diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index add81b9a..7549eeea 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -777,6 +777,20 @@ dependencies = [
  "winapi 0.3.9",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "deadpool"
+version = "0.5.2"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "4aaff9a7a1de9893f4004fa08527b31cb2ae4121c44e053cf53f29203c73bd23"
+dependencies = [
+ "async-trait",
+ "config",
+ "crossbeam-queue",
+ "num_cpus",
+ "serde 1.0.114",
+ "tokio",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "debugid"
 version = "0.7.2"
@@ -2719,6 +2733,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "cadence",
  "chrono",
  "config",
+ "deadpool",
  "diesel",
  "diesel_logger",
  "diesel_migrations",
diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index ea17f1a7..102cb806 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ bytes = "0.5"
 cadence = "0.20.0"
 chrono = "0.4"
 config = "0.10"
+deadpool = "0.5.2"
 diesel = { version = "1.4.4", features = ["mysql", "r2d2"] }
 diesel_logger = "0.1.1"
 diesel_migrations = { version = "1.4.0", features = ["mysql"] }
diff --git a/src/db/results.rs b/src/db/results.rs
index 3b063f44..93f49f70 100644
--- a/src/db/results.rs
+++ b/src/db/results.rs
@@ -94,6 +94,15 @@ impl From<bb8::State> for PoolState {
     }
 }
 
+impl From<deadpool::Status> for PoolState {
+    fn from(status: deadpool::Status) -> PoolState {
+        PoolState {
+            connections: status.size as u32,
+            idle_connections: status.available as u32,
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 #[cfg(test)]
 pub type GetCollectionId = i32;
 
diff --git a/src/db/spanner/batch.rs b/src/db/spanner/batch.rs
index 6869e480..66ba26b4 100644
--- a/src/db/spanner/batch.rs
+++ b/src/db/spanner/batch.rs
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ use crate::{
 };
 
 pub async fn create_async(
-    db: &SpannerDb<'_>,
+    db: &SpannerDb,
     params: params::CreateBatch,
 ) -> Result<results::CreateBatch> {
     let batch_id = Uuid::new_v4().to_simple().to_string();
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ pub async fn create_async(
     Ok(batch_id)
 }
 
-pub async fn validate_async(db: &SpannerDb<'_>, params: params::ValidateBatch) -> Result<bool> {
+pub async fn validate_async(db: &SpannerDb, params: params::ValidateBatch) -> Result<bool> {
     let collection_id = db.get_collection_id_async(&params.collection).await?;
     let exists = db
         .sql(
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ pub async fn validate_async(db: &SpannerDb<'_>, params: params::ValidateBatch) -
     Ok(exists.is_some())
 }
 
-pub async fn append_async(db: &SpannerDb<'_>, params: params::AppendToBatch) -> Result<()> {
+pub async fn append_async(db: &SpannerDb, params: params::AppendToBatch) -> Result<()> {
     let mut metrics = db.metrics.clone();
     metrics.start_timer("storage.spanner.append_items_to_batch", None);
 
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ pub async fn append_async(db: &SpannerDb<'_>, params: params::AppendToBatch) ->
 }
 
 pub async fn get_async(
-    db: &SpannerDb<'_>,
+    db: &SpannerDb,
     params: params::GetBatch,
 ) -> Result<Option<results::GetBatch>> {
     let collection_id = db.get_collection_id_async(&params.collection).await?;
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ pub async fn get_async(
     Ok(batch)
 }
 
-pub async fn delete_async(db: &SpannerDb<'_>, params: params::DeleteBatch) -> Result<()> {
+pub async fn delete_async(db: &SpannerDb, params: params::DeleteBatch) -> Result<()> {
     let collection_id = db.get_collection_id_async(&params.collection).await?;
     // Also deletes child batch_bsos rows (INTERLEAVE IN PARENT batches ON
     // DELETE CASCADE)
@@ -165,7 +165,7 @@ pub async fn delete_async(db: &SpannerDb<'_>, params: params::DeleteBatch) -> Re
 }
 
 pub async fn commit_async(
-    db: &SpannerDb<'_>,
+    db: &SpannerDb,
     params: params::CommitBatch,
 ) -> Result<results::CommitBatch> {
     let mut metrics = db.metrics.clone();
@@ -239,7 +239,7 @@ pub async fn commit_async(
 }
 
 pub async fn do_append_async(
-    db: &SpannerDb<'_>,
+    db: &SpannerDb,
     user_id: HawkIdentifier,
     collection_id: i32,
     batch_id: String,
@@ -335,7 +335,7 @@ pub async fn do_append_async(
 /// For the special case of a user creating a batch for a collection with no
 /// prior data.
 async fn pretouch_collection_async(
-    db: &SpannerDb<'_>,
+    db: &SpannerDb,
     user_id: &HawkIdentifier,
     collection_id: i32,
 ) -> Result<()> {
diff --git a/src/db/spanner/manager.rs b/src/db/spanner/manager/bb8.rs
similarity index 95%
rename from src/db/spanner/manager.rs
rename to src/db/spanner/manager/bb8.rs
index 344625a9..b1548890 100644
--- a/src/db/spanner/manager.rs
+++ b/src/db/spanner/manager/bb8.rs
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ use crate::{
     settings::Settings,
 };
 
-const SPANNER_ADDRESS: &str = "spanner.googleapis.com:443";
+pub const SPANNER_ADDRESS: &str = "spanner.googleapis.com:443";
 
 pub struct SpannerConnectionManager<T> {
     database_name: String,
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ impl<_T> fmt::Debug for SpannerConnectionManager<_T> {
     fn fmt(&self, fmt: &mut fmt::Formatter<'_>) -> fmt::Result {
         fmt.debug_struct("SpannerConnectionManager")
             .field("database_name", &self.database_name)
+            .field("test_transactions", &self.test_transactions)
             .finish()
     }
 }
@@ -65,7 +66,7 @@ pub struct SpannerSession {
     pub client: SpannerClient,
     pub session: Session,
 
-    pub(super) use_test_transactions: bool,
+    pub(in crate::db::spanner) use_test_transactions: bool,
 }
 
 #[async_trait]
@@ -130,7 +131,7 @@ impl<T: std::marker::Send + std::marker::Sync + 'static> ManageConnection
     }
 }
 
-async fn create_session(
+pub async fn create_session(
     client: &SpannerClient,
     database_name: &str,
 ) -> Result<Session, grpcio::Error> {
diff --git a/src/db/spanner/manager/deadpool.rs b/src/db/spanner/manager/deadpool.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e75e7dd3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/db/spanner/manager/deadpool.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,115 @@
+use std::{fmt, sync::Arc};
+
+use actix_web::web::block;
+use async_trait::async_trait;
+use deadpool::managed::{RecycleError, RecycleResult};
+use googleapis_raw::spanner::v1::{spanner::GetSessionRequest, spanner_grpc::SpannerClient};
+use grpcio::{ChannelBuilder, ChannelCredentials, EnvBuilder, Environment};
+
+use crate::{
+    db::error::{DbError, DbErrorKind},
+    server::metrics::Metrics,
+    settings::Settings,
+};
+
+use super::bb8::{create_session, SpannerSession, SPANNER_ADDRESS};
+
+pub struct Manager {
+    database_name: String,
+    /// The gRPC environment
+    env: Arc<Environment>,
+    metrics: Metrics,
+    test_transactions: bool,
+}
+
+impl fmt::Debug for Manager {
+    fn fmt(&self, fmt: &mut fmt::Formatter<'_>) -> fmt::Result {
+        fmt.debug_struct("Manager")
+            .field("database_name", &self.database_name)
+            .field("test_transactions", &self.test_transactions)
+            .finish()
+    }
+}
+
+impl Manager {
+    pub fn new(settings: &Settings, metrics: &Metrics) -> Result<Self, DbError> {
+        let url = &settings.database_url;
+        if !url.starts_with("spanner://") {
+            Err(DbErrorKind::InvalidUrl(url.to_owned()))?;
+        }
+        let database_name = url["spanner://".len()..].to_owned();
+        let env = Arc::new(EnvBuilder::new().build());
+
+        #[cfg(not(test))]
+        let test_transactions = false;
+        #[cfg(test)]
+        let test_transactions = settings.database_use_test_transactions;
+
+        Ok(Manager {
+            database_name,
+            env,
+            metrics: metrics.clone(),
+            test_transactions,
+        })
+    }
+}
+
+#[async_trait]
+impl deadpool::managed::Manager<SpannerSession, DbError> for Manager {
+    async fn create(&self) -> Result<SpannerSession, DbError> {
+        let env = self.env.clone();
+        let mut metrics = self.metrics.clone();
+        // XXX: issue732: Could google_default_credentials (or
+        // ChannelBuilder::secure_connect) block?!
+        let chan = block(move || -> Result<grpcio::Channel, grpcio::Error> {
+            metrics.start_timer("storage.pool.grpc_auth", None);
+            // Requires
+            // GOOGLE_APPLICATION_CREDENTIALS=/path/to/service-account.json
+            let creds = ChannelCredentials::google_default_credentials()?;
+            Ok(ChannelBuilder::new(env)
+                .max_send_message_len(100 << 20)
+                .max_receive_message_len(100 << 20)
+                .secure_connect(SPANNER_ADDRESS, creds))
+        })
+        .await
+        .map_err(|e| match e {
+            actix_web::error::BlockingError::Error(e) => e.into(),
+            actix_web::error::BlockingError::Canceled => {
+                DbError::internal("web::block Manager operation canceled")
+            }
+        })?;
+        let client = SpannerClient::new(chan);
+
+        // Connect to the instance and create a Spanner session.
+        let session = create_session(&client, &self.database_name).await?;
+
+        Ok(SpannerSession {
+            client,
+            session,
+            use_test_transactions: self.test_transactions,
+        })
+    }
+
+    async fn recycle(&self, conn: &mut SpannerSession) -> RecycleResult<DbError> {
+        let mut req = GetSessionRequest::new();
+        req.set_name(conn.session.get_name().to_owned());
+        if let Err(e) = conn
+            .client
+            .get_session_async(&req)
+            .map_err(|e| RecycleError::Backend(e.into()))?
+            .await
+        {
+            match e {
+                grpcio::Error::RpcFailure(ref status)
+                    if status.status == grpcio::RpcStatusCode::NOT_FOUND =>
+                {
+                    conn.session = create_session(&conn.client, &self.database_name)
+                        .await
+                        .map_err(|e| RecycleError::Backend(e.into()))?;
+                }
+                _ => return Err(RecycleError::Backend(e.into())),
+            }
+        }
+        Ok(())
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/db/spanner/manager/mod.rs b/src/db/spanner/manager/mod.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d29dca6f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/db/spanner/manager/mod.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+pub mod bb8;
+pub mod deadpool;
diff --git a/src/db/spanner/models.rs b/src/db/spanner/models.rs
index b45d1b9e..cba4bbb8 100644
--- a/src/db/spanner/models.rs
+++ b/src/db/spanner/models.rs
@@ -7,47 +7,46 @@ use std::{
     sync::Arc,
 };
 
-use bb8::PooledConnection;
 use futures::future::TryFutureExt;
-use googleapis_raw::spanner::v1::transaction::{
-    self, TransactionOptions, TransactionOptions_ReadOnly, TransactionOptions_ReadWrite,
-};
 use googleapis_raw::spanner::v1::{
     mutation::{Mutation, Mutation_Write},
     spanner::{BeginTransactionRequest, CommitRequest, ExecuteSqlRequest, RollbackRequest},
+    transaction::{
+        TransactionOptions, TransactionOptions_ReadOnly, TransactionOptions_ReadWrite,
+        TransactionSelector,
+    },
     type_pb::TypeCode,
 };
 #[allow(unused_imports)]
 use protobuf::{well_known_types::ListValue, Message, RepeatedField};
 
-use super::manager::{SpannerConnectionManager, SpannerSession};
-use super::pool::CollectionCache;
-
-use crate::db::{
-    error::{DbError, DbErrorKind},
-    params, results,
-    spanner::support::{as_type, StreamedResultSetAsync},
-    util::SyncTimestamp,
-    Db, DbFuture, Sorting, FIRST_CUSTOM_COLLECTION_ID,
+use crate::{
+    db::{
+        error::{DbError, DbErrorKind},
+        params, results,
+        util::SyncTimestamp,
+        Db, DbFuture, Sorting, FIRST_CUSTOM_COLLECTION_ID,
+    },
+    server::metrics::Metrics,
+    web::extractors::{BsoQueryParams, HawkIdentifier, Offset},
 };
-use crate::server::metrics::Metrics;
-use crate::web::extractors::{BsoQueryParams, HawkIdentifier, Offset};
 
-use super::support::{bso_to_insert_row, bso_to_update_row};
 use super::{
     batch,
-    support::{as_list_value, as_value, bso_from_row, ExecuteSqlRequestBuilder},
+    pool::{CollectionCache, Conn},
+    support::{
+        as_list_value, as_type, as_value, bso_from_row, ExecuteSqlRequestBuilder,
+        StreamedResultSetAsync,
+    },
+    support::{bso_to_insert_row, bso_to_update_row},
 };
 
-pub type TransactionSelector = transaction::TransactionSelector;
-
 #[derive(Debug, Eq, PartialEq)]
 pub enum CollectionLock {
     Read,
     Write,
 }
 
-pub(super) type Conn<'a> = PooledConnection<'a, SpannerConnectionManager<SpannerSession>>;
 pub type Result<T> = std::result::Result<T, DbError>;
 
 /// The ttl to use for rows that are never supposed to expire (in seconds)
@@ -81,8 +80,8 @@ struct SpannerDbSession {
 }
 
 #[derive(Clone, Debug)]
-pub struct SpannerDb<'a> {
-    pub(super) inner: Arc<SpannerDbInner<'a>>,
+pub struct SpannerDb {
+    pub(super) inner: Arc<SpannerDbInner>,
 
     /// Pool level cache of collection_ids and their names
     coll_cache: Arc<CollectionCache>,
@@ -90,28 +89,28 @@ pub struct SpannerDb<'a> {
     pub metrics: Metrics,
 }
 
-pub struct SpannerDbInner<'a> {
-    pub(super) conn: Conn<'a>,
+pub struct SpannerDbInner {
+    pub(super) conn: Conn,
 
     session: RefCell<SpannerDbSession>,
 }
 
-impl fmt::Debug for SpannerDbInner<'_> {
+impl fmt::Debug for SpannerDbInner {
     fn fmt(&self, f: &mut fmt::Formatter<'_>) -> fmt::Result {
         write!(f, "SpannerDbInner")
     }
 }
 
-impl<'a> Deref for SpannerDb<'a> {
-    type Target = SpannerDbInner<'a>;
+impl Deref for SpannerDb {
+    type Target = SpannerDbInner;
 
     fn deref(&self) -> &Self::Target {
         &self.inner
     }
 }
 
-impl<'a> SpannerDb<'a> {
-    pub fn new(conn: Conn<'a>, coll_cache: Arc<CollectionCache>, metrics: &Metrics) -> Self {
+impl SpannerDb {
+    pub fn new(conn: Conn, coll_cache: Arc<CollectionCache>, metrics: &Metrics) -> Self {
         let inner = SpannerDbInner {
             conn,
             session: RefCell::new(Default::default()),
@@ -1605,7 +1604,7 @@ impl<'a> SpannerDb<'a> {
     }
 }
 
-impl<'a> Db<'a> for SpannerDb<'a> {
+impl<'a> Db<'a> for SpannerDb {
     fn commit(&self) -> DbFuture<'_, ()> {
         let db = self.clone();
         Box::pin(async move { db.commit_async().map_err(Into::into).await })
diff --git a/src/db/spanner/pool.rs b/src/db/spanner/pool.rs
index 610335c7..74150e09 100644
--- a/src/db/spanner/pool.rs
+++ b/src/db/spanner/pool.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 use async_trait::async_trait;
-use bb8::{ErrorSink, Pool};
+use bb8::ErrorSink;
 
 use std::{
     collections::HashMap,
@@ -12,10 +12,12 @@ use crate::db::{error::DbError, results, Db, DbPool, STD_COLLS};
 use crate::server::metrics::Metrics;
 use crate::settings::Settings;
 
-use super::manager::{SpannerConnectionManager, SpannerSession};
+use super::manager::bb8::SpannerSession;
 use super::models::SpannerDb;
 use crate::error::ApiResult;
 
+pub(super) type Conn = deadpool::managed::Object<SpannerSession, DbError>;
+
 embed_migrations!();
 
 /// Run the diesel embedded migrations
@@ -30,7 +32,8 @@ embed_migrations!();
 #[derive(Clone)]
 pub struct SpannerDbPool {
     /// Pool of db connections
-    pool: Pool<SpannerConnectionManager<SpannerSession>>,
+    //pool: Pool<SpannerConnectionManager<SpannerSession>>,
+    pool: deadpool::managed::Pool<SpannerSession, DbError>,
     /// In-memory cache of collection_ids and their names
     coll_cache: Arc<CollectionCache>,
 
@@ -45,24 +48,24 @@ impl SpannerDbPool {
     }
 
     pub async fn new_without_migrations(settings: &Settings, metrics: &Metrics) -> Result<Self> {
-        let manager = SpannerConnectionManager::<SpannerSession>::new(settings, metrics)?;
         let max_size = settings.database_pool_max_size.unwrap_or(10);
-        let builder = bb8::Pool::builder()
-            .max_size(max_size)
-            .min_idle(settings.database_pool_min_idle)
-            .error_sink(Box::new(LoggingErrorSink));
+        let manager = super::manager::deadpool::Manager::new(settings, metrics)?;
+        let config = deadpool::managed::PoolConfig::new(max_size as usize);
+        let pool = deadpool::managed::Pool::from_config(manager, config);
 
         Ok(Self {
-            pool: builder.build(manager).await?,
+            pool,
             coll_cache: Default::default(),
             metrics: metrics.clone(),
         })
     }
 
-    pub async fn get_async(&self) -> Result<SpannerDb<'_>> {
+    pub async fn get_async(&self) -> Result<SpannerDb> {
         let conn = self.pool.get().await.map_err(|e| match e {
-            bb8::RunError::User(dbe) => dbe,
-            bb8::RunError::TimedOut => DbError::internal("bb8:TimedOut"),
+            deadpool::managed::PoolError::Backend(dbe) => dbe,
+            deadpool::managed::PoolError::Timeout(timeout_type) => {
+                DbError::internal(&format!("deadpool Timeout: {:?}", timeout_type))
+            }
         })?;
         Ok(SpannerDb::new(
             conn,
@@ -82,7 +85,7 @@ impl DbPool for SpannerDbPool {
     }
 
     fn state(&self) -> results::PoolState {
-        self.pool.state().into()
+        self.pool.status().into()
     }
 
     fn validate_batch_id(&self, id: String) -> Result<()> {
diff --git a/src/db/spanner/support.rs b/src/db/spanner/support.rs
index 2a9b1715..6c6ca0cc 100644
--- a/src/db/spanner/support.rs
+++ b/src/db/spanner/support.rs
@@ -16,14 +16,16 @@ use protobuf::{
     RepeatedField,
 };
 
-use super::models::{Conn, Result};
-use crate::db::{results, util::SyncTimestamp, DbError, DbErrorKind};
-
 use crate::{
-    db::{params, spanner::models::DEFAULT_BSO_TTL, util::to_rfc3339},
+    db::{
+        params, results, spanner::models::DEFAULT_BSO_TTL, util::to_rfc3339, util::SyncTimestamp,
+        DbError, DbErrorKind,
+    },
     web::extractors::HawkIdentifier,
 };
 
+use super::{models::Result, pool::Conn};
+
 pub fn as_value(string_value: String) -> Value {
     let mut value = Value::new();
     value.set_string_value(string_value);
@@ -86,7 +88,7 @@ impl ExecuteSqlRequestBuilder {
         self
     }
 
-    fn prepare_request(self, conn: &Conn<'_>) -> ExecuteSqlRequest {
+    fn prepare_request(self, conn: &Conn) -> ExecuteSqlRequest {
         let mut request = self.execute_sql;
         request.set_session(conn.session.get_name().to_owned());
         if let Some(params) = self.params {
@@ -101,7 +103,7 @@ impl ExecuteSqlRequestBuilder {
     }
 
     /// Execute a SQL read statement but return a non-blocking streaming result
-    pub fn execute_async(self, conn: &Conn<'_>) -> Result<StreamedResultSetAsync> {
+    pub fn execute_async(self, conn: &Conn) -> Result<StreamedResultSetAsync> {
         let stream = conn
             .client
             .execute_streaming_sql(&self.prepare_request(conn))?;
@@ -109,7 +111,7 @@ impl ExecuteSqlRequestBuilder {
     }
 
     /// Execute a DML statement, returning the exact count of modified rows
-    pub async fn execute_dml_async(self, conn: &Conn<'_>) -> Result<i64> {
+    pub async fn execute_dml_async(self, conn: &Conn) -> Result<i64> {
         let rs = conn
             .client
             .execute_sql_async(&self.prepare_request(conn))?