diff --git a/examples/todo/src/main.rs b/examples/todo/src/main.rs
index 8e17a21d..6b86c8f4 100644
--- a/examples/todo/src/main.rs
+++ b/examples/todo/src/main.rs
@@ -28,15 +28,21 @@ embed_migrations!();
 pub struct DbConn(SqliteConnection);
 
 #[derive(Debug, Serialize)]
-struct Context<'a, 'b>{ msg: Option<(&'a str, &'b str)>, tasks: Vec<Task> }
+struct Context<'a>{ msg: Option<(&'a str, &'a str)>, tasks: Vec<Task> }
 
-impl<'a, 'b> Context<'a, 'b> {
-    pub fn err(conn: &DbConn, msg: &'a str) -> Context<'static, 'a> {
-        Context{msg: Some(("error", msg)), tasks: Task::all(conn)}
+impl<'a> Context<'a> {
+    pub fn err(conn: &DbConn, msg: &'a str) -> Context<'a> {
+         Context{msg: Some(("error", msg)), tasks: Task::all(conn).unwrap_or_default()}
     }
 
-    pub fn raw(conn: &DbConn, msg: Option<(&'a str, &'b str)>) -> Context<'a, 'b> {
-        Context{msg: msg, tasks: Task::all(conn)}
+    pub fn raw(conn: &DbConn, msg: Option<(&'a str, &'a str)>) -> Context<'a> {
+        match Task::all(conn) {
+            Ok(tasks) => Context{msg: msg, tasks},
+            Err(_) => Context{
+                msg: Some(("error", "Couldn't access the task database.")),
+                tasks: vec![]
+            }
+        }
     }
 }
 
@@ -45,28 +51,26 @@ fn new(todo_form: Form<Todo>, conn: DbConn) -> Flash<Redirect> {
     let todo = todo_form.into_inner();
     if todo.description.is_empty() {
         Flash::error(Redirect::to("/"), "Description cannot be empty.")
-    } else if Task::insert(todo, &conn) {
-        Flash::success(Redirect::to("/"), "Todo successfully added.")
+    } else if let Err(e) = Task::insert(todo, &conn) {
+        Flash::error(Redirect::to("/"), &format!("Database error: {}", e))
     } else {
-        Flash::error(Redirect::to("/"), "Whoops! The server failed.")
+        Flash::success(Redirect::to("/"), "Todo successfully added.")
     }
 }
 
 #[put("/<id>")]
 fn toggle(id: i32, conn: DbConn) -> Result<Redirect, Template> {
-    if Task::toggle_with_id(id, &conn) {
-        Ok(Redirect::to("/"))
-    } else {
-        Err(Template::render("index", &Context::err(&conn, "Couldn't toggle task.")))
+    match Task::toggle_with_id(id, &conn) {
+        Ok(()) => Ok(Redirect::to("/")),
+        Err(e) => Err(Template::render("index", &Context::err(&conn, &format!("Couldn't toggle task: {}", e)))),
     }
 }
 
 #[delete("/<id>")]
 fn delete(id: i32, conn: DbConn) -> Result<Flash<Redirect>, Template> {
-    if Task::delete_with_id(id, &conn) {
-        Ok(Flash::success(Redirect::to("/"), "Todo was deleted."))
-    } else {
-        Err(Template::render("index", &Context::err(&conn, "Couldn't delete task.")))
+    match Task::delete_with_id(id, &conn) {
+        Ok(()) => Ok(Flash::success(Redirect::to("/"), "Todo was deleted.")),
+        Err(e) => Err(Template::render("index", &Context::err(&conn, &format!("Couldn't delete task: {}", e)))),
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/examples/todo/src/task.rs b/examples/todo/src/task.rs
index 4d369172..6eda6a4c 100644
--- a/examples/todo/src/task.rs
+++ b/examples/todo/src/task.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
-use diesel::{self, prelude::*};
+use diesel::{self, result::Error as DieselError, prelude::*};
+type Result<T> = std::result::Result<T, DieselError>;
 
 mod schema {
     table! {
@@ -27,32 +28,38 @@ pub struct Todo {
 }
 
 impl Task {
-    pub fn all(conn: &SqliteConnection) -> Vec<Task> {
-        all_tasks.order(tasks::id.desc()).load::<Task>(conn).unwrap()
+    pub fn all(conn: &SqliteConnection) -> Result<Vec<Task>> {
+        all_tasks.order(tasks::id.desc()).load::<Task>(conn)
     }
 
-    pub fn insert(todo: Todo, conn: &SqliteConnection) -> bool {
+    pub fn insert(todo: Todo, conn: &SqliteConnection) -> Result<()> {
         let t = Task { id: None, description: todo.description, completed: false };
-        diesel::insert_into(tasks::table).values(&t).execute(conn).is_ok()
+        diesel::insert_into(tasks::table).values(&t).execute(conn)?;
+
+        Ok(())
     }
 
-    pub fn toggle_with_id(id: i32, conn: &SqliteConnection) -> bool {
-        let task = all_tasks.find(id).get_result::<Task>(conn);
-        if task.is_err() {
-            return false;
-        }
+    pub fn toggle_with_id(id: i32, conn: &SqliteConnection) -> Result<()> {
+        let task = all_tasks.find(id).get_result::<Task>(conn)?;
 
-        let new_status = !task.unwrap().completed;
+        let new_status = !task.completed;
         let updated_task = diesel::update(all_tasks.find(id));
-        updated_task.set(task_completed.eq(new_status)).execute(conn).is_ok()
+        updated_task.set(task_completed.eq(new_status)).execute(conn)?;
+
+        Ok(())
     }
 
-    pub fn delete_with_id(id: i32, conn: &SqliteConnection) -> bool {
-        diesel::delete(all_tasks.find(id)).execute(conn).is_ok()
+    pub fn delete_with_id(id: i32, conn: &SqliteConnection) -> Result<()> {
+        // `.execute` returns a usize representing the number of
+        // database rows affected by this modification.
+        // In a larger app these metrics may be useful,
+        // but for a simple example we'll ignore them.
+        diesel::delete(all_tasks.find(id)).execute(conn).map(|_| ())
     }
 
     #[cfg(test)]
-    pub fn delete_all(conn: &SqliteConnection) -> bool {
-        diesel::delete(all_tasks).execute(conn).is_ok()
+    pub fn delete_all(conn: &SqliteConnection) -> Result<()> {
+        // see comment in `.delete_with_id`.
+        diesel::delete(all_tasks).execute(conn).map(|_| ())
     }
 }
diff --git a/examples/todo/src/tests.rs b/examples/todo/src/tests.rs
index e09a9a3a..fca043b5 100644
--- a/examples/todo/src/tests.rs
+++ b/examples/todo/src/tests.rs
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ macro_rules! run_test {
         let db = super::DbConn::get_one(&rocket);
         let $client = Client::new(rocket).expect("Rocket client");
         let $conn = db.expect("failed to get database connection for testing");
-        assert!(Task::delete_all(&$conn), "failed to delete all tasks for testing");
+        Task::delete_all(&$conn).expect("failed to delete all tasks for testing");
 
         $block
     })
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ macro_rules! run_test {
 fn test_insertion_deletion() {
     run_test!(|client, conn| {
         // Get the tasks before making changes.
-        let init_tasks = Task::all(&conn);
+        let init_tasks = Task::all(&conn).unwrap();
 
         // Issue a request to insert a new task.
         client.post("/todo")
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ fn test_insertion_deletion() {
             .dispatch();
 
         // Ensure we have one more task in the database.
-        let new_tasks = Task::all(&conn);
+        let new_tasks = Task::all(&conn).unwrap();
         assert_eq!(new_tasks.len(), init_tasks.len() + 1);
 
         // Ensure the task is what we expect.
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ fn test_insertion_deletion() {
         client.delete(format!("/todo/{}", id)).dispatch();
 
         // Ensure it's gone.
-        let final_tasks = Task::all(&conn);
+        let final_tasks = Task::all(&conn).unwrap();
         assert_eq!(final_tasks.len(), init_tasks.len());
         if final_tasks.len() > 0 {
             assert_ne!(final_tasks[0].description, "My first task");
@@ -66,16 +66,16 @@ fn test_toggle() {
             .body("description=test_for_completion")
             .dispatch();
 
-        let task = Task::all(&conn)[0].clone();
+        let task = Task::all(&conn).unwrap()[0].clone();
         assert_eq!(task.completed, false);
 
         // Issue a request to toggle the task; ensure it is completed.
         client.put(format!("/todo/{}", task.id.unwrap())).dispatch();
-        assert_eq!(Task::all(&conn)[0].completed, true);
+        assert_eq!(Task::all(&conn).unwrap()[0].completed, true);
 
         // Issue a request to toggle the task; ensure it's not completed again.
         client.put(format!("/todo/{}", task.id.unwrap())).dispatch();
-        assert_eq!(Task::all(&conn)[0].completed, false);
+        assert_eq!(Task::all(&conn).unwrap()[0].completed, false);
     })
 }
 
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ fn test_many_insertions() {
     let rng = thread_rng();
     run_test!(|client, conn| {
         // Get the number of tasks initially.
-        let init_num = Task::all(&conn).len();
+        let init_num = Task::all(&conn).unwrap().len();
         let mut descs = Vec::new();
 
         for i in 0..ITER {
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ fn test_many_insertions() {
             descs.insert(0, desc);
 
             // Ensure the task was inserted properly and all other tasks remain.
-            let tasks = Task::all(&conn);
+            let tasks = Task::all(&conn).unwrap();
             assert_eq!(tasks.len(), init_num + i + 1);
 
             for j in 0..i {