diff --git a/kaneda/backends/rethink.py b/kaneda/backends/rethink.py
index 75d73d6..703d488 100644
--- a/kaneda/backends/rethink.py
+++ b/kaneda/backends/rethink.py
@@ -39,7 +39,6 @@ def __init__(self, db, table_name=None, connection=None, host=None, port=None, u
                 self.connection = r.connect(host=host, port=port, db=db, timeout=timeout)
         self.db = db
         self.table_name = table_name
-        self.connection = r.connect(db=db, timeout=timeout)
         self._create_database()
 
     def _get_payload(self, name, value, tags, id_):