diff --git a/README.txt b/README.txt
index 69a55dd..128573a 100644
--- a/README.txt
+++ b/README.txt
@@ -28,6 +28,10 @@ or by executing kjv-api-test.sh which will listen on 0.0.0.0:1612
 
 Visiting the base directory will show the user-facing documentation via web browser or cURL.
 
+When testing or doing a deployment, the data directory must be owned by whatever user is
+running the program in order to prevent a sqlite3.OperationalError for writing to a "readonly"
+database.
+
 CONTENTS
 ========
 .
diff --git a/app.py b/app.py
index 9e9f7b5..4caae25 100644
--- a/app.py
+++ b/app.py
@@ -520,11 +520,14 @@ def sequential_read(start=0, num=1, uid=None, getuid=False):
 
             start = verse_ids.index(int(show(kw=start, get_start_verse_id=True)))
         uid = str(uuid.uuid4())
-        seq_cur.execute(
-            "INSERT INTO reading_tracker VALUES('{}', {}, '{}')".format(
-                uid, start, last_used
+        try:
+            seq_cur.execute(
+                "INSERT INTO reading_tracker VALUES('{}', {}, '{}')".format(
+                    uid, start, last_used
+                )
             )
-        )
+        except sqlite3.OperationalError:
+            return jsonify({"error":"Something went wrong with the database. Check permissions?"})
         seq_conn.commit()
         dbg2("Created new UID: {}".format(uid))
         return "Your new UID is: {}".format(uid)