diff --git a/gramps/gen/db/read.py b/gramps/gen/db/read.py
index d14695bb8..efdb2e048 100644
--- a/gramps/gen/db/read.py
+++ b/gramps/gen/db/read.py
@@ -1666,10 +1666,6 @@ class DbBsddbRead(DbReadBase, Callback):
             handle = handle.encode('utf-8')
         try:
             return table.get(handle, txn=self.txn)
-        except UnicodeDecodeError:
-            #we need to assume we opened data in python3 saved in python2
-            raw = table.db.get(handle, txn=self.txn)
-            return pickle.loads(raw, encoding='utf-8')
         except DBERRS as msg:
             self.__log_error()
             raise DbError(msg)
diff --git a/gramps/gen/db/upgrade.py b/gramps/gen/db/upgrade.py
index 6577b1021..5c58ef09a 100644
--- a/gramps/gen/db/upgrade.py
+++ b/gramps/gen/db/upgrade.py
@@ -66,6 +66,27 @@ from gramps.gui.dialog import (InfoDialog)
 
 LOG = logging.getLogger(".upgrade")
 
+def gramps_upgrade_pickle(self):
+    """
+    Upgrade to python3 pickle protocol.
+    """
+    import pickle
+    tables = (self.person_map, self.event_map, self.family_map, self.place_map,
+              self.repository_map, self.source_map, self.citation_map,
+              self.media_map, self.note_map, self.tag_map, self.metadata,
+              self.reference_map)
+    self.set_total(sum(map(len, tables)))
+    for data_map in tables:
+        for handle in data_map.keys():
+            raw = data_map.db.get(handle)
+            data = pickle.loads(raw, encoding='utf-8')
+            with BSDDBTxn(self.env, data_map) as txn:
+                txn.put(handle, data)
+            self.update()
+
+    with BSDDBTxn(self.env, self.metadata) as txn:
+        txn.put(b'upgraded', 'Yes')
+
 def gramps_upgrade_17(self):
     """
     Upgrade database from version 16 to 17. 
diff --git a/gramps/gen/db/write.py b/gramps/gen/db/write.py
index b5334005d..3cb0ab52c 100644
--- a/gramps/gen/db/write.py
+++ b/gramps/gen/db/write.py
@@ -799,6 +799,7 @@ class DbBsddb(DbBsddbRead, DbWriteBase, UpdateCallback):
                     # New database. Set up the current version.
                     #self.metadata.put(b'version', _DBVERSION, txn=the_txn)
                     txn.put(b'version', _DBVERSION)
+                    txn.put(b'upgraded', 'Yes')
                 elif b'version' not in self.metadata:
                     # Not new database, but the version is missing.
                     # Use 0, but it is likely to fail anyway.
@@ -936,12 +937,7 @@ class DbBsddb(DbBsddbRead, DbWriteBase, UpdateCallback):
         
         # bookmarks
         def meta(key):
-            try:
-                return self.metadata.get(key, default=[])
-            except UnicodeDecodeError:
-                #we need to assume we opened data in python3 saved in python2
-                raw = self.metadata.db.get(key, default=[])
-                return pickle.loads(raw, encoding='utf-8') if raw else raw
+            return self.metadata.get(key, default=[])
         
         self.bookmarks.set(meta(b'bookmarks'))
         self.family_bookmarks.set(meta(b'family_bookmarks'))
@@ -2142,10 +2138,6 @@ class DbBsddb(DbBsddbRead, DbWriteBase, UpdateCallback):
             handle = handle.encode('utf-8')
         try:
             data = data_map.get(handle, txn=self.txn)
-        except UnicodeDecodeError:
-            #we need to assume we opened data in python3 saved in python2
-            raw = data_map.db.get(handle, txn=self.txn)
-            data = pickle.loads(raw, encoding='utf-8')
         except:
             data = None
             # under certain circumstances during a database reload,
@@ -2339,6 +2331,11 @@ class DbBsddb(DbBsddbRead, DbWriteBase, UpdateCallback):
         t = time.time()
 
         from . import upgrade
+        upgraded = self.metadata.get(b'upgraded')
+        if sys.version_info[0] >= 3 and upgraded is None:
+            _LOG.debug("Pickle protocol upgrade required")
+            upgrade.gramps_upgrade_pickle(self)
+
         if version < 14:
             upgrade.gramps_upgrade_14(self)
         if version < 15: