diff --git a/endpoints/v2/blob.py b/endpoints/v2/blob.py
index c3eabef38..8f6a43277 100644
--- a/endpoints/v2/blob.py
+++ b/endpoints/v2/blob.py
@@ -95,16 +95,16 @@ def download_blob(namespace_name, repo_name, digest):
 
   # Close the database connection before we stream the download.
   logger.debug('Closing database connection before streaming layer data')
-  database.close_db_filter(None)
+  with database.CloseForLongOperation(app.config):
+    # Stream the response to the Docker client.
+    return Response(
+      storage.stream_read(blob.locations, path),
+      headers=headers.update({
+        'Content-Length': blob.size,
+        'Content-Type': BLOB_CONTENT_TYPE,
+      }),
+    )
 
-  # Stream the response to the Docker client.
-  return Response(
-    storage.stream_read(blob.locations, path),
-    headers=headers.update({
-      'Content-Length': blob.size,
-      'Content-Type': BLOB_CONTENT_TYPE,
-    }),
-  )
 
 
 @v2_bp.route('/<repopath:repository>/blobs/uploads/', methods=['POST'])