diff --git a/admidio.py b/admidio.py
index c175d9f..4e4458a 100644
--- a/admidio.py
+++ b/admidio.py
@@ -13,14 +13,21 @@ class Admidio:
 
     def __init__(self, mysql_host, mysql_user, mysql_pass, mysql_db,
                  db_prefix):
-        self.db = MySQLdb.connect(
-            host=mysql_host, user=mysql_user, passwd=mysql_pass, db=mysql_db)
-        self.cursor = self.db.cursor()
+        self.mysql_host = mysql_host
+        self.mysql_user = mysql_user
+        self.mysql_pass = mysql_pass
+        self.mysql_db = mysql_db
+
         self.prefix = db_prefix
+
         self.members = dict()
         self.groups = dict()
         self.events = dict()
+
         self.event_confirmation_id = None
+
+        self.connect_db()
+
         sql = f"SELECT usf_id,usf_name_intern FROM {self.prefix}_user_fields"
         self.cursor.execute(sql)
         self.userfields = dict(self.cursor.fetchall())
@@ -34,25 +41,37 @@ class Admidio:
         self.cursor.execute(sql)
         self.event_confirmation_id = self.cursor.fetchone()[0]
 
-        self.initMembers()
-        self.initGroups()
-        self.initEvents()
-        self.ready = True
+        self.db.close()
+
+        self.refresh()
 
     def __del__(self):
-        self.db.close()
+        pass
+
+    def connect_db(self):
+        self.db = MySQLdb.connect(
+            host=self.mysql_host,
+            user=self.mysql_user,
+            passwd=self.mysql_pass,
+            db=self.mysql_db)
+
+        self.cursor = self.db.cursor()
 
     def refresh(self):
         """Refresh all users, groups and events that are stored"""
+        self.connect_db()
+
         self.ready = False
-        self.members = dict()
-        self.groups = dict()
-        self.events = dict()
+        self.members.clear()
+        self.groups.clear()
+        self.events.clear()
         self.initMembers()
         self.initGroups()
         self.initEvents()
         self.ready = True
 
+        self.db.close()
+
     def initMembers(self):
         """Initialises all members in the Admidio installation"""