diff --git a/lib/index.js b/lib/index.js
index c38da27..25345c9 100644
--- a/lib/index.js
+++ b/lib/index.js
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ function fromSubdomain(subdomain) {
  * }} peer
  * @returns {asserts peer is { db: PPPPPDB, close: ClosableHook }}
  */
-function assertDBExists(peer) {
+function assertDBPlugin(peer) {
   if (!peer.db) throw new Error('record plugin requires ppppp-db plugin')
 }
 
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ function assertDBExists(peer) {
  * @param {any} config
  */
 function initRecord(peer, config) {
-  assertDBExists(peer)
+  assertDBPlugin(peer)
 
   //#region state
   let accountID = /** @type {string | null} */ (null)
@@ -251,7 +251,7 @@ function initRecord(peer, config) {
    * @returns {number}
    */
   function _squeezePotential(subdomain) {
-    assertDBExists(peer)
+    assertDBPlugin(peer)
     if (!accountID) throw new Error('Cannot squeeze potential before loading')
     // TODO: improve this so that the squeezePotential is the size of the
     // tangle suffix built as a slice from the fieldRoots
@@ -275,7 +275,7 @@ function initRecord(peer, config) {
    * @param {CB<boolean>} cb
    */
   function forceUpdate(subdomain, update, cb) {
-    assertDBExists(peer)
+    assertDBPlugin(peer)
     if (!accountID) throw new Error('Cannot force update before loading')
     const domain = fromSubdomain(subdomain)
 
@@ -304,7 +304,7 @@ function initRecord(peer, config) {
    * @param {CB<void>} cb
    */
   function load(id, cb) {
-    assertDBExists(peer)
+    assertDBPlugin(peer)
     accountID = id
     loadPromise = new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
       for (const rec of peer.db.records()) {
@@ -338,7 +338,7 @@ function initRecord(peer, config) {
    * @returns {number}
    */
   function getMinRequiredDepth(tangleID) {
-    assertDBExists(peer)
+    assertDBPlugin(peer)
 
     const rootMsg = peer.db.get(tangleID)
     if (!rootMsg) throw new Error(`Cannot find tangle root "${tangleID}"`)
@@ -378,7 +378,7 @@ function initRecord(peer, config) {
    * @returns {Record<string, any> | null}
    */
   function read(id, subdomain) {
-    assertDBExists(peer)
+    assertDBPlugin(peer)
     const domain = fromSubdomain(subdomain)
     const mootID = MsgV3.getMootID(id, domain)
     const tangle = peer.db.getTangle(mootID)