diff --git a/spinnman/spalloc/spalloc_client.py b/spinnman/spalloc/spalloc_client.py
index cd2758d4a..1563406b5 100644
--- a/spinnman/spalloc/spalloc_client.py
+++ b/spinnman/spalloc/spalloc_client.py
@@ -457,8 +457,8 @@ def __init__(self, session, job_handle):
         self.__proxy_thread = None
         self.__proxy_ping = None
 
-    @overrides(SpallocJob._write_session_credentials_to_db)
-    def _write_session_credentials_to_db(self, cur):
+    @overrides(SpallocJob.get_session_credentials_for_db)
+    def get_session_credentials_for_db(self):
         config = {}
         config["SPALLOC", "service uri"] = self._service_url
         config["SPALLOC", "job uri"] = self._url
@@ -471,10 +471,7 @@ def _write_session_credentials_to_db(self, cur):
             # We never write the auth headers themselves; we just extend the
             # session
             del headers["Authorization"]
-        cur.executemany("""
-            INSERT INTO proxy_configuration(kind, name, value)
-            VALUES(?, ?, ?)
-            """, [(k1, k2, v) for (k1, k2), v in config.items()])
+        return config
 
     @overrides(SpallocJob.get_state)
     def get_state(self):
diff --git a/spinnman/spalloc/spalloc_job.py b/spinnman/spalloc/spalloc_job.py
index 3ed3edd16..e9afaef95 100644
--- a/spinnman/spalloc/spalloc_job.py
+++ b/spinnman/spalloc/spalloc_job.py
@@ -194,17 +194,13 @@ def where_is_machine(self, x: int, y: int) -> Tuple[int, int, int]:
         """
 
     @abstractmethod
-    def _write_session_credentials_to_db(self, cur: Cursor):
+    def get_session_credentials_for_db(self):
         """
-        Write the session credentials for the job to the database accessed by
-        the given cursor.
+        Get the session credentials for the job to be written into a database
 
         .. note::
             May assume that there is a ``proxy_configuration`` table with
             ``kind``, ``name`` and ``value`` columns.
-
-        :param ~sqlite3.Cursor cur:
-            The open cursor to the database.
         """
 
     def __enter__(self):