diff --git a/etiquette/exceptions.py b/etiquette/exceptions.py
index 517298b..6419760 100644
--- a/etiquette/exceptions.py
+++ b/etiquette/exceptions.py
@@ -157,6 +157,14 @@ class WrongLogin(EtiquetteException):
     error_message = 'Wrong username-password combination.'
 
 
+# SQL ERRORS
+class BadSQL(EtiquetteException):
+    pass
+
+class BadTable(BadSQL):
+    error_message = 'Table "{}" does not exist.'
+
+
 # GENERAL ERRORS
 class BadDataDirectory(EtiquetteException):
     '''
diff --git a/etiquette/photodb.py b/etiquette/photodb.py
index a696318..4f113bf 100644
--- a/etiquette/photodb.py
+++ b/etiquette/photodb.py
@@ -685,6 +685,10 @@ class PDBSQLMixin:
         self.on_commit_queue = []
         self.savepoints = []
 
+    def assert_table_exists(self, table):
+        if table not in self._cached_sql_tables:
+            raise exceptions.BadTable(table)
+
     def commit(self, message=None):
         if message is not None:
             self.log.debug('Committing - %s.', message)
@@ -699,6 +703,12 @@ class PDBSQLMixin:
         self.savepoints.clear()
         self.sql.commit()
 
+    def get_sql_tables(self):
+        query = 'SELECT name FROM sqlite_master WHERE type = "table"'
+        cur = self.sql_execute(query)
+        tables = set(row[0] for row in cur.fetchall())
+        return tables
+
     def rollback(self, savepoint=None):
         '''
         Given a savepoint, roll the database back to the moment before that
@@ -740,6 +750,7 @@ class PDBSQLMixin:
         return savepoint_id
 
     def sql_delete(self, table, pairs):
+        self.assert_table_exists(table)
         (qmarks, bindings) = sqlhelpers.delete_filler(pairs)
         query = f'DELETE FROM {table} {qmarks}'
         self.sql_execute(query, bindings)
@@ -752,6 +763,7 @@ class PDBSQLMixin:
         return cur
 
     def sql_insert(self, table, data):
+        self.assert_table_exists(table)
         column_names = constants.SQL_COLUMNS[table]
         (qmarks, bindings) = sqlhelpers.insert_filler(column_names, data)
 
@@ -771,6 +783,7 @@ class PDBSQLMixin:
         return cur.fetchone()
 
     def sql_update(self, table, pairs, where_key):
+        self.assert_table_exists(table)
         (qmarks, bindings) = sqlhelpers.update_filler(pairs, where_key=where_key)
         query = f'UPDATE {table} {qmarks}'
         self.sql_execute(query, bindings)
@@ -1332,6 +1345,8 @@ class PhotoDB(
         self.log.setLevel(self.config['log_level'])
 
         # OTHER
+        self._cached_sql_tables = self.get_sql_tables()
+
         self._cached_frozen_children = None
 
         self.caches = {