diff --git a/extra/gdbm/gdbm-tests.factor b/extra/gdbm/gdbm-tests.factor
index 9d233c8949..4a102deeb1 100644
--- a/extra/gdbm/gdbm-tests.factor
+++ b/extra/gdbm/gdbm-tests.factor
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ CLEANUP
 [ ] [ [ "foo" 41 insert ] with-test.db ] unit-test
 
 [
-    [ "foo" 42 insert ] with-test.db
+    db-path [ "foo" 42 insert ] with-gdbm-writer
 ] [ gdbm-cannot-replace = ] must-fail-with
 
 [ ]
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ CLEANUP
     ] with-test.db
 ] unit-test
 
-[ 42 t ] [ [ "foo" fetch* ] with-test.db ] unit-test
+[ 42 t ] [ db-path [ "foo" fetch* ] with-gdbm-reader ] unit-test
 
 [ f f ] [ [ "unknown" fetch* ] with-test.db ] unit-test
 
diff --git a/extra/gdbm/gdbm.factor b/extra/gdbm/gdbm.factor
index 54980cb309..2fe758f539 100644
--- a/extra/gdbm/gdbm.factor
+++ b/extra/gdbm/gdbm.factor
@@ -148,3 +148,13 @@ PRIVATE>
 : with-gdbm ( gdbm quot -- )
     [ gdbm-open &gdbm-close current-dbf set ] prepose curry
     [ with-scope ] curry with-destructors ; inline
+
+:: with-gdbm-role ( name role quot -- )
+    <gdbm> name >>name role >>role quot with-gdbm ; inline
+
+: with-gdbm-reader ( name quot -- )
+    reader swap with-gdbm-role ; inline
+
+: with-gdbm-writer ( name quot -- )
+    writer swap with-gdbm-role ; inline
+