diff --git a/store.go b/store.go
index 912f549..df6e663 100644
--- a/store.go
+++ b/store.go
@@ -127,6 +127,14 @@ func (storeInstance *Store) JournalConfiguration() JournalConfiguration {
 	}
 }
 
+// Usage example: `if storeInstance.JournalConfigured() { fmt.Println("journal is enabled") }`
+func (storeInstance *Store) JournalConfigured() bool {
+	if storeInstance == nil {
+		return false
+	}
+	return storeInstance.journalConfiguration != (journalConfiguration{})
+}
+
 // Usage example: `config := storeInstance.Config(); fmt.Println(config.DatabasePath, config.PurgeInterval)`
 func (storeInstance *Store) Config() StoreConfig {
 	if storeInstance == nil {
diff --git a/store_test.go b/store_test.go
index 2a02623..202d6e8 100644
--- a/store_test.go
+++ b/store_test.go
@@ -121,6 +121,21 @@ func TestStore_JournalConfiguration_Good(t *testing.T) {
 	}, config)
 }
 
+func TestStore_JournalConfigured_Good(t *testing.T) {
+	storeInstance, err := New(":memory:", WithJournal("http://127.0.0.1:8086", "core", "events"))
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	defer storeInstance.Close()
+
+	assert.True(t, storeInstance.JournalConfigured())
+	assert.False(t, (*Store)(nil).JournalConfigured())
+
+	unconfiguredStore, err := New(":memory:")
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	defer unconfiguredStore.Close()
+
+	assert.False(t, unconfiguredStore.JournalConfigured())
+}
+
 func TestStore_Config_Good(t *testing.T) {
 	storeInstance, err := NewConfigured(StoreConfig{
 		DatabasePath: ":memory:",
diff --git a/workspace.go b/workspace.go
index 1f0dfcc..f23282b 100644
--- a/workspace.go
+++ b/workspace.go
@@ -475,24 +475,24 @@ func (storeInstance *Store) commitWorkspaceAggregate(workspaceName string, field
 func openWorkspaceDatabase(databasePath string) (*sql.DB, error) {
 	workspaceDatabase, err := sql.Open("sqlite", databasePath)
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
+		return nil, core.E("store.openWorkspaceDatabase", "open workspace database", err)
 	}
 	workspaceDatabase.SetMaxOpenConns(1)
 	if _, err := workspaceDatabase.Exec("PRAGMA journal_mode=WAL"); err != nil {
 		workspaceDatabase.Close()
-		return nil, err
+		return nil, core.E("store.openWorkspaceDatabase", "set WAL journal mode", err)
 	}
 	if _, err := workspaceDatabase.Exec("PRAGMA busy_timeout=5000"); err != nil {
 		workspaceDatabase.Close()
-		return nil, err
+		return nil, core.E("store.openWorkspaceDatabase", "set busy timeout", err)
 	}
 	if _, err := workspaceDatabase.Exec(createWorkspaceEntriesTableSQL); err != nil {
 		workspaceDatabase.Close()
-		return nil, err
+		return nil, core.E("store.openWorkspaceDatabase", "create workspace entries table", err)
 	}
 	if _, err := workspaceDatabase.Exec(createWorkspaceEntriesViewSQL); err != nil {
 		workspaceDatabase.Close()
-		return nil, err
+		return nil, core.E("store.openWorkspaceDatabase", "create workspace entries view", err)
 	}
 	return workspaceDatabase, nil
 }