diff --git a/repo/fsrepo/fs_repo.c b/repo/fsrepo/fs_repo.c
index 0abf04d..b2748c5 100644
--- a/repo/fsrepo/fs_repo.c
+++ b/repo/fsrepo/fs_repo.c
@@ -502,6 +502,7 @@ int fs_repo_open_config(struct FSRepo* repo) {
 						continue;
 					// make multiaddress a peer
 					struct Libp2pPeer* peer = libp2p_peer_new_from_multiaddress(cur);
+					multiaddress_free(cur);
 					struct ReplicationPeer* rp = repo_config_replication_peer_new();
 					rp->peer = peer;
 					libp2p_logger_debug("fs_repo", "Adding %s to replication_peers.\n", libp2p_peer_id_to_string(rp->peer));
diff --git a/repo/fsrepo/lmdb_cursor.c b/repo/fsrepo/lmdb_cursor.c
index ee0f4db..c411547 100644
--- a/repo/fsrepo/lmdb_cursor.c
+++ b/repo/fsrepo/lmdb_cursor.c
@@ -25,9 +25,6 @@ struct lmdb_trans_cursor* lmdb_trans_cursor_new() {
  */
 int lmdb_trans_cursor_free(struct lmdb_trans_cursor* in) {
 	if (in != NULL) {
-		if (in->database != NULL) {
-			free(in->database);
-		}
 		free(in);
 	}
 	return 1;
diff --git a/repo/fsrepo/lmdb_datastore.c b/repo/fsrepo/lmdb_datastore.c
index d27ef35..3034599 100644
--- a/repo/fsrepo/lmdb_datastore.c
+++ b/repo/fsrepo/lmdb_datastore.c
@@ -158,12 +158,28 @@ int repo_fsrepo_lmdb_get(const unsigned char* key, size_t key_size, struct Datas
  * @param mdb_txn the transaction to be created
  * @returns true(1) on success, false(0) otherwise
  */
-int lmdb_datastore_create_transaction(MDB_env *mdb_env, MDB_dbi *mdb_dbi, MDB_txn **mdb_txn) {
+int lmdb_datastore_create_transaction(MDB_env *mdb_env, MDB_txn **mdb_txn) {
 	// open transaction
 	if (mdb_txn_begin(mdb_env, NULL, 0, mdb_txn) != 0)
 		return 0;
-	if (mdb_dbi_open(*mdb_txn, "DATASTORE", MDB_DUPSORT | MDB_CREATE, mdb_dbi) != 0) {
-		mdb_txn_commit(*mdb_txn);
+	return 1;
+}
+
+int lmdb_datastore_open_databases(MDB_env *mdb_env, MDB_txn *mdb_txn, MDB_dbi *datastore_table, MDB_dbi* journalstore_table) {
+	if (mdb_env == NULL) {
+		libp2p_logger_error("lmdb_datastore", "open_databases: environment not set.\n");
+		return 0;
+	}
+	if (mdb_txn == NULL) {
+		libp2p_logger_error("lmdb_datastore", "open_database: transaction does not exist.\n");
+		return 0;
+	}
+	if (mdb_dbi_open(mdb_txn, "DATASTORE", MDB_DUPSORT | MDB_CREATE, datastore_table) != 0) {
+		libp2p_logger_error("lmdb_datastore", "open_database: Unable to open datastore.\n");
+		return 0;
+	}
+	if (mdb_dbi_open(mdb_txn, "JOURNALSTORE", MDB_DUPSORT | MDB_CREATE, journalstore_table) != 0) {
+		libp2p_logger_error("lmdb_datastore", "open_database: Unable to open journalstore.\n");
 		return 0;
 	}
 	return 1;
@@ -182,6 +198,7 @@ int repo_fsrepo_lmdb_put(unsigned const char* key, size_t key_size, unsigned cha
 	int retVal;
 	MDB_txn *datastore_txn;
 	MDB_dbi datastore_table;
+	MDB_dbi journalstore_table;
 	struct MDB_val datastore_key;
 	struct MDB_val datastore_value;
 	struct DatastoreRecord *datastore_record = NULL;
@@ -195,7 +212,13 @@ int repo_fsrepo_lmdb_put(unsigned const char* key, size_t key_size, unsigned cha
 	}
 
 	// open a transaction to the databases
-	if (!lmdb_datastore_create_transaction(mdb_env, &datastore_table, &datastore_txn)) {
+	if (!lmdb_datastore_create_transaction(mdb_env, &datastore_txn)) {
+		libp2p_logger_error("lmdb_datastore", "put: Unable to create db transaction.\n");
+		return 0;
+	}
+
+	if (!lmdb_datastore_open_databases(mdb_env, datastore_txn, &datastore_table, &journalstore_table)) {
+		libp2p_logger_error("lmdb_datastore", "put: Unable to open database tables.\n");
 		return 0;
 	}
 
@@ -207,6 +230,7 @@ int repo_fsrepo_lmdb_put(unsigned const char* key, size_t key_size, unsigned cha
 	}
 	journalstore_cursor->environment = mdb_env;
 	journalstore_cursor->parent_transaction = datastore_txn;
+	journalstore_cursor->database = &journalstore_table;
 
 	// see if what we want is already in the datastore
 	repo_fsrepo_lmdb_get_with_transaction(key, key_size, &datastore_record, datastore_txn, &datastore_table);
@@ -283,7 +307,7 @@ int repo_fsrepo_lmdb_put(unsigned const char* key, size_t key_size, unsigned cha
 			if (!lmdb_journalstore_journal_add(journalstore_cursor, journalstore_record)) {
 				libp2p_logger_error("lmdb_datastore", "Datastore record was added, but problem adding Journalstore record. Continuing.\n");
 			}
-			lmdb_journalstore_cursor_close(journalstore_cursor);
+			//lmdb_journalstore_cursor_close(journalstore_cursor);
 			lmdb_journal_record_free(journalstore_record);
 			retVal = 1;
 		}
diff --git a/repo/fsrepo/lmdb_journalstore.c b/repo/fsrepo/lmdb_journalstore.c
index 18c63de..e369dd5 100644
--- a/repo/fsrepo/lmdb_journalstore.c
+++ b/repo/fsrepo/lmdb_journalstore.c
@@ -118,6 +118,7 @@ int lmdb_journalstore_journal_add(struct lmdb_trans_cursor *journalstore_cursor,
 
 	MDB_val journalstore_key;
 	MDB_val journalstore_value;
+	int createdTransaction = 0;
 
 	if (!lmdb_journalstore_build_key_value_pair(journalstore_record, &journalstore_key, &journalstore_value)) {
 		libp2p_logger_error("lmdbd_journalstore", "add: Unable to convert journalstore record to key/value.\n");
@@ -127,6 +128,7 @@ int lmdb_journalstore_journal_add(struct lmdb_trans_cursor *journalstore_cursor,
 	// create transaction if necessary
 	if (journalstore_cursor->transaction == NULL) {
 		mdb_txn_begin(journalstore_cursor->environment, journalstore_cursor->parent_transaction, 0, &journalstore_cursor->transaction);
+		createdTransaction = 1;
 	}
 
 	if (journalstore_cursor->database == NULL) {
@@ -138,11 +140,21 @@ int lmdb_journalstore_journal_add(struct lmdb_trans_cursor *journalstore_cursor,
 		}
 	}
 
+	// for debuggin
+	MDB_txn *tx = journalstore_cursor->transaction;
+	MDB_dbi dbi = *journalstore_cursor->database;
 	if (mdb_put(journalstore_cursor->transaction, *journalstore_cursor->database, &journalstore_key, &journalstore_value, 0) != 0) {
 		libp2p_logger_error("lmdb_journalstore", "Unable to add to JOURNALSTORE database.\n");
 		return 0;
 	}
 
+	if (createdTransaction) {
+		if (mdb_txn_commit(journalstore_cursor->transaction) != 0) {
+			libp2p_logger_error("lmdb_journalstore", "Unable to commit JOURNALSTORE transaction.\n");
+			return 0;
+		}
+	}
+
 	return 1;
 }
 
@@ -164,7 +176,7 @@ int lmdb_journalstore_get_record(void* handle, struct lmdb_trans_cursor *journal
 
 	// create a new transaction if necessary
 	if (journalstore_cursor->transaction == NULL) {
-		if (mdb_txn_begin(mdb_env, NULL, 0, &journalstore_cursor->transaction) != 0) {
+		if (mdb_txn_begin(mdb_env, journalstore_cursor->parent_transaction, 0, &journalstore_cursor->transaction) != 0) {
 			libp2p_logger_error("lmdb_journanstore", "get_record: Attempt to begin transaction failed.\n");
 			return 0;
 		}
@@ -373,12 +385,12 @@ int lmdb_journalstore_cursor_close(struct lmdb_trans_cursor *cursor) {
 	if (cursor != NULL) {
 		if (cursor->cursor != NULL) {
 			mdb_cursor_close(cursor->cursor);
-			cursor->cursor = NULL;
 		}
 		if (cursor->transaction != NULL) {
 			mdb_txn_commit(cursor->transaction);
-			cursor->transaction = NULL;
 		}
+		cursor->cursor = NULL;
+		cursor->transaction = NULL;
 	}
 	return 1;
 }
diff --git a/test/journal/test_journal.h b/test/journal/test_journal.h
index 91b86dd..119ac6f 100644
--- a/test/journal/test_journal.h
+++ b/test/journal/test_journal.h
@@ -120,6 +120,7 @@ int test_journal_server_1() {
 	ipfs_node_offline_new(ipfs_path, &local_node);
 	ipfs_import_file(NULL, filename, &node, local_node, &bytes_written, 0);
 	ipfs_node_free(local_node);
+	ipfs_hashtable_node_free(node);
 
 	libp2p_logger_debug("test_journal", "*** Firing up daemon for server 1 ***\n");
 
@@ -191,3 +192,87 @@ int test_journal_server_2() {
 		pthread_join(daemon_thread, NULL);
 	return retVal;
 }
+
+#include "lmdb.h"
+
+// test the lightning db process
+int test_journal_db() {
+
+	MDB_env *mdb_env = NULL;
+	MDB_txn *mdb_txn = NULL;
+	MDB_dbi datastore_db;
+	MDB_dbi journalstore_db;
+	MDB_val datastore_key;
+	MDB_val datastore_value;
+	MDB_val *journalstore_key;
+	MDB_val *journalstore_value;
+	MDB_val returned_value;
+
+	// set up records
+	char* key = "ABC123";
+	char* value = "Hello, world!";
+	datastore_key.mv_size = strlen(key);
+	datastore_key.mv_data = (void*)key;
+	datastore_value.mv_size = strlen(value);
+	datastore_value.mv_data = (void*)value;
+	journalstore_key = (MDB_val*) malloc(sizeof(MDB_val));
+	journalstore_key->mv_size = strlen(key);
+	journalstore_key->mv_data = (void*)key;
+	journalstore_value = (MDB_val*) malloc(sizeof(MDB_val));
+	journalstore_value->mv_size = strlen(value);
+	journalstore_value->mv_data = (void*)value;
+
+	// clean up the old stuff
+	unlink ("/tmp/lock.mdb");
+	unlink ("/tmp/data.mdb");
+
+	// create environment
+	if (mdb_env_create(&mdb_env) != 0)
+		return 0;
+
+	if (mdb_env_set_maxdbs(mdb_env, (MDB_dbi)2) != 0)
+		return 0;
+
+	if (mdb_env_open(mdb_env, "/tmp", 0, S_IRWXU) != 0) {
+		fprintf(stderr, "Unable to open environment.\n");
+		return 0;
+	}
+
+	// create a transaction
+	if (mdb_txn_begin(mdb_env, NULL, 0, &mdb_txn) != 0) {
+		fprintf(stderr, "Unable to open transaction.\n");
+		return 0;
+	}
+
+	// open databases
+	if (mdb_dbi_open(mdb_txn, "DATASTORE", MDB_DUPSORT | MDB_CREATE, &datastore_db) != 0)
+		return 0;
+	if (mdb_dbi_open(mdb_txn, "JOURNALSTORE", MDB_DUPSORT | MDB_CREATE, &journalstore_db) != 0)
+		return 0;
+
+	// search for a record in the datastore
+	if (mdb_get(mdb_txn, datastore_db, &datastore_key, &returned_value) != MDB_NOTFOUND) {
+		return 0;
+	}
+
+	// add record to datastore
+	if (mdb_put(mdb_txn, datastore_db, &datastore_key, &datastore_value, 0) != 0)
+		return 0;
+
+	// add record to journalstore
+	if (mdb_put(mdb_txn, journalstore_db, journalstore_key, journalstore_value, 0) != 0)
+		return 0;
+
+	// get rid of MDB_val values from journalstore to see if commit still works
+	free(journalstore_key);
+	free(journalstore_value);
+	journalstore_key = NULL;
+	journalstore_value = NULL;
+
+	// close everything up
+	if (mdb_txn_commit(mdb_txn) != 0)
+		return 0;
+	mdb_env_close(mdb_env);
+
+	return 1;
+}
diff --git a/test/testit.c b/test/testit.c
index 38560ac..b353905 100644
--- a/test/testit.c
+++ b/test/testit.c
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ const char* names[] = {
 		"test_cid_protobuf_encode_decode",
 		"test_daemon_startup_shutdown",
 		"test_datastore_list_journal",
+		"test_journal_db",
 		"test_journal_encode_decode",
 		"test_journal_server_1",
 		"test_journal_server_2",
@@ -107,6 +108,7 @@ int (*funcs[])(void) = {
 		test_cid_protobuf_encode_decode,
 		test_daemon_startup_shutdown,
 		test_datastore_list_journal,
+		test_journal_db,
 		test_journal_encode_decode,
 		test_journal_server_1,
 		test_journal_server_2,