diff --git a/main.py b/main.py
index 1daa956..b0f3576 100644
--- a/main.py
+++ b/main.py
@@ -141,12 +141,20 @@ def setupDB():
 def getNewestBlock() -> int:
     """Returns the height of the newest block in the database"""
 
-    with dbGet.cursor() as cursor:
+    dbNB = mysql.connector.connect(
+        host=DB_HOST,
+        user=DB_USER,
+        password=DB_PASSWORD,
+        database=DB_NAME,
+        charset='utf8mb4',
+        collation='utf8mb4_unicode_ci',
+    )
+    with dbNB.cursor() as cursor:
         cursor.execute("SELECT height FROM blocks ORDER BY height DESC LIMIT 1")
         newestBlock = cursor.fetchone()
         if newestBlock:
             return int(newestBlock[0])
-         
+    dbNB.close()
     return -1