diff --git a/prepdb.sh b/prepdb.sh
index f91b8f7..20390f3 100644
--- a/prepdb.sh
+++ b/prepdb.sh
@@ -20,11 +20,11 @@ replace_in_sqlite_db() {
     local OLD_STRING_ESC=$(printf '%s\n' "$OLD_STRING" | sed "s/'/''/g")
     local NEW_STRING_ESC=$(printf '%s\n' "$NEW_STRING" | sed "s/'/''/g")
 
-    # Begin a transaction
-    sqlite3 "$DB_PATH" "BEGIN TRANSACTION;" || {
+    # Start a transaction with immediate mode for better locking
+    if ! sqlite3 "$DB_PATH" "BEGIN IMMEDIATE TRANSACTION;"; then
         echo "Error: Failed to begin transaction"
         exit 1
-    }
+    fi
 
     # Get a list of all tables in the database
     local TABLES
@@ -34,6 +34,9 @@ replace_in_sqlite_db() {
         exit 1
     }
 
+    # Track if we made any changes
+    local CHANGES_MADE=false
+
     # Loop through each table
     for TABLE in $TABLES; do
         echo "Processing table: $TABLE"
@@ -65,21 +68,38 @@ replace_in_sqlite_db() {
                 fi
 
                 # Update only rows where the column contains OLD_STRING
-                if ! sqlite3 "$DB_PATH" "
+                if sqlite3 "$DB_PATH" "
                 UPDATE $ESCAPED_TABLE
                 SET $ESCAPED_COLUMN = replace(CAST($ESCAPED_COLUMN AS TEXT), '$OLD_STRING_ESC', '$NEW_STRING_ESC')
                 WHERE CAST($ESCAPED_COLUMN AS TEXT) LIKE '%$OLD_STRING_ESC%';
                 " 2>/dev/null; then
+                    CHANGES_MADE=true
+                else
                     echo "    Warning: Failed to update table $TABLE, column $COLUMN"
                 fi
             fi
         done
     done
 
-    # Commit the transaction
-    if ! sqlite3 "$DB_PATH" "COMMIT;" 2>/dev/null; then
-        echo "Warning: Failed to commit transaction. Some changes may not have been applied."
+    # Try to commit the transaction with retries
+    local RETRIES=3
+    local COMMIT_SUCCESS=false
+
+    while [ $RETRIES -gt 0 ]; do
+        if sqlite3 "$DB_PATH" "COMMIT;" 2>/dev/null; then
+            COMMIT_SUCCESS=true
+            break
+        else
+            echo "Warning: Failed to commit transaction, retrying ($RETRIES attempts left)..."
+            sleep 1
+            ((RETRIES--))
+        fi
+    done
+
+    if [ "$COMMIT_SUCCESS" = false ]; then
+        echo "Error: Failed to commit transaction after multiple attempts"
         sqlite3 "$DB_PATH" "ROLLBACK;" 2>/dev/null
+        exit 1
     else
         echo "Replacement completed in '$DB_PATH'. Original database backed up to '$BACKUP_PATH'."
     fi