diff --git a/src/flex-table.cpp b/src/flex-table.cpp
index 370499197..6dff56a4e 100644
--- a/src/flex-table.cpp
+++ b/src/flex-table.cpp
@@ -281,12 +281,12 @@ static void enable_check_trigger(pg_conn_t const &db_connection,
 void table_connection_t::start(pg_conn_t const &db_connection, bool append)
 {
     if (!append) {
-        db_connection.exec("DROP TABLE IF EXISTS {} CASCADE",
-                           table().full_name());
+        drop_table_if_exists(db_connection, table().schema(), table().name());
     }
 
     // These _tmp tables can be left behind if we run out of disk space.
-    db_connection.exec("DROP TABLE IF EXISTS {}", table().full_tmp_name());
+    drop_table_if_exists(db_connection, table().schema(),
+                         table().name() + "_tmp");
 
     if (!append) {
         db_connection.exec(table().build_sql_create_table(
diff --git a/src/middle-pgsql.cpp b/src/middle-pgsql.cpp
index f9759840e..e2f1df1ea 100644
--- a/src/middle-pgsql.cpp
+++ b/src/middle-pgsql.cpp
@@ -148,10 +148,7 @@ void middle_pgsql_t::table_desc::drop_table(
     util::timer_t timer;
 
     log_info("Dropping table '{}'", name());
-
-    auto const qual_name = qualified_name(schema(), name());
-    db_connection.exec("DROP TABLE IF EXISTS {}", qual_name);
-
+    drop_table_if_exists(db_connection, schema(), name());
     log_info("Table '{}' dropped in {}", name(),
              util::human_readable_duration(timer.stop()));
 }
@@ -1318,8 +1315,7 @@ static void table_setup(pg_conn_t const &db_connection,
                         middle_pgsql_t::table_desc const &table)
 {
     log_debug("Setting up table '{}'", table.name());
-    auto const qual_name = qualified_name(table.schema(), table.name());
-    db_connection.exec("DROP TABLE IF EXISTS {} CASCADE", qual_name);
+    drop_table_if_exists(db_connection, table.schema(), table.name());
     table.create_table(db_connection);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/pgsql-helper.cpp b/src/pgsql-helper.cpp
index b438594e4..43e2e1241 100644
--- a/src/pgsql-helper.cpp
+++ b/src/pgsql-helper.cpp
@@ -7,9 +7,11 @@
  * For a full list of authors see the git log.
  */
 
+#include "pgsql-helper.hpp"
+
 #include "format.hpp"
 #include "pgsql.hpp"
-#include "pgsql-helper.hpp"
+#include "pgsql-capabilities.hpp"
 
 #include <cassert>
 
@@ -73,3 +75,10 @@ void analyze_table(pg_conn_t const &db_connection, std::string const &schema,
     auto const qual_name = qualified_name(schema, name);
     db_connection.exec("ANALYZE {}", qual_name);
 }
+
+void drop_table_if_exists(pg_conn_t const &db_connection,
+                          std::string const &schema, std::string const &name)
+{
+    db_connection.exec("DROP TABLE IF EXISTS {} CASCADE",
+                       qualified_name(schema, name));
+}
diff --git a/src/pgsql-helper.hpp b/src/pgsql-helper.hpp
index 7a38ee753..4e0894b35 100644
--- a/src/pgsql-helper.hpp
+++ b/src/pgsql-helper.hpp
@@ -40,4 +40,7 @@ void drop_geom_check_trigger(pg_conn_t const &db_connection,
 void analyze_table(pg_conn_t const &db_connection, std::string const &schema,
                    std::string const &name);
 
+void drop_table_if_exists(pg_conn_t const &db_connection,
+                          std::string const &schema, std::string const &name);
+
 #endif // OSM2PGSQL_PGSQL_HELPER_HPP
diff --git a/src/table.cpp b/src/table.cpp
index 64c71d8af..0dc78826e 100644
--- a/src/table.cpp
+++ b/src/table.cpp
@@ -83,21 +83,22 @@ void table_t::start(connection_params_t const &connection_params,
 
     connect();
     log_info("Setting up table '{}'", m_target->name());
-    auto const qual_name = qualified_name(m_target->schema(), m_target->name());
-    auto const qual_tmp_name =
-        qualified_name(m_target->schema(), m_target->name() + "_tmp");
 
     // we are making a new table
     if (!m_append) {
-        m_db_connection->exec("DROP TABLE IF EXISTS {} CASCADE", qual_name);
+        drop_table_if_exists(*m_db_connection, m_target->schema(),
+                             m_target->name());
     }
 
     // These _tmp tables can be left behind if we run out of disk space.
-    m_db_connection->exec("DROP TABLE IF EXISTS {}", qual_tmp_name);
+    drop_table_if_exists(*m_db_connection, m_target->schema(),
+                         m_target->name() + "_tmp");
 
     //making a new table
     if (!m_append) {
         //define the new table
+        auto const qual_name =
+            qualified_name(m_target->schema(), m_target->name());
         auto sql =
             fmt::format("CREATE UNLOGGED TABLE {} (osm_id int8,", qual_name);