diff --git a/exposurelib/database.py b/exposurelib/database.py
index 199464b6180c7d093ce33f3156b63bfd72094f6d..f984dab29867d21f63ff8508d15f1cc4a49bf1e0 100644
--- a/exposurelib/database.py
+++ b/exposurelib/database.py
@@ -614,11 +614,11 @@ class SpatiaLiteExposure(SpatiaLiteDatabase, AbstractExposure):
         """
 
         # Empty the tables to be filled
-        sql_statement = """
-            DELETE FROM Entity;
-            DELETE FROM Asset;
-            DELETE FROM Taxonomy;
-            """
+        sql_statement = "DELETE FROM Entity"
+        self.cursor.execute(sql_statement)
+        sql_statement = "DELETE FROM Asset"
+        self.cursor.execute(sql_statement)
+        sql_statement = "DELETE FROM Taxonomy"
         self.cursor.execute(sql_statement)
         self.connection.commit()