diff --git a/sqlite3.go b/sqlite3.go
index 7506522..f731d20 100644
--- a/sqlite3.go
+++ b/sqlite3.go
@@ -990,6 +990,7 @@ func (d *SQLiteDriver) Open(dsn string) (driver.Conn, error) {
 	authPass := ""
 	authCrypt := ""
 	authSalt := ""
+	mutex := C.int(C.SQLITE_OPEN_FULLMUTEX)
 	txlock := "BEGIN"
 
 	// PRAGMA's
@@ -1006,7 +1007,6 @@ func (d *SQLiteDriver) Open(dsn string) (driver.Conn, error) {
 	secureDelete := "DEFAULT"
 	synchronousMode := "NORMAL"
 	writableSchema := -1
-	flags := C.SQLITE_OPEN_READWRITE | C.SQLITE_OPEN_CREATE | C.SQLITE_OPEN_FULLMUTEX
 
 	pos := strings.IndexRune(dsn, '?')
 	if pos >= 1 {
@@ -1015,17 +1015,6 @@ func (d *SQLiteDriver) Open(dsn string) (driver.Conn, error) {
 			return nil, err
 		}
 
-		if val := params.Get("mode"); val != "" {
-			switch val {
-			case "ro":
-				flags |= C.SQLITE_OPEN_READONLY
-			case "rw":
-				flags ^= C.SQLITE_OPEN_CREATE
-			case "rwc":
-				flags |= C.SQLITE_OPEN_CREATE
-			}
-		}
-
 		// Authentication
 		if _, ok := params["_auth"]; ok {
 			authCreate = true
@@ -1060,9 +1049,9 @@ func (d *SQLiteDriver) Open(dsn string) (driver.Conn, error) {
 		if val := params.Get("_mutex"); val != "" {
 			switch strings.ToLower(val) {
 			case "no":
-				flags |= C.SQLITE_OPEN_NOMUTEX
+				mutex = C.SQLITE_OPEN_NOMUTEX
 			case "full":
-				flags |= C.SQLITE_OPEN_FULLMUTEX
+				mutex = C.SQLITE_OPEN_FULLMUTEX
 			default:
 				return nil, fmt.Errorf("Invalid _mutex: %v", val)
 			}
@@ -1349,8 +1338,9 @@ func (d *SQLiteDriver) Open(dsn string) (driver.Conn, error) {
 	var db *C.sqlite3
 	name := C.CString(dsn)
 	defer C.free(unsafe.Pointer(name))
-
-	rv := C._sqlite3_open_v2(name, &db, C.int(flags), nil)
+	rv := C._sqlite3_open_v2(name, &db,
+		mutex|C.SQLITE_OPEN_READWRITE|C.SQLITE_OPEN_CREATE,
+		nil)
 	if rv != 0 {
 		if db != nil {
 			C.sqlite3_close_v2(db)
diff --git a/sqlite3_test.go b/sqlite3_test.go
index 0667893..16bbb10 100644
--- a/sqlite3_test.go
+++ b/sqlite3_test.go
@@ -87,6 +87,64 @@ func TestOpen(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestOpenNoCreate(t *testing.T) {
+	filename := t.Name() + ".sqlite"
+
+	if err := os.Remove(filename); err != nil && !os.IsNotExist(err) {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	defer os.Remove(filename)
+
+	// https://golang.org/pkg/database/sql/#Open
+	// "Open may just validate its arguments without creating a connection
+	// to the database. To verify that the data source name is valid, call Ping."
+	db, err := sql.Open("sqlite3", fmt.Sprintf("file:%s?mode=rw", filename))
+	if err == nil {
+		defer db.Close()
+
+		err = db.Ping()
+		if err == nil {
+			t.Fatal("expected error from Open or Ping")
+		}
+	}
+
+	sqlErr, ok := err.(Error)
+	if !ok {
+		t.Fatalf("expected sqlite3.Error, but got %T", err)
+	}
+
+	if sqlErr.Code != ErrCantOpen {
+		t.Fatalf("expected SQLITE_CANTOPEN, but got %v", sqlErr)
+	}
+
+	// make sure database file truly was not created
+	if _, err := os.Stat(filename); !os.IsNotExist(err) {
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+		t.Fatal("expected database file to not exist")
+	}
+
+	// verify that it works if the mode is "rwc" instead
+	db, err = sql.Open("sqlite3", fmt.Sprintf("file:%s?mode=rwc", filename))
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	defer db.Close()
+
+	if err := db.Ping(); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	// make sure database file truly was created
+	if _, err := os.Stat(filename); err != nil {
+		if !os.IsNotExist(err) {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+		t.Fatal("expected database file to exist")
+	}
+}
+
 func TestReadonly(t *testing.T) {
 	tempFilename := TempFilename(t)
 	defer os.Remove(tempFilename)