diff --git a/notmuch-show.c b/notmuch-show.c
index b6b53991..481e5d54 100644
--- a/notmuch-show.c
+++ b/notmuch-show.c
@@ -1225,10 +1225,9 @@ static const notmuch_show_format_t *formatters[] = {
 };
 
 int
-notmuch_show_command (notmuch_config_t *config, unused(notmuch_database_t *notmuch),
+notmuch_show_command (unused (notmuch_config_t *config), notmuch_database_t *notmuch,
 		      int argc, char *argv[])
 {
-    notmuch_database_t *notmuch;
     notmuch_query_t *query;
     char *query_string;
     int opt_index, ret;
@@ -1245,7 +1244,7 @@ notmuch_show_command (notmuch_config_t *config, unused(notmuch_database_t *notmu
     bool entire_thread_set = false;
     bool single_message;
     bool unthreaded = FALSE;
-    char *status_string = NULL;
+    notmuch_status_t status;
 
     notmuch_opt_desc_t options[] = {
 	{ .opt_keyword = &format, .name = "format", .keywords =
@@ -1336,26 +1335,15 @@ notmuch_show_command (notmuch_config_t *config, unused(notmuch_database_t *notmu
 		 "Warning: --include-html only implemented for format=text, format=json and format=sexp\n");
     }
 
-    notmuch_database_mode_t mode = NOTMUCH_DATABASE_MODE_READ_ONLY;
-
-    if (params.crypto.decrypt == NOTMUCH_DECRYPT_TRUE)
-	mode = NOTMUCH_DATABASE_MODE_READ_WRITE;
-    if (notmuch_database_open_with_config (NULL,
-					   mode,
-					   _notmuch_config_get_path (config),
-					   NULL,
-					   &notmuch,
-					   &status_string)) {
-	if (status_string) {
-	    fputs (status_string, stderr);
-	    free (status_string);
+    if (params.crypto.decrypt == NOTMUCH_DECRYPT_TRUE) {
+	status = notmuch_database_reopen (notmuch, NOTMUCH_DATABASE_MODE_READ_WRITE);
+	if (status) {
+	    fprintf (stderr, "Error reopening database for READ_WRITE: %s\n",
+		     notmuch_status_to_string (status));
+	    return EXIT_FAILURE;
 	}
-
-	return EXIT_FAILURE;
     }
 
-    config = NULL;
-
     notmuch_exit_if_unmatched_db_uuid (notmuch);
 
     query_string = query_string_from_args (notmuch, argc - opt_index, argv + opt_index);
diff --git a/notmuch.c b/notmuch.c
index 5e56209b..f2bf9c24 100644
--- a/notmuch.c
+++ b/notmuch.c
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ static command_t commands[] = {
       "Search for messages matching the given search terms." },
     { "address", notmuch_address_command, NOTMUCH_COMMAND_DATABASE_EARLY,
       "Get addresses from messages matching the given search terms." },
-    { "show", notmuch_show_command, NOTMUCH_COMMAND_CONFIG_OPEN,
+    { "show", notmuch_show_command, NOTMUCH_COMMAND_DATABASE_EARLY,
       "Show all messages matching the search terms." },
     { "count", notmuch_count_command, NOTMUCH_COMMAND_DATABASE_EARLY,
       "Count messages matching the search terms." },
diff --git a/test/T035-read-config.sh b/test/T035-read-config.sh
index 205d1736..ac0f420b 100755
--- a/test/T035-read-config.sh
+++ b/test/T035-read-config.sh
@@ -378,7 +378,6 @@ restore_database
 test_expect_equal "$output" "OK"
 
 test_begin_subtest "show with alternate config (xdg)"
-test_subtest_known_broken
 backup_database
 notmuch tag -- +foobar17 '*'
 xdg_config
@@ -389,7 +388,6 @@ restore_config
 test_expect_equal "$output" "OK"
 
 test_begin_subtest "show with alternate config (xdg+profile)"
-test_subtest_known_broken
 backup_database
 notmuch tag -- +foobar17 '*'
 xdg_config foobar17