diff --git a/bramble-api/src/main/java/org/briarproject/bramble/api/db/DatabaseComponent.java b/bramble-api/src/main/java/org/briarproject/bramble/api/db/DatabaseComponent.java
index 1f97269d2..a5e57224d 100644
--- a/bramble-api/src/main/java/org/briarproject/bramble/api/db/DatabaseComponent.java
+++ b/bramble-api/src/main/java/org/briarproject/bramble/api/db/DatabaseComponent.java
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ import javax.annotation.Nullable;
  * to other components.
  */
 @NotNullByDefault
-public interface DatabaseComponent {
+public interface DatabaseComponent extends TransactionManager {
 
 	/**
 	 * Opens the database and returns true if the database already existed.
@@ -56,50 +56,6 @@ public interface DatabaseComponent {
 	 */
 	void close() throws DbException;
 
-	/**
-	 * Starts a new transaction and returns an object representing it.
-	 * <p/>
-	 * This method acquires locks, so it must not be called while holding a
-	 * lock.
-	 *
-	 * @param readOnly true if the transaction will only be used for reading.
-	 */
-	Transaction startTransaction(boolean readOnly) throws DbException;
-
-	/**
-	 * Commits a transaction to the database.
-	 */
-	void commitTransaction(Transaction txn) throws DbException;
-
-	/**
-	 * Ends a transaction. If the transaction has not been committed,
-	 * it will be aborted. If the transaction has been committed,
-	 * any events attached to the transaction are broadcast.
-	 * The database lock will be released in either case.
-	 */
-	void endTransaction(Transaction txn);
-
-	/**
-	 * Runs the given task within a transaction.
-	 */
-	<E extends Exception> void transaction(boolean readOnly,
-			DbRunnable<E> task) throws DbException, E;
-
-	/**
-	 * Runs the given task within a transaction and returns the result of the
-	 * task.
-	 */
-	<R, E extends Exception> R transactionWithResult(boolean readOnly,
-			DbCallable<R, E> task) throws DbException, E;
-
-	/**
-	 * Runs the given task within a transaction and returns the result of the
-	 * task, which may be null.
-	 */
-	@Nullable
-	<R, E extends Exception> R transactionWithNullableResult(boolean readOnly,
-			NullableDbCallable<R, E> task) throws DbException, E;
-
 	/**
 	 * Stores a contact associated with the given local and remote pseudonyms,
 	 * and returns an ID for the contact.
diff --git a/bramble-api/src/main/java/org/briarproject/bramble/api/db/TransactionManager.java b/bramble-api/src/main/java/org/briarproject/bramble/api/db/TransactionManager.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6850c5b99
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bramble-api/src/main/java/org/briarproject/bramble/api/db/TransactionManager.java
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+package org.briarproject.bramble.api.db;
+
+import org.briarproject.bramble.api.nullsafety.NotNullByDefault;
+
+import javax.annotation.Nullable;
+
+@NotNullByDefault
+public interface TransactionManager {
+
+	/**
+	 * Starts a new transaction and returns an object representing it.
+	 * <p/>
+	 * This method acquires locks, so it must not be called while holding a
+	 * lock.
+	 *
+	 * @param readOnly true if the transaction will only be used for reading.
+	 */
+	Transaction startTransaction(boolean readOnly) throws DbException;
+
+	/**
+	 * Commits a transaction to the database.
+	 */
+	void commitTransaction(Transaction txn) throws DbException;
+
+	/**
+	 * Ends a transaction. If the transaction has not been committed,
+	 * it will be aborted. If the transaction has been committed,
+	 * any events attached to the transaction are broadcast.
+	 * The database lock will be released in either case.
+	 */
+	void endTransaction(Transaction txn);
+
+	/**
+	 * Runs the given task within a transaction.
+	 */
+	<E extends Exception> void transaction(boolean readOnly,
+			DbRunnable<E> task) throws DbException, E;
+
+	/**
+	 * Runs the given task within a transaction and returns the result of the
+	 * task.
+	 */
+	<R, E extends Exception> R transactionWithResult(boolean readOnly,
+			DbCallable<R, E> task) throws DbException, E;
+
+	/**
+	 * Runs the given task within a transaction and returns the result of the
+	 * task, which may be null.
+	 */
+	@Nullable
+	<R, E extends Exception> R transactionWithNullableResult(boolean readOnly,
+			NullableDbCallable<R, E> task) throws DbException, E;
+
+}
diff --git a/bramble-core/src/main/java/org/briarproject/bramble/db/DatabaseModule.java b/bramble-core/src/main/java/org/briarproject/bramble/db/DatabaseModule.java
index e1b86e719..915ce7f16 100644
--- a/bramble-core/src/main/java/org/briarproject/bramble/db/DatabaseModule.java
+++ b/bramble-core/src/main/java/org/briarproject/bramble/db/DatabaseModule.java
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package org.briarproject.bramble.db;
 
 import org.briarproject.bramble.api.db.DatabaseComponent;
 import org.briarproject.bramble.api.db.DatabaseConfig;
+import org.briarproject.bramble.api.db.TransactionManager;
 import org.briarproject.bramble.api.event.EventBus;
 import org.briarproject.bramble.api.event.EventExecutor;
 import org.briarproject.bramble.api.lifecycle.ShutdownManager;
@@ -34,4 +35,9 @@ public class DatabaseModule {
 		return new DatabaseComponentImpl<>(db, Connection.class, eventBus,
 				eventExecutor, shutdownManager);
 	}
+
+	@Provides
+	TransactionManager provideTransactionManager(DatabaseComponent db) {
+		return db;
+	}
 }
diff --git a/briar-android/src/main/java/org/briarproject/briar/android/conversation/ConversationViewModel.java b/briar-android/src/main/java/org/briarproject/briar/android/conversation/ConversationViewModel.java
index 7270697d4..ba1457e7c 100644
--- a/briar-android/src/main/java/org/briarproject/briar/android/conversation/ConversationViewModel.java
+++ b/briar-android/src/main/java/org/briarproject/briar/android/conversation/ConversationViewModel.java
@@ -16,10 +16,10 @@ import org.briarproject.bramble.api.contact.Contact;
 import org.briarproject.bramble.api.contact.ContactId;
 import org.briarproject.bramble.api.contact.ContactManager;
 import org.briarproject.bramble.api.crypto.CryptoExecutor;
-import org.briarproject.bramble.api.db.DatabaseComponent;
 import org.briarproject.bramble.api.db.DatabaseExecutor;
 import org.briarproject.bramble.api.db.DbException;
 import org.briarproject.bramble.api.db.NoSuchContactException;
+import org.briarproject.bramble.api.db.TransactionManager;
 import org.briarproject.bramble.api.identity.AuthorId;
 import org.briarproject.bramble.api.nullsafety.NotNullByDefault;
 import org.briarproject.bramble.api.settings.Settings;
@@ -72,8 +72,7 @@ public class ConversationViewModel extends AndroidViewModel {
 	private final Executor dbExecutor;
 	@CryptoExecutor
 	private final Executor cryptoExecutor;
-	// TODO replace with TransactionManager once it exists
-	private final DatabaseComponent db;
+	private final TransactionManager db;
 	private final MessagingManager messagingManager;
 	private final ContactManager contactManager;
 	private final SettingsManager settingsManager;
@@ -105,7 +104,7 @@ public class ConversationViewModel extends AndroidViewModel {
 	@Inject
 	ConversationViewModel(Application application,
 			@DatabaseExecutor Executor dbExecutor,
-			@CryptoExecutor Executor cryptoExecutor, DatabaseComponent db,
+			@CryptoExecutor Executor cryptoExecutor, TransactionManager db,
 			MessagingManager messagingManager, ContactManager contactManager,
 			SettingsManager settingsManager,
 			PrivateMessageFactory privateMessageFactory) {