diff --git a/configure b/configure
index c72981610b2a..dbef04b2a6ee 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -415,20 +415,6 @@ int main(void)
 	return 0;
 }
 /*END*/
-var=HAVE_SQLITE3_EXPANDED_SQL
-desc=sqlite3_expanded_sql
-style=DEFINES_EVERYTHING|EXECUTE|MAY_NOT_COMPILE
-link=$SQLITE3_LDLIBS
-code=
-#include <sqlite3.h>
-#include <stdio.h>
-
-int main(void)
-{
-	printf("%p\n", sqlite3_expanded_sql);
-	return 0;
-}
-/*END*/
 var=HAVE_SQLITE3
 desc=sqlite3
 style=DEFINES_EVERYTHING|EXECUTE|MAY_NOT_COMPILE
diff --git a/db/db_sqlite3.c b/db/db_sqlite3.c
index 876049ed304c..07ded41f6ea3 100644
--- a/db/db_sqlite3.c
+++ b/db/db_sqlite3.c
@@ -92,22 +92,6 @@ static bool have_same_data_version(sqlite3 *a, sqlite3 *b)
 	return version_a == version_b;
 }
 
-#if !HAVE_SQLITE3_EXPANDED_SQL
-/* Prior to sqlite3 v3.14, we have to use tracing to dump statements */
-struct db_sqlite3_trace {
-	struct db_sqlite3 *wrapper;
-	struct db_stmt *stmt;
-};
-
-static void trace_sqlite3(void *stmtv, const char *stmt)
-{
-	struct db_sqlite3_trace *trace = (struct db_sqlite3_trace *)stmtv;
-	struct db_sqlite3 *wrapper = trace->wrapper;
-	struct db_stmt *s = trace->stmt;
-	db_sqlite3_changes_add(wrapper, s, stmt);
-}
-#endif
-
 static const char *db_sqlite3_fmt_error(struct db_stmt *stmt)
 {
 	return tal_fmt(stmt, "%s: %s: %s", stmt->location, stmt->query->query,
@@ -269,49 +253,27 @@ static bool db_sqlite3_query(struct db_stmt *stmt)
 static bool db_sqlite3_exec(struct db_stmt *stmt)
 {
 	int err;
-	bool success;
+	char *expanded_sql;
 	struct db_sqlite3 *wrapper = (struct db_sqlite3 *) stmt->db->conn;
 
-#if !HAVE_SQLITE3_EXPANDED_SQL
-	/* Register the tracing function if we don't have an explicit way of
-	 * expanding the statement. */
-	struct db_sqlite3_trace trace;
-	trace.wrapper = wrapper;
-	trace.stmt = stmt;
-	sqlite3_trace(conn2sql(stmt->db->conn), trace_sqlite3, &trace);
-#endif
-
 	if (!db_sqlite3_query(stmt)) {
 		/* If the prepare step caused an error we hand it up. */
-		success = false;
-		goto done;
+		return false;
 	}
 
 	err = sqlite3_step(stmt->inner_stmt);
 	if (err != SQLITE_DONE) {
 		tal_free(stmt->error);
 		stmt->error = db_sqlite3_fmt_error(stmt);
-		success = false;
-		goto done;
+		return false;
 	}
 
-#if HAVE_SQLITE3_EXPANDED_SQL
 	/* Manually expand and call the callback */
-	char *expanded_sql;
 	expanded_sql = sqlite3_expanded_sql(stmt->inner_stmt);
 	db_sqlite3_changes_add(wrapper, stmt, expanded_sql);
 	sqlite3_free(expanded_sql);
-#endif
-	success = true;
-
-done:
-#if !HAVE_SQLITE3_EXPANDED_SQL
-	/* Unregister the trace callback to avoid it accessing the potentially
-	 * stale pointer to stmt */
-	sqlite3_trace(conn2sql(stmt->db->conn), NULL, NULL);
-#endif
 
-	return success;
+	return true;
 }
 
 static bool db_sqlite3_step(struct db_stmt *stmt)
@@ -570,6 +532,7 @@ static bool complete_table_manip(struct db *db,
 	return true;
 }
 
+/* FIXME: sqlite3 version 3.25.0 (2018-09-15) supports ALTER TABLE RENAME */
 static bool db_sqlite3_rename_column(struct db *db,
 				     const char *tablename,
 				     const char *from, const char *to)
diff --git a/plugins/sql.c b/plugins/sql.c
index 1496d7e9cf82..9e4ca305b4b2 100644
--- a/plugins/sql.c
+++ b/plugins/sql.c
@@ -873,8 +873,8 @@ static struct command_result *channels_refresh(struct command *cmd,
 
 			plugin_log(cmd->plugin, LOG_DBG, "Refreshing channel: %s",
 				   fmt_short_channel_id(tmpctx, scid));
-			/* FIXME: sqlite 3.24.0 (2018-06-04) added UPSERT, but
-			 * we don't require it. */
+			/* FIXME: sqlite3 version 3.24.0 (2018-06-04) added
+			 * UPSERT, but we don't require it. */
 			delete_channel_from_db(cmd, scid);
 			req = jsonrpc_request_start(cmd, "listchannels",
 						    listchannels_one_done,
diff --git a/tools/headerversions.c b/tools/headerversions.c
index 4c798b43f8d5..15100bdef5f8 100644
--- a/tools/headerversions.c
+++ b/tools/headerversions.c
@@ -32,6 +32,10 @@ static const char template[] =
 	"	if (SQLITE_VERSION_NUMBER + 1000000 < sqlite3_libversion_number())\n"
 	"		errx(1, \"SQLITE major version mismatch: compiled %%u, now %%u\",\n"
 	"		     SQLITE_VERSION_NUMBER, sqlite3_libversion_number());\n"
+	"	/* Earliest supported sqlite3 version */\n"
+	"	if (SQLITE_VERSION_NUMBER < 3026000)\n"
+	"		errx(1, \"SQLITE version %%u too old (minimum 3.26)\",\n"
+	"		     SQLITE_VERSION_NUMBER);\n"
 	)
 	"}\n";
 
diff --git a/wallet/db.c b/wallet/db.c
index 569182d5e592..93707eb8f119 100644
--- a/wallet/db.c
+++ b/wallet/db.c
@@ -1631,8 +1631,8 @@ static void migrate_channels_scids_as_integers(struct lightningd *ld,
 	/* FIXME: We cannot use ->delete_columns to remove
 	 * short_channel_id, as other tables reference the channels
 	 * (and sqlite3 has them referencing a now-deleted table!).
-	 * When we can assume sqlite3 2021-04-19 (3.35.5), we can
-	 * simply use DROP COLUMN (yay!) */
+	 * When we can assume sqlite3 version 3.35.5 (2021-04-19),
+	 * we can simply use DROP COLUMN (yay!) */
 
 	/* So null-out the unused column, at least! */
 	stmt = db_prepare_v2(db, SQL("UPDATE channels"