diff --git a/include/modules.h b/include/modules.h
index 26c47d450..491f8e277 100644
--- a/include/modules.h
+++ b/include/modules.h
@@ -1248,9 +1248,10 @@ public:
 
 	/** Find the first module of a certain type
 	 * @param type The module type
+	 * @param ignore If non-nullptr then a module to ignore.
 	 * @return The module
 	 */
-	static Module *FindFirstOf(ModType type);
+	static Module *FindFirstOf(ModType type, Module *ignore = nullptr);
 
 	/** Checks whether this version of Anope is at least major.minor.patch.build
 	 * Throws a ModuleException if not
diff --git a/modules/database/db_flatfile.cpp b/modules/database/db_flatfile.cpp
index 0f53e6afd..8953afb1f 100644
--- a/modules/database/db_flatfile.cpp
+++ b/modules/database/db_flatfile.cpp
@@ -80,6 +80,8 @@ public:
 	DBFlatFile(const Anope::string &modname, const Anope::string &creator)
 		: Module(modname, creator, DATABASE | DEPRECATED | VENDOR)
 	{
+		if (!ModuleManager::FindFirstOf(DATABASE, this))
+			throw ModuleException("db_flatfile is deprecated and can only import old databases.");
 	}
 
 	EventReturn OnLoadDatabase() override
diff --git a/src/init.cpp b/src/init.cpp
index 282ec8957..1ade6be64 100644
--- a/src/init.cpp
+++ b/src/init.cpp
@@ -552,8 +552,10 @@ bool Anope::Init(int ac, char **av)
 		setuidgid();
 #endif
 
-	auto *encryption = ModuleManager::FindFirstOf(ENCRYPTION);
-	if (!encryption)
+	if (!ModuleManager::FindFirstOf(DATABASE))
+		throw CoreException("You must load a non-deprecated database module!");
+
+	if (!ModuleManager::FindFirstOf(ENCRYPTION))
 		throw CoreException("You must load a non-deprecated encryption module!");
 
 	if (!IRCD)
diff --git a/src/modulemanager.cpp b/src/modulemanager.cpp
index 77dc2804b..ceee29874 100644
--- a/src/modulemanager.cpp
+++ b/src/modulemanager.cpp
@@ -262,11 +262,11 @@ Module *ModuleManager::FindModule(const Anope::string &name)
 	return NULL;
 }
 
-Module *ModuleManager::FindFirstOf(ModType type)
+Module *ModuleManager::FindFirstOf(ModType type, Module *ignore)
 {
 	for (auto *m : Modules)
 	{
-		if (m->type & type)
+		if (m->type & type && m != ignore)
 			return m;
 	}