diff --git a/src/calibre/db/backend.py b/src/calibre/db/backend.py
index 5fea619811..fb20341a97 100644
--- a/src/calibre/db/backend.py
+++ b/src/calibre/db/backend.py
@@ -363,6 +363,18 @@ def save_annotations_list_to_cursor(cursor, alist, sync_annots_user, book_id, bo
         alist = tuple(annotations_as_copied_list(other_amap))
         save_annotations_for_book(cursor, book_id, book_fmt, alist, user_type='web', user=sync_annots_user)
 
+
+def save_last_read_position_to_cursor(cursor, book_id, fmt, user='_', device='_', cfi=None, epoch=None, pos_frac=0):
+    if cfi:
+        cursor.execute(
+            'INSERT OR REPLACE INTO last_read_positions'
+            '(book,format,user,device,cfi,epoch,pos_frac) VALUES (?,?,?,?,?,?,?)',
+            (book_id, fmt.upper(), user, device, cfi, epoch or time.time(), pos_frac))
+    else:
+        cursor.execute(
+            'DELETE FROM last_read_positions WHERE book=? AND format=? AND user=? AND device=?',
+            (book_id, fmt.upper(), user, device))
+
 # }}}
 
 
@@ -2646,6 +2658,9 @@ class DB:
             INSERT INTO {1}({1}) VALUES('rebuild');
         '''.format('annotations_fts', 'annotations_fts_stemmed'))
 
+    def set_last_read_position(self, book_id, fmt, user='_', device='_', cfi=None, epoch=None, pos_frac=0):
+        save_last_read_position_to_cursor(self.conn.cursor(), book_id, fmt, user, device, cfi, epoch, pos_frac)
+
     def conversion_options(self, book_id, fmt):
         for (data,) in self.conn.get('SELECT data FROM conversion_options WHERE book=? AND format=?', (book_id, fmt.upper())):
             if data:
diff --git a/src/calibre/db/cache.py b/src/calibre/db/cache.py
index 292c66dc9e..31659a9131 100644
--- a/src/calibre/db/cache.py
+++ b/src/calibre/db/cache.py
@@ -3311,17 +3311,7 @@ class Cache:
 
     @write_api
     def set_last_read_position(self, book_id, fmt, user='_', device='_', cfi=None, epoch=None, pos_frac=0):
-        fmt = fmt.upper()
-        device = device or '_'
-        user = user or '_'
-        if not cfi:
-            self.backend.execute(
-                'DELETE FROM last_read_positions WHERE book=? AND format=? AND user=? AND device=?',
-                (book_id, fmt, user, device))
-        else:
-            self.backend.execute(
-                'INSERT OR REPLACE INTO last_read_positions(book,format,user,device,cfi,epoch,pos_frac) VALUES (?,?,?,?,?,?,?)',
-                (book_id, fmt, user, device, cfi, epoch or time(), pos_frac))
+        self.backend.set_last_read_position(book_id, fmt, user, device, cfi, epoch, pos_frac)
 
     @write_api  # doesn't need write access but sqlite does require only a single thread to access the db during backup
     def export_library(self, library_key, exporter, progress=None, abort=None):
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/viewer/integration.py b/src/calibre/gui2/viewer/integration.py
index ccc549299f..cd9c2cb7d5 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/viewer/integration.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/viewer/integration.py
@@ -139,8 +139,7 @@ def save_last_read_position_in_gui(library_broker, msg) -> bool:
     data = json.loads(msg)
     db = library_broker.get(data['library_id'])
     if db:
-        db = db.new_api
-        db.set_last_read_position(
+        db.new_api.set_last_read_position(
             int(data['book_id']), data['book_fmt'].upper(),
             user='local', device='calibre-desktop-viewer',
             cfi=data['cfi'], pos_frac=data['pos_frac'])
@@ -158,7 +157,7 @@ def save_last_read_position_to_library(book_library_details, cfi, pos_frac, cali
 
     import apsw
 
-    from calibre.db.backend import Connection
+    from calibre.db.backend import Connection, save_last_read_position_to_cursor
     dbpath = book_library_details['dbpath']
     try:
         conn = apsw.Connection(dbpath, flags=apsw.SQLITE_OPEN_READWRITE)
@@ -168,20 +167,10 @@ def save_last_read_position_to_library(book_library_details, cfi, pos_frac, cali
         conn.setbusytimeout(Connection.BUSY_TIMEOUT)
         if not database_has_last_read_positions_support(conn.cursor()):
             return
-        from time import time
         with conn:
-            if cfi:
-                conn.cursor().execute(
-                    'INSERT OR REPLACE INTO last_read_positions'
-                    '(book,format,user,device,cfi,epoch,pos_frac) VALUES (?,?,?,?,?,?,?)',
-                    (book_library_details['book_id'], book_library_details['fmt'].upper(),
-                     'local', 'calibre-desktop-viewer', cfi, time(), pos_frac))
-            else:
-                conn.cursor().execute(
-                    'DELETE FROM last_read_positions'
-                    ' WHERE book=? AND format=? AND user=? AND device=?',
-                    (book_library_details['book_id'], book_library_details['fmt'].upper(),
-                     'local', 'calibre-desktop-viewer'))
+            save_last_read_position_to_cursor(
+                conn.cursor(), book_library_details['book_id'], book_library_details['fmt'],
+                'local', 'calibre-desktop-viewer', cfi, pos_frac=pos_frac)
     finally:
         conn.close()
 
@@ -195,7 +184,7 @@ class LastReadPositionSaver(Thread):
     DEBOUNCE_SECONDS = 3.0
 
     def __init__(self):
-        Thread.__init__(self, name='LastReadPositionSaver', daemon=True)
+        super().__init__(name='LastReadPositionSaver', daemon=True)
         self._lock = Lock()
         self._pending = None
         self._event = Event()