diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index c625694..a00b12b 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 
 [project.optional-dependencies]
-db = ["SQLAlchemy<2", "alembic", "alembic-postgresql-enum", "passlib"]
+db = ["SQLAlchemy", "alembic", "alembic-postgresql-enum", "passlib"]
 docs = ["Sphinx", "sphinxcontrib-programoutput", "enum-tools[sphinx]", "furo"]
 tests = ["pytest-cov", "tox"]
 
diff --git a/src/wuttjamaican/db/handler.py b/src/wuttjamaican/db/handler.py
index 7c745d8..849f954 100644
--- a/src/wuttjamaican/db/handler.py
+++ b/src/wuttjamaican/db/handler.py
@@ -34,6 +34,10 @@ class DatabaseHandler(GenericHandler):
     Base class and default implementation for the :term:`db handler`.
     """
 
+    def get_dialect(self, bind):
+        """ """
+        return bind.url.get_dialect().name
+
     def next_counter_value(self, session, key):
         """
         Return the next counter value for the given key.
@@ -52,7 +56,7 @@ class DatabaseHandler(GenericHandler):
 
         :returns: Next value as integer.
         """
-        dialect = session.bind.url.get_dialect().name
+        dialect = self.get_dialect(session.bind)
 
         # postgres uses "true" native sequence
         if dialect == 'postgresql':
diff --git a/src/wuttjamaican/db/util.py b/src/wuttjamaican/db/util.py
index bc06e22..ff4b69b 100644
--- a/src/wuttjamaican/db/util.py
+++ b/src/wuttjamaican/db/util.py
@@ -25,6 +25,8 @@ Database Utilities
 """
 
 import uuid as _uuid
+from importlib.metadata import version
+from packaging.version import Version
 
 import sqlalchemy as sa
 from sqlalchemy import orm
@@ -44,6 +46,11 @@ naming_convention = {
 }
 
 
+SA2 = True
+if Version(version('SQLAlchemy')) < Version('2'): # pragma: no cover
+    SA2 = False
+
+
 class ModelBase:
     """ """
 
diff --git a/tests/db/test_handler.py b/tests/db/test_handler.py
index e28e813..bee05e5 100644
--- a/tests/db/test_handler.py
+++ b/tests/db/test_handler.py
@@ -51,8 +51,7 @@ else:
             # using sqlite backend.
 
             # using postgres as backend, should use "sequence"
-            with patch.object(self.session.bind.url, 'get_dialect') as get_dialect:
-                get_dialect.return_value.name = 'postgresql'
+            with patch.object(handler, 'get_dialect', return_value='postgresql'):
                 with patch.object(self.session, 'execute') as execute:
                     execute.return_value.scalar.return_value = 1
                     value = handler.next_counter_value(self.session, 'testing')
diff --git a/tests/test_install.py b/tests/test_install.py
index ba410b1..2bc2ddb 100644
--- a/tests/test_install.py
+++ b/tests/test_install.py
@@ -92,6 +92,8 @@ class TestInstallHandler(ConfigTestCase):
         except ImportError:
             pytest.skip("test is not relevant without sqlalchemy")
 
+        from wuttjamaican.db.util import SA2
+
         handler = self.make_handler()
 
         def prompt_generic(info, default=None, is_password=False):
@@ -112,6 +114,8 @@ class TestInstallHandler(ConfigTestCase):
                         self.assertRaises(RuntimeError, handler.get_dbinfo)
                         sys.exit.assert_called_once_with(1)
 
+                        seekrit = '***' if SA2 else 'seekrit'
+
                         # good dbinfo
                         sys.exit.reset_mock()
                         test_db_connection.return_value = None
@@ -119,7 +123,7 @@ class TestInstallHandler(ConfigTestCase):
                         self.assertFalse(sys.exit.called)
                         rprint.assert_called_with("[bold green]good[/bold green]")
                         self.assertEqual(str(dbinfo['dburl']),
-                                         'postgresql+psycopg2://poser:seekrit@localhost:5432/poser')
+                                         f'postgresql+psycopg2://poser:{seekrit}@localhost:5432/poser')
 
     def test_make_db_url(self):
         try:
@@ -127,13 +131,16 @@ class TestInstallHandler(ConfigTestCase):
         except ImportError:
             pytest.skip("test is not relevant without sqlalchemy")
 
+        from wuttjamaican.db.util import SA2
+
         handler = self.make_handler()
+        seekrit = '***' if SA2 else 'seekrit'
 
         url = handler.make_db_url('postgresql', 'localhost', '5432', 'poser', 'poser', 'seekrit')
-        self.assertEqual(str(url), 'postgresql+psycopg2://poser:seekrit@localhost:5432/poser')
+        self.assertEqual(str(url), f'postgresql+psycopg2://poser:{seekrit}@localhost:5432/poser')
 
         url = handler.make_db_url('mysql', 'localhost', '3306', 'poser', 'poser', 'seekrit')
-        self.assertEqual(str(url), 'mysql+mysqlconnector://poser:seekrit@localhost:3306/poser')
+        self.assertEqual(str(url), f'mysql+mysqlconnector://poser:{seekrit}@localhost:3306/poser')
 
     def test_test_db_connection(self):
         try: