isConcurrencyEnabled) {
-    // Write connection WAL setup
-    writeConnection.queueWork([](sqlite3 *db) {
-      sqliteExecuteLiteralWithDB(db, "PRAGMA journal_mode = WAL;");
-      sqliteExecuteLiteralWithDB(
-          db,
-          "PRAGMA journal_size_limit = 6291456"); // 6Mb 1.5x default checkpoint
-                                                  // size
-      // Default to normal on all connections
-      sqliteExecuteLiteralWithDB(db, "PRAGMA synchronous = NORMAL;");
-    });
-
-    // Read connections WAL setup
-    for (int i = 0; i < this->maxReads; i++) {
-      readConnections[i]->queueWork([](sqlite3 *db) {
-        sqliteExecuteLiteralWithDB(db, "PRAGMA synchronous = NORMAL;");
-      });
-    }
-  }
 };
 
 ConnectionPool::~ConnectionPool() {
diff --git a/cpp/ConnectionState.cpp b/cpp/ConnectionState.cpp
index c27e980..d50dfee 100644
--- a/cpp/ConnectionState.cpp
+++ b/cpp/ConnectionState.cpp
@@ -30,9 +30,7 @@ ConnectionState::~ConnectionState() {
 }
 
 void ConnectionState::clearLock() {
-  if (!workQueue.empty()) {
-    waitFinished();
-  }
+  waitFinished();
   _currentLockId = EMPTY_LOCK_ID;
 }
 
@@ -47,9 +45,7 @@ bool ConnectionState::matchesLock(const ConnectionLockId &lockId) {
 bool ConnectionState::isEmptyLock() { return _currentLockId == EMPTY_LOCK_ID; }
 
 void ConnectionState::close() {
-  if (!workQueue.empty()) {
-    waitFinished();
-  }
+  waitFinished();
   // So that the thread can stop (if not already)
   threadDone = true;
   sqlite3_close_v2(connection);
@@ -94,12 +90,18 @@ void ConnectionState::doWork() {
     --threadBusy;
     // Need to notify in order for waitFinished to be updated when
     // the queue is empty and not busy
-    workQueueConditionVariable.notify_all();
+    {
+      std::unique_lock<std::mutex> g(workQueueMutex);
+      workQueueConditionVariable.notify_all();
+    }
   }
 }
 
 void ConnectionState::waitFinished() {
   std::unique_lock<std::mutex> g(workQueueMutex);
+  if (workQueue.empty()) {
+    return;
+  }
   workQueueConditionVariable.wait(
       g, [&] { return workQueue.empty() && (threadBusy == 0); });
 }
@@ -116,5 +118,29 @@ SQLiteOPResult genericSqliteOpenDb(string const dbName, string const docPath,
                           .errorMessage = sqlite3_errmsg(*db)};
   }
 
+  // Set journal mode directly when opening.
+  // This may have some overhead on the main thread,
+  // but prevents race conditions with multiple connections.
+  if (sqlOpenFlags & SQLITE_OPEN_READONLY) {
+    exit = sqlite3_exec(*db, "PRAGMA busy_timeout = 30000;"
+      // Default to normal on all connections
+      "PRAGMA synchronous = NORMAL;",
+      nullptr, nullptr, nullptr
+    );
+  } else {
+    exit = sqlite3_exec(*db, "PRAGMA busy_timeout = 30000;"
+      "PRAGMA journal_mode = WAL;"
+      // 6Mb 1.5x default checkpoint size
+      "PRAGMA journal_size_limit = 6291456;"
+      // Default to normal on all connections
+      "PRAGMA synchronous = NORMAL;",
+      nullptr, nullptr, nullptr
+    );
+  }
+  if (exit != SQLITE_OK) {
+    return SQLiteOPResult{.type = SQLiteError,
+                          .errorMessage = sqlite3_errmsg(*db)};
+  }
+
   return SQLiteOPResult{.type = SQLiteOk, .rowsAffected = 0};
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/package.json b/tests/package.json
index 19f6a20..73dc834 100644
--- a/tests/package.json
+++ b/tests/package.json
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
     "nativewind": "^2.0.11",
     "react": "18.2.0",
     "react-native": "0.73.4",
-    "react-native-quick-sqlite": "./..",
+    "react-native-quick-sqlite": "link:..",
     "react-native-safe-area-context": "4.8.2",
     "reflect-metadata": "^0.1.13",
     "stream-browserify": "^3.0.0",
diff --git a/tests/scripts/test.js b/tests/scripts/test.js
index 4da9217..c00644f 100644
--- a/tests/scripts/test.js
+++ b/tests/scripts/test.js
@@ -24,11 +24,13 @@ program
     'The virtual android device name (the adb device name will be fetched from this)',
     DEFAULT_AVD_NAME
   )
+  .option('--device', 'Use a physical device instead of emulator')
   .option('--port', 'Port to run Express HTTP server for getting results on.', DEFAULT_PORT)
   .action(async (str, options) => {
     const opts = options.opts();
     const avdName = opts.avdName;
-    const deviceName = await getADBDeviceName(avdName);
+    const useDevice = opts.device;
+    const deviceName = await getADBDeviceName(avdName, useDevice);
     if (!deviceName) {
       throw new Error(`Could not find adb device with AVD name ${avdName}`);
     }
@@ -38,7 +40,11 @@ program
     await spawnP('Reverse Port', `adb`, [`-s`, deviceName, `reverse`, `tcp:${port}`, `tcp:${port}`]);
 
     /** Build and run the Expo app, don't await this, we will await a response. */
-    spawnP('Build Expo App', `yarn`, [`android`, `-d`, avdName]);
+    if (!useDevice) {
+      spawnP('Build Expo App', `yarn`, [`android`, `-d`, avdName]);
+    } else {
+      spawnP('Build Expo App', `yarn`, [`android`]);
+    }
 
     const app = express();
     app.use(bodyParser.json());
@@ -107,7 +113,7 @@ async function spawnP(tag, cmd, args = []) {
   });
 }
 
-async function getADBDeviceName(avdName) {
+async function getADBDeviceName(avdName, useDevice) {
   const tag = 'Get ADB Device';
   const devicesOutput = await spawnP(tag, 'adb', ['devices']);
   const deviceNames = _.chain(devicesOutput.split('\n'))
@@ -116,7 +122,9 @@ async function getADBDeviceName(avdName) {
     .map((line) => line.trim()) // Omit empty results
     .filter((line) => !!line)
     .value();
-
+  if (useDevice) {
+    return deviceNames[0];
+  }
   // Need to check all devices for their AVD name
   for (let deviceName of deviceNames) {
     try {
diff --git a/tests/tests/sqlite/rawQueries.spec.ts b/tests/tests/sqlite/rawQueries.spec.ts
index 2c0d0aa..5d7eaba 100644
--- a/tests/tests/sqlite/rawQueries.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/tests/sqlite/rawQueries.spec.ts
@@ -629,5 +629,25 @@ export function registerBaseTests() {
 
       expect(duration).lessThan(2000);
     });
+
+    it('Should use WAL', async () => {
+      for (let i = 0; i < 5; i++) {
+        let db: QuickSQLiteConnection;
+        try {
+          db = open('test-wal' + i, {
+            numReadConnections: NUM_READ_CONNECTIONS
+          });
+
+          const journalMode = await db.execute('PRAGMA journal_mode');
+          const journalModeRO = await db.readLock((tx) => tx.execute('PRAGMA journal_mode'));
+          expect(journalMode.rows.item(0).journal_mode).equals('wal');
+
+          expect(journalModeRO.rows.item(0).journal_mode).equals('wal');
+        } finally {
+          db?.close();
+          db?.delete();
+        }
+      }
+    });
   });
 }
diff --git a/tests/yarn.lock b/tests/yarn.lock
index eaeb1cc..5002069 100644
--- a/tests/yarn.lock
+++ b/tests/yarn.lock
@@ -6259,8 +6259,9 @@ react-native-quick-base64@^2.0.5:
   dependencies:
     base64-js "^1.5.1"
 
-react-native-quick-sqlite@./..:
-  version "1.1.5"
+"react-native-quick-sqlite@link:..":
+  version "0.0.0"
+  uid ""
 
 react-native-safe-area-context@4.8.2:
   version "4.8.2"