diff --git a/cve_bin_tool/checkers/sqlite.py b/cve_bin_tool/checkers/sqlite.py
index 186d5a2add..437dc0fed0 100644
--- a/cve_bin_tool/checkers/sqlite.py
+++ b/cve_bin_tool/checkers/sqlite.py
@@ -46,6 +46,17 @@ def get_version_map():
 
     return version_map
 
+mapdb = VersionSignatureDb("sqlite", get_version_map, 30)
+VERSION_MAP = None
+
+
+def _load_version_map():
+    global VERSION_MAP
+    if VERSION_MAP is None:
+        with mapdb:
+            VERSION_MAP = mapdb.get_mapping_data()
+    return VERSION_MAP 
+
 
 class SqliteChecker(Checker):
     CONTAINS_PATTERNS = [
@@ -61,16 +72,13 @@ class SqliteChecker(Checker):
     ]
     FILENAME_PATTERNS = [r"sqlite", r"sqlite3"]
 
-    mapdb = VersionSignatureDb("sqlite", get_version_map, 30)
-    with mapdb:
-        VERSION_MAP = mapdb.get_mapping_data()
-
     def guess_contains(self, lines):
         """Tries to determine if a file includes sqlite"""
         # since the version strings are super unique here, we can guess the version
         # at the same time
 
-        for mapping in self.VERSION_MAP:
+        
+        for mapping in _load_version_map():
             # Truncate last four characters as "If the source code has been edited
             # in any way since it was last checked in, then the last four
             # hexadecimal digits of the hash may be modified."
@@ -90,7 +98,7 @@ def get_versions(self, lines, filename):
 
         version_info = super().get_versions(lines, filename)
 
-        for mapping in self.VERSION_MAP:
+        for mapping in _load_version_map():
             # Truncate last four characters as "If the source code has been edited
             # in any way since it was last checked in, then the last four
             # hexadecimal digits of the hash may be modified."