diff --git a/level_db2.go b/c_level_db.go
similarity index 63%
rename from level_db2.go
rename to c_level_db.go
index e3049aae3..638be41b1 100644
--- a/level_db2.go
+++ b/c_level_db.go
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+// +build gcc
+
 package db
 
 import (
@@ -9,15 +11,21 @@ import (
 	. "github.com/tendermint/go-common"
 )
 
-type LevelDB2 struct {
+func init() {
+	registerDBCreator(CLevelDBBackendStr, func(name string, dir string) (DB, error) {
+		return NewCLevelDB(name, dir)
+	}, false)
+}
+
+type CLevelDB struct {
 	db     *levigo.DB
 	ro     *levigo.ReadOptions
 	wo     *levigo.WriteOptions
 	woSync *levigo.WriteOptions
 }
 
-func NewLevelDB2(name string) (*LevelDB2, error) {
-	dbPath := path.Join(name)
+func NewCLevelDB(name string, dir string) (*CLevelDB, error) {
+	dbPath := path.Join(dir, name+".db")
 
 	opts := levigo.NewOptions()
 	opts.SetCache(levigo.NewLRUCache(1 << 30))
@@ -30,7 +38,7 @@ func NewLevelDB2(name string) (*LevelDB2, error) {
 	wo := levigo.NewWriteOptions()
 	woSync := levigo.NewWriteOptions()
 	woSync.SetSync(true)
-	database := &LevelDB2{
+	database := &CLevelDB{
 		db:     db,
 		ro:     ro,
 		wo:     wo,
@@ -39,7 +47,7 @@ func NewLevelDB2(name string) (*LevelDB2, error) {
 	return database, nil
 }
 
-func (db *LevelDB2) Get(key []byte) []byte {
+func (db *CLevelDB) Get(key []byte) []byte {
 	res, err := db.db.Get(db.ro, key)
 	if err != nil {
 		PanicCrisis(err)
@@ -47,46 +55,46 @@ func (db *LevelDB2) Get(key []byte) []byte {
 	return res
 }
 
-func (db *LevelDB2) Set(key []byte, value []byte) {
+func (db *CLevelDB) Set(key []byte, value []byte) {
 	err := db.db.Put(db.wo, key, value)
 	if err != nil {
 		PanicCrisis(err)
 	}
 }
 
-func (db *LevelDB2) SetSync(key []byte, value []byte) {
+func (db *CLevelDB) SetSync(key []byte, value []byte) {
 	err := db.db.Put(db.woSync, key, value)
 	if err != nil {
 		PanicCrisis(err)
 	}
 }
 
-func (db *LevelDB2) Delete(key []byte) {
+func (db *CLevelDB) Delete(key []byte) {
 	err := db.db.Delete(db.wo, key)
 	if err != nil {
 		PanicCrisis(err)
 	}
 }
 
-func (db *LevelDB2) DeleteSync(key []byte) {
+func (db *CLevelDB) DeleteSync(key []byte) {
 	err := db.db.Delete(db.woSync, key)
 	if err != nil {
 		PanicCrisis(err)
 	}
 }
 
-func (db *LevelDB2) DB() *levigo.DB {
+func (db *CLevelDB) DB() *levigo.DB {
 	return db.db
 }
 
-func (db *LevelDB2) Close() {
+func (db *CLevelDB) Close() {
 	db.db.Close()
 	db.ro.Close()
 	db.wo.Close()
 	db.woSync.Close()
 }
 
-func (db *LevelDB2) Print() {
+func (db *CLevelDB) Print() {
 	iter := db.db.NewIterator(db.ro)
 	defer iter.Close()
 	for iter.Seek(nil); iter.Valid(); iter.Next() {
@@ -96,27 +104,27 @@ func (db *LevelDB2) Print() {
 	}
 }
 
-func (db *LevelDB2) NewBatch() Batch {
+func (db *CLevelDB) NewBatch() Batch {
 	batch := levigo.NewWriteBatch()
-	return &levelDB2Batch{db, batch}
+	return &cLevelDBBatch{db, batch}
 }
 
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-type levelDB2Batch struct {
-	db    *LevelDB2
+type cLevelDBBatch struct {
+	db    *CLevelDB
 	batch *levigo.WriteBatch
 }
 
-func (mBatch *levelDB2Batch) Set(key, value []byte) {
+func (mBatch *cLevelDBBatch) Set(key, value []byte) {
 	mBatch.batch.Put(key, value)
 }
 
-func (mBatch *levelDB2Batch) Delete(key []byte) {
+func (mBatch *cLevelDBBatch) Delete(key []byte) {
 	mBatch.batch.Delete(key)
 }
 
-func (mBatch *levelDB2Batch) Write() {
+func (mBatch *cLevelDBBatch) Write() {
 	err := mBatch.db.db.Write(mBatch.db.wo, mBatch.batch)
 	if err != nil {
 		PanicCrisis(err)
diff --git a/level_db2_test.go b/c_level_db_test.go
similarity index 95%
rename from level_db2_test.go
rename to c_level_db_test.go
index 27a558407..dbebcd902 100644
--- a/level_db2_test.go
+++ b/c_level_db_test.go
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+// +build gcc
+
 package db
 
 import (
@@ -16,7 +18,7 @@ func BenchmarkRandomReadsWrites2(b *testing.B) {
 	for i := 0; i < int(numItems); i++ {
 		internal[int64(i)] = int64(0)
 	}
-	db, err := NewLevelDB2(Fmt("test_%x", RandStr(12)))
+	db, err := NewGoLevelDB(Fmt("test_%x", RandStr(12)))
 	if err != nil {
 		b.Fatal(err.Error())
 		return
diff --git a/db.go b/db.go
index ab38501e2..dac6df0cc 100644
--- a/db.go
+++ b/db.go
@@ -1,10 +1,6 @@
 package db
 
-import (
-	"path"
-
-	. "github.com/tendermint/go-common"
-)
+import . "github.com/tendermint/go-common"
 
 type DB interface {
 	Get([]byte) []byte
@@ -27,30 +23,28 @@ type Batch interface {
 
 //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-// Database types
-const DBBackendMemDB = "memdb"
-const DBBackendLevelDB = "leveldb"
-const DBBackendLevelDB2 = "leveldb2"
+const (
+	CLevelDBBackendStr  = "goleveldb"
+	GoLevelDBBackendStr = "cleveldb"
+	MemDBBackendStr     = "memdb"
+)
+
+type dbCreator func(name string, dir string) (DB, error)
+
+var backends map[string]dbCreator
+
+func registerDBCreator(backend string, creator dbCreator, force bool) {
+	_, ok := backends[backend]
+	if !force && ok {
+		return
+	}
+	backends[backend] = creator
+}
 
 func NewDB(name string, backend string, dir string) DB {
-	switch backend {
-	case DBBackendMemDB:
-		db := NewMemDB()
-		return db
-	case DBBackendLevelDB:
-		db, err := NewLevelDB(path.Join(dir, name+".db"))
-		if err != nil {
-			PanicCrisis(err)
-		}
-		return db
-	case DBBackendLevelDB2:
-		db, err := NewLevelDB2(path.Join(dir, name+".db"))
-		if err != nil {
-			PanicCrisis(err)
-		}
-		return db
-	default:
-		PanicSanity(Fmt("Unknown DB backend: %v", backend))
+	db, err := backends[backend](name, dir)
+	if err != nil {
+		PanicSanity(Fmt("Error initializing DB: %v", err))
 	}
-	return nil
+	return db
 }
diff --git a/level_db.go b/go_level_db.go
similarity index 58%
rename from level_db.go
rename to go_level_db.go
index 360362285..73c307b24 100644
--- a/level_db.go
+++ b/go_level_db.go
@@ -11,21 +11,27 @@ import (
 	. "github.com/tendermint/go-common"
 )
 
-type LevelDB struct {
+func init() {
+	registerDBCreator(GoLevelDBBackendStr, func(name string, dir string) (DB, error) {
+		return NewGoLevelDB(name, dir)
+	}, false)
+}
+
+type GoLevelDB struct {
 	db *leveldb.DB
 }
 
-func NewLevelDB(name string) (*LevelDB, error) {
-	dbPath := path.Join(name)
+func NewGoLevelDB(name string, dir string) (*GoLevelDB, error) {
+	dbPath := path.Join(dir, name+".db")
 	db, err := leveldb.OpenFile(dbPath, nil)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
-	database := &LevelDB{db: db}
+	database := &GoLevelDB{db: db}
 	return database, nil
 }
 
-func (db *LevelDB) Get(key []byte) []byte {
+func (db *GoLevelDB) Get(key []byte) []byte {
 	res, err := db.db.Get(key, nil)
 	if err != nil {
 		if err == errors.ErrNotFound {
@@ -37,43 +43,43 @@ func (db *LevelDB) Get(key []byte) []byte {
 	return res
 }
 
-func (db *LevelDB) Set(key []byte, value []byte) {
+func (db *GoLevelDB) Set(key []byte, value []byte) {
 	err := db.db.Put(key, value, nil)
 	if err != nil {
 		PanicCrisis(err)
 	}
 }
 
-func (db *LevelDB) SetSync(key []byte, value []byte) {
+func (db *GoLevelDB) SetSync(key []byte, value []byte) {
 	err := db.db.Put(key, value, &opt.WriteOptions{Sync: true})
 	if err != nil {
 		PanicCrisis(err)
 	}
 }
 
-func (db *LevelDB) Delete(key []byte) {
+func (db *GoLevelDB) Delete(key []byte) {
 	err := db.db.Delete(key, nil)
 	if err != nil {
 		PanicCrisis(err)
 	}
 }
 
-func (db *LevelDB) DeleteSync(key []byte) {
+func (db *GoLevelDB) DeleteSync(key []byte) {
 	err := db.db.Delete(key, &opt.WriteOptions{Sync: true})
 	if err != nil {
 		PanicCrisis(err)
 	}
 }
 
-func (db *LevelDB) DB() *leveldb.DB {
+func (db *GoLevelDB) DB() *leveldb.DB {
 	return db.db
 }
 
-func (db *LevelDB) Close() {
+func (db *GoLevelDB) Close() {
 	db.db.Close()
 }
 
-func (db *LevelDB) Print() {
+func (db *GoLevelDB) Print() {
 	iter := db.db.NewIterator(nil, nil)
 	for iter.Next() {
 		key := iter.Key()
@@ -82,27 +88,27 @@ func (db *LevelDB) Print() {
 	}
 }
 
-func (db *LevelDB) NewBatch() Batch {
+func (db *GoLevelDB) NewBatch() Batch {
 	batch := new(leveldb.Batch)
-	return &levelDBBatch{db, batch}
+	return &goLevelDBBatch{db, batch}
 }
 
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-type levelDBBatch struct {
-	db    *LevelDB
+type goLevelDBBatch struct {
+	db    *GoLevelDB
 	batch *leveldb.Batch
 }
 
-func (mBatch *levelDBBatch) Set(key, value []byte) {
+func (mBatch *goLevelDBBatch) Set(key, value []byte) {
 	mBatch.batch.Put(key, value)
 }
 
-func (mBatch *levelDBBatch) Delete(key []byte) {
+func (mBatch *goLevelDBBatch) Delete(key []byte) {
 	mBatch.batch.Delete(key)
 }
 
-func (mBatch *levelDBBatch) Write() {
+func (mBatch *goLevelDBBatch) Write() {
 	err := mBatch.db.db.Write(mBatch.batch, nil)
 	if err != nil {
 		PanicCrisis(err)
diff --git a/level_db_test.go b/go_level_db_test.go
similarity index 96%
rename from level_db_test.go
rename to go_level_db_test.go
index 2a8e9ac1e..b7fe07bd7 100644
--- a/level_db_test.go
+++ b/go_level_db_test.go
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ func BenchmarkRandomReadsWrites(b *testing.B) {
 	for i := 0; i < int(numItems); i++ {
 		internal[int64(i)] = int64(0)
 	}
-	db, err := NewLevelDB(Fmt("test_%x", RandStr(12)))
+	db, err := NewCLevelDB(Fmt("test_%x", RandStr(12)))
 	if err != nil {
 		b.Fatal(err.Error())
 		return
diff --git a/mem_db.go b/mem_db.go
index d27159dab..eb1e54b56 100644
--- a/mem_db.go
+++ b/mem_db.go
@@ -5,6 +5,12 @@ import (
 	"sync"
 )
 
+func init() {
+	registerDBCreator(MemDBBackendStr, func(name string, dir string) (DB, error) {
+		return NewMemDB(), nil
+	}, false)
+}
+
 type MemDB struct {
 	mtx sync.Mutex
 	db  map[string][]byte