diff --git a/src/utils/dbUtils.js b/src/utils/dbUtils.js
index 030d14c..2b68313 100644
--- a/src/utils/dbUtils.js
+++ b/src/utils/dbUtils.js
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+import PouchDB from 'pouchdb';
+
 export function getLegalDBName(input) {
   return encodeURIComponent(input.toLowerCase())
     .replace(/\./g, '%2E')
@@ -11,3 +13,9 @@ export function getLegalDBName(input) {
     .toLowerCase()
     .replace(/(%..)/g, esc => `(${esc.substr(1)})`);
 }
+
+const dbs = {};
+export function getDb(dbUrl) {
+  if (!dbs[dbUrl]) dbs[dbUrl] = new PouchDB(dbUrl);
+  return dbs[dbUrl];
+}
diff --git a/src/utils/reactUtils.js b/src/utils/reactUtils.js
index a6e22cb..fbd4203 100644
--- a/src/utils/reactUtils.js
+++ b/src/utils/reactUtils.js
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { SubmissionError } from 'redux-form';
+import { SubmissionError, startAsyncValidation, stopAsyncValidation } from 'redux-form';
 
 // redux form submit promise wrapper
 // - turns all errors into SubmissionError
@@ -38,3 +38,12 @@ export function classNames(...names) {
     .filter(name => typeof name === 'string')
     .join(' ');
 }
+
+export function asyncValidateForm(dispatch, form, asyncValidate, formData) {
+  dispatch(startAsyncValidation(form));
+  asyncValidate(formData).then(() => {
+    dispatch(stopAsyncValidation(form));
+  }).catch(error => {
+    dispatch(stopAsyncValidation(form, error));
+  })
+}