diff --git a/coreapi/message_storage.c b/coreapi/message_storage.c
index 2c2b11b2e..305900c1d 100644
--- a/coreapi/message_storage.c
+++ b/coreapi/message_storage.c
@@ -102,7 +102,10 @@ int _linphone_sqlite3_open(const char *db_file, sqlite3 **db) {
 		ms_error("Cannot set sqlite3 temporary store to memory: %s.", errmsg);
 		sqlite3_free(errmsg);
 	}
-#if TARGET_OS_IPHONE
+
+	/* the lines below have been disabled because they are likely an
+	 * outdated hack */
+#if 0 && TARGET_OS_IPHONE
 	ret = sqlite3_exec(*db, "PRAGMA journal_mode = OFF", NULL, NULL, &errmsg);
 	if (ret != SQLITE_OK) {
 		ms_error("Cannot set sqlite3 journal_mode to off: %s.", errmsg);