diff --git a/lib/closure_tree/has_closure_tree.rb b/lib/closure_tree/has_closure_tree.rb
index b0bc5b1a..4ce8d300 100644
--- a/lib/closure_tree/has_closure_tree.rb
+++ b/lib/closure_tree/has_closure_tree.rb
@@ -1,38 +1,38 @@
 module ClosureTree
   module HasClosureTree
     def has_closure_tree(options = {})
-      options.assert_valid_keys(
-        :parent_column_name,
-        :dependent,
-        :hierarchy_class_name,
-        :hierarchy_table_name,
-        :name_column,
-        :order,
-        :dont_order_roots,
-        :numeric_order,
-        :touch,
-        :with_advisory_lock
-      )
+      connection_pool.with_connection {
+        options.assert_valid_keys(
+          :parent_column_name,
+          :dependent,
+          :hierarchy_class_name,
+          :hierarchy_table_name,
+          :name_column,
+          :order,
+          :dont_order_roots,
+          :numeric_order,
+          :touch,
+          :with_advisory_lock
+        )
 
-      class_attribute :_ct
-      self._ct = ClosureTree::Support.new(self, options)
+        class_attribute :_ct
+        self._ct = ClosureTree::Support.new(self, options)
 
-      # Auto-inject the hierarchy table
-      # See https://github.com/patshaughnessy/class_factory/blob/master/lib/class_factory/class_factory.rb
-      class_attribute :hierarchy_class
-      self.hierarchy_class = _ct.hierarchy_class_for_model
+        # Auto-inject the hierarchy table
+        # See https://github.com/patshaughnessy/class_factory/blob/master/lib/class_factory/class_factory.rb
+        class_attribute :hierarchy_class
+        self.hierarchy_class = _ct.hierarchy_class_for_model
 
-      # tests fail if you include Model before HierarchyMaintenance wtf
-      include ClosureTree::HierarchyMaintenance
-      include ClosureTree::Model
-      include ClosureTree::Finders
-      include ClosureTree::HashTree
-      include ClosureTree::Digraphs
+        # tests fail if you include Model before HierarchyMaintenance wtf
+        include ClosureTree::HierarchyMaintenance
+        include ClosureTree::Model
+        include ClosureTree::Finders
+        include ClosureTree::HashTree
+        include ClosureTree::Digraphs
 
-      include ClosureTree::DeterministicOrdering if _ct.order_option?
-      include ClosureTree::NumericDeterministicOrdering if _ct.order_is_numeric?
-
-      connection_pool.release_connection
+        include ClosureTree::DeterministicOrdering if _ct.order_option?
+        include ClosureTree::NumericDeterministicOrdering if _ct.order_is_numeric?
+      }
     rescue StandardError => e
       raise e unless ClosureTree.configuration.database_less
     end
diff --git a/spec/pool_spec.rb b/spec/pool_spec.rb
index de25c4fb..89d4e066 100644
--- a/spec/pool_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/pool_spec.rb
@@ -1,6 +1,11 @@
 require 'spec_helper'
 
 describe 'Configuration' do
+  before(:each) do
+    # Make sure we start up with no active connection
+    ActiveRecord::Base.connection_pool.release_connection
+  end
+
   it 'returns connection to the pool after has_closure_tree setup' do
     class TypeDuplicate < ActiveRecord::Base
       self.table_name = "namespace_type#{table_name_suffix}"