diff --git a/guix/store/database.scm b/guix/store/database.scm
index dea690ec76..58d3871e85 100644
--- a/guix/store/database.scm
+++ b/guix/store/database.scm
@@ -40,8 +40,10 @@
             store-database-file
             call-with-database
             with-database
-            path-id
-            sqlite-register
+
+            valid-path-id
+
+            register-valid-path
             register-items
             %epoch
             reset-timestamps
@@ -181,9 +183,9 @@ If FILE doesn't exist, create it and initialize it as a new database.  Pass
     (vector-ref (sqlite-step-and-reset stmt)
                 0)))
 
-(define* (path-id db path)
-  "If PATH exists in the 'ValidPaths' table, return its numerical
-identifier.  Otherwise, return #f."
+(define (valid-path-id db path)
+  "If PATH exists in the 'ValidPaths' table, return its numerical identifier.
+Otherwise, return #f."
   (let ((stmt (sqlite-prepare
                db
                "
@@ -249,7 +251,7 @@ Every store item in REFERENCES must already be registered."
   (assert-integer "sqlite-register" (cut >= <> 0) #:time registration-time)
 
   (define id
-    (let ((existing-id (path-id db path)))
+    (let ((existing-id (valid-path-id db path)))
       (if existing-id
           (let ((stmt (sqlite-prepare
                        db
@@ -284,7 +286,8 @@ VALUES (:path, :hash, :time, :deriver, :size)"
   ;; Call 'path-id' on each of REFERENCES.  This ensures we get a
   ;; "non-NULL constraint" failure if one of REFERENCES is unregistered.
   (add-references db id
-                  (map (cut path-id db <>) references)))
+                  (map (cut valid-path-id db <>) references)))
+
 
 
 ;;;
@@ -361,18 +364,18 @@ typically by adding them as temp-roots."
     ;; When TO-REGISTER is already registered, skip it.  This makes a
     ;; significant differences when 'register-closures' is called
     ;; consecutively for overlapping closures such as 'system' and 'bootcfg'.
-    (unless (path-id db to-register)
+    (unless (valid-path-id db to-register)
       (let-values (((hash nar-size) (nar-sha256 real-file-name)))
         (call-with-retrying-transaction db
           (lambda ()
-            (sqlite-register db #:path to-register
-                             #:references (store-info-references item)
-                             #:deriver (store-info-deriver item)
-                             #:hash (string-append
-                                     "sha256:"
-                                     (bytevector->base16-string hash))
-                             #:nar-size nar-size
-                             #:time registration-time))))))
+            (register-valid-path db #:path to-register
+                                 #:references (store-info-references item)
+                                 #:deriver (store-info-deriver item)
+                                 #:hash (string-append
+                                         "sha256:"
+                                         (bytevector->base16-string hash))
+                                 #:nar-size nar-size
+                                 #:time registration-time))))))
 
   (let* ((prefix   (format #f "registering ~a items" (length items)))
          (progress (progress-reporter/bar (length items)
diff --git a/tests/pack.scm b/tests/pack.scm
index 55445ea1e9..40897a5589 100644
--- a/tests/pack.scm
+++ b/tests/pack.scm
@@ -209,7 +209,7 @@
                               (and (every valid-file?
                                           '("α" "λ")
                                           '("alpha" "lambda"))
-                                   (integer? (path-id db #$tree)))))))))))
+                                   (integer? (valid-path-id db #$tree)))))))))))
       (built-derivations (list check))))
 
   (unless store (test-skip 1))
diff --git a/tests/store-database.scm b/tests/store-database.scm
index d8f3ce8070..67d464386d 100644
--- a/tests/store-database.scm
+++ b/tests/store-database.scm
@@ -87,23 +87,22 @@
    (lambda (db-file port)
      (delete-file db-file)
      (with-database db-file db
-       (sqlite-register db
-                        #:path "/gnu/foo"
-                        #:references '()
-                        #:deriver "/gnu/foo.drv"
-                        #:hash (string-append "sha256:" (make-string 64 #\e))
-                        #:nar-size 1234)
-       (sqlite-register db
-                        #:path "/gnu/bar"
-                        #:references '("/gnu/foo")
-                        #:deriver "/gnu/bar.drv"
-                        #:hash (string-append "sha256:" (make-string 64 #\a))
-                        #:nar-size 4321)
-       (let ((path-id (@@ (guix store database) path-id)))
-         (list (path-id db "/gnu/foo")
-               (path-id db "/gnu/bar")))))))
+       (register-valid-path db
+                            #:path "/gnu/foo"
+                            #:references '()
+                            #:deriver "/gnu/foo.drv"
+                            #:hash (string-append "sha256:" (make-string 64 #\e))
+                            #:nar-size 1234)
+       (register-valid-path db
+                            #:path "/gnu/bar"
+                            #:references '("/gnu/foo")
+                            #:deriver "/gnu/bar.drv"
+                            #:hash (string-append "sha256:" (make-string 64 #\a))
+                            #:nar-size 4321)
+       (list (valid-path-id db "/gnu/foo")
+             (valid-path-id db "/gnu/bar"))))))
 
-(test-assert "sqlite-register with unregistered references"
+(test-assert "register-valid-path with unregistered references"
   ;; Make sure we get a "NOT NULL constraint failed: Refs.reference" error
   ;; when we try to add references that are not registered yet.  Better safe
   ;; than sorry.
@@ -113,17 +112,17 @@
      (catch 'sqlite-error
        (lambda ()
          (with-database db-file db
-           (sqlite-register db #:path "/gnu/foo"
-                            #:references '("/gnu/bar")
-                            #:deriver "/gnu/foo.drv"
-                            #:hash (string-append "sha256:" (make-string 64 #\e))
-                            #:nar-size 1234))
+           (register-valid-path db #:path "/gnu/foo"
+                                #:references '("/gnu/bar")
+                                #:deriver "/gnu/foo.drv"
+                                #:hash (string-append "sha256:" (make-string 64 #\e))
+                                #:nar-size 1234))
          #f)
        (lambda args
          (pk 'welcome-exception! args)
          #t)))))
 
-(test-equal "sqlite-register with incorrect size"
+(test-equal "register-valid-path with incorrect size"
   'out-of-range
   (call-with-temporary-output-file
    (lambda (db-file port)
@@ -131,11 +130,11 @@
      (catch #t
        (lambda ()
          (with-database db-file db
-           (sqlite-register db #:path "/gnu/foo"
-                            #:references '("/gnu/bar")
-                            #:deriver "/gnu/foo.drv"
-                            #:hash (string-append "sha256:" (make-string 64 #\e))
-                            #:nar-size -1234))
+           (register-valid-path db #:path "/gnu/foo"
+                                #:references '("/gnu/bar")
+                                #:deriver "/gnu/foo.drv"
+                                #:hash (string-append "sha256:" (make-string 64 #\e))
+                                #:nar-size -1234))
          #f)
        (lambda (key . _)
          key)))))