diff --git a/src/fabric_rpc.erl b/src/fabric_rpc.erl
index eef9f30..b0b7776 100644
--- a/src/fabric_rpc.erl
+++ b/src/fabric_rpc.erl
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
 -export([all_docs/3, changes/3, map_view/4, reduce_view/4, group_info/2]).
 -export([create_db/1, delete_db/1, reset_validation_funs/1, set_security/3,
     set_revs_limit/3, create_shard_db_doc/2, delete_shard_db_doc/2]).
--export([get_all_security/2]).
+-export([get_all_security/2, open_shard/2]).
 
 -export([get_db_info/2, get_doc_count/2, get_update_seq/2,
          changes/4, map_view/5, reduce_view/5, group_info/3]).
@@ -221,6 +221,15 @@
         ok
     end.
 
+open_shard(Name, Opts) ->
+    set_io_priority(Name, Opts),
+    case couch_db:open(Name, Opts) of
+        {ok, Db} ->
+            rexi:reply({ok, {ok, Db}});
+        Error ->
+            rexi:reply(Error)
+    end.
+
 %%
 %% internal
 %%
diff --git a/src/fabric_util.erl b/src/fabric_util.erl
index 18ff578..d0b4ac9 100644
--- a/src/fabric_util.erl
+++ b/src/fabric_util.erl
@@ -176,15 +176,21 @@
 get_shard([], _Opts, _Timeout, _Factor) ->
     erlang:error({internal_server_error, "No DB shards could be opened."});
 get_shard([#shard{node = Node, name = Name} | Rest], Opts, Timeout, Factor) ->
-    case rpc:call(Node, couch_db, open, [Name, [{timeout, Timeout} | Opts]]) of
-    {ok, Db} ->
-        {ok, Db};
-    {unauthorized, _} = Error ->
-        throw(Error);
-    {badrpc, {'EXIT', {timeout, _}}} ->
-        get_shard(Rest, Opts, Factor * Timeout, Factor);
-    _Else ->
-        get_shard(Rest, Opts, Timeout, Factor)
+    Mon = rexi_monitor:start([rexi_utils:server_pid(Node)]),
+    MFA = {fabric_rpc, open_shard, [Name, [{timeout, Timeout} | Opts]]},
+    Ref = rexi:cast(Node, self(), MFA, [sync]),
+    try
+        receive {Ref, {ok, {ok, Db}}} ->
+            {ok, Db};
+        {Ref, {ok, {unauthorized, _} = Error}} ->
+            throw(Error);
+        _Else ->
+            get_shard(Rest, Opts, Timeout, Factor)
+        after Timeout ->
+            get_shard(Rest, Opts, Factor * Timeout, Factor)
+        end
+    after
+        rexi_monitor:stop(Mon)
     end.
 
 error_info({{<<"reduce_overflow_error">>, _} = Error, _Stack}) ->