diff --git a/searx/cache.py b/searx/cache.py
index f7c256078..e6b6541d9 100644
--- a/searx/cache.py
+++ b/searx/cache.py
@@ -444,12 +444,10 @@ class ExpireCacheSQLite(sqlitedb.SQLiteAppl, ExpireCache):
     def get(self, key: str, default: typing.Any = None, ctx: str | None = None) -> typing.Any:
         """Get value of ``key`` from table given by argument ``ctx``.  If
         ``ctx`` argument is ``None`` (the default), a table name is generated
-        from the :py:obj:`ExpireCacheCfg.name`.  If ``key`` not exists (in
-        table), the ``default`` value is returned.
-
+        from the :py:obj:`ExpireCacheCfg.name`.  If ``key`` not exists in
+        the table or the table not exists, the ``default`` value is returned.
         """
         table = ctx
-        self.maintenance()
 
         if not table:
             table = self.normalize_name(self.cfg.name)
@@ -457,6 +455,9 @@ class ExpireCacheSQLite(sqlitedb.SQLiteAppl, ExpireCache):
         if table not in self.table_names:
             return default
 
+        # Before values are taken from the table, a maintenance interval may
+        # need to be carried out.
+        self.maintenance()
         sql = f"SELECT value FROM {table} WHERE key = ?"
         row = self.DB.execute(sql, (key,)).fetchone()
         if row is None:
@@ -469,12 +470,14 @@ class ExpireCacheSQLite(sqlitedb.SQLiteAppl, ExpireCache):
         If ``ctx`` argument is ``None`` (the default), a table name is
         generated from the :py:obj:`ExpireCacheCfg.name`."""
         table = ctx
-        self.maintenance()
 
         if not table:
             table = self.normalize_name(self.cfg.name)
 
         if table in self.table_names:
+            # Before values are taken from the table, a maintenance interval may
+            # need to be carried out.
+            self.maintenance()
             for row in self.DB.execute(f"SELECT key, value FROM {table}"):
                 yield row[0], self.deserialize(row[1])
 
diff --git a/searx/engines/__init__.py b/searx/engines/__init__.py
index 1b1574b8b..e906b780b 100644
--- a/searx/engines/__init__.py
+++ b/searx/engines/__init__.py
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import typing as t
 
 import sys
 import copy
+import os
 from os.path import realpath, dirname
 
 import types
@@ -278,6 +279,8 @@ def load_engines(engine_list: list[dict[str, t.Any]]):
         else:
             # if an engine can't be loaded (if for example the engine is missing
             # tor or some other requirements) its set to inactive!
-            logger.error("loading engine %s failed: set engine to inactive!", engine_data.get("name", "???"))
+            logger.error(
+                f"(PID {os.getpid()}) loading engine %s failed: set engine to inactive!", engine_data.get("name", "???")
+            )
             engine_data["inactive"] = True
     return engines
diff --git a/searx/engines/radio_browser.py b/searx/engines/radio_browser.py
index 8714b7104..d79963c2e 100644
--- a/searx/engines/radio_browser.py
+++ b/searx/engines/radio_browser.py
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 
 """
 
+import os
 import random
 import socket
 from urllib.parse import urlencode
@@ -59,7 +60,19 @@ seconds."""
 def init(_):
     global CACHE  # pylint: disable=global-statement
     CACHE = EngineCache("radio_browser")
-    server_list()
+
+    # In an environment with competing processes, the initial loading of the
+    # cache is required only once.
+    eng_state: str | None = CACHE.get("eng_state")
+    if not eng_state or not eng_state.startswith("STATE:"):
+        CACHE.set("eng_state", f"STATE: being initialized by PID {os.getpid()}")
+        try:
+            server_list()
+        except Exception:
+            CACHE.set("eng_state", f"ERROR: initialization by PID {os.getpid()} failed.")
+            raise
+    else:
+        logger.debug(eng_state)
 
 
 def server_list() -> list[str]:
diff --git a/searx/engines/wikidata.py b/searx/engines/wikidata.py
index 3902f79e0..85f747d93 100644
--- a/searx/engines/wikidata.py
+++ b/searx/engines/wikidata.py
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ Some implementations are shared from :ref:`wikipedia engine`.
 
 import typing as t
 
+import os
 from hashlib import md5
 from urllib.parse import urlencode, unquote
 from json import loads
@@ -827,7 +828,19 @@ def debug_explain_wikidata_query(query: str, method: str = "GET"):
 def init(_):
     global CACHE  # pylint: disable=global-statement
     CACHE = EngineCache("wikidata")
-    init_wikidata_properties()
+
+    # In an environment with competing processes, the initial loading of the
+    # cache is required only once.
+    eng_state: str | None = CACHE.get("eng_state")
+    if not eng_state or not eng_state.startswith("STATE:"):
+        CACHE.set("eng_state", f"STATE: being initialized by PID {os.getpid()}")
+        try:
+            init_wikidata_properties()
+        except Exception:
+            CACHE.set("eng_state", f"ERROR: initialization by PID {os.getpid()} failed.")
+            raise
+    else:
+        logger.debug(eng_state)
 
 
 def init_wikidata_properties():
diff --git a/searx/search/processors/abstract.py b/searx/search/processors/abstract.py
index cc19077b2..a504cdcba 100644
--- a/searx/search/processors/abstract.py
+++ b/searx/search/processors/abstract.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 
 import typing as t
 
+import os
 import logging
 import threading
 from abc import abstractmethod, ABC
@@ -154,7 +155,9 @@ class EngineProcessor(ABC):
         try:
             init_ok = self.engine.init(eng_setting)
         except Exception:  # pylint: disable=broad-except
-            logger.exception("Init method of engine %s failed due to an exception.", self.engine.name)
+            logger.exception(
+                f"(PID {os.getpid()}) Init method of engine %s failed due to an exception.", self.engine.name
+            )
             init_ok = False
         # In older engines, None is returned from the init method, which is
         # equivalent to indicating that the initialization was successful.
diff --git a/searx/sqlitedb.py b/searx/sqlitedb.py
index a4f498339..da8147166 100644
--- a/searx/sqlitedb.py
+++ b/searx/sqlitedb.py
@@ -121,8 +121,8 @@ class SQLiteAppl(abc.ABC):
 
     .. _WAL: https://sqlite.org/wal.html
     """
-    SQLITE_CONNECT_ARGS: dict[str,str|int|bool|None] = {
-        # "timeout": 5.0,
+    SQLITE_CONNECT_ARGS: dict[str, str | float | int | bool | None] = {
+        "timeout": 3.0,  # default is 5sec
         # "detect_types": 0,
         "check_same_thread": bool(SQLITE_THREADING_MODE != "serialized"),
         "cached_statements": 0,  # https://github.com/python/cpython/issues/118172
@@ -195,6 +195,7 @@ class SQLiteAppl(abc.ABC):
         self.db_url: str = db_url
         self.properties: SQLiteProperties = SQLiteProperties(db_url)
         self._init_done: bool = False
+        self._DB: sqlite3.Connection | None = None
         self._compatibility()
         # atexit.register(self.tear_down)
 
@@ -209,7 +210,7 @@ class SQLiteAppl(abc.ABC):
     def _compatibility(self):
 
         if self.SQLITE_THREADING_MODE == "serialized":
-            self._DB: sqlite3.Connection | None = None
+            self._DB = None
         else:
             msg = (
                 f"SQLite library is compiled with {self.SQLITE_THREADING_MODE} mode,"
@@ -228,7 +229,13 @@ class SQLiteAppl(abc.ABC):
 
     def _connect(self) -> sqlite3.Connection:
         conn = sqlite3.Connection(self.db_url, **self.SQLITE_CONNECT_ARGS)  # type: ignore
-        conn.execute(f"PRAGMA journal_mode={self.SQLITE_JOURNAL_MODE}")
+        try:
+            with conn:
+                conn.execute(f"PRAGMA journal_mode={self.SQLITE_JOURNAL_MODE}")
+        except sqlite3.OperationalError:
+            # when database is locked, the journal_mode is already set by
+            # different but concurrent process (no need to set it once more)
+            pass
         self.register_functions(conn)
         return conn
 
@@ -312,7 +319,8 @@ class SQLiteAppl(abc.ABC):
         # Since more than one instance of SQLiteAppl share the same DB
         # connection, we need to make sure that each SQLiteAppl instance has run
         # its init method at least once.
-        self.init(conn)
+        with conn:
+            self.init(conn)
 
         return conn
 
@@ -330,7 +338,8 @@ class SQLiteAppl(abc.ABC):
         self._init_done = True
 
         logger.debug("init DB: %s", self.db_url)
-        self.properties.init(conn)
+        with conn:
+            self.properties.init(conn)
 
         ver = self.properties("DB_SCHEMA")
         if ver is None:
@@ -409,7 +418,7 @@ CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS properties (
         self._init_done = True
         logger.debug("init properties of DB: %s", self.db_url)
         res = conn.execute(self.SQL_TABLE_EXISTS)
-        if res.fetchone() is None:  # DB schema needs to be be created
+        if res.fetchone() is None:  # DB schema needs to be created
             self.create_schema(conn)
         return True
 
diff --git a/searx/webapp.py b/searx/webapp.py
index d83ab149a..55ef84e8d 100755
--- a/searx/webapp.py
+++ b/searx/webapp.py
@@ -1348,6 +1348,8 @@ def run():
 
 def init():
 
+    # pylint: disable=import-outside-toplevel
+
     if searx.sxng_debug or app.debug:
         app.debug = True
         searx.sxng_debug = True
@@ -1358,6 +1360,18 @@ def init():
         logger.error("server.secret_key is not changed. Please use something else instead of ultrasecretkey.")
         sys.exit(1)
 
+    # init database schema first / DB schema is created with the first connect
+    from searx.data import get_cache
+    from searx.enginelib import ENGINES_CACHE
+
+    conn = get_cache().connect()
+    conn.close()
+    conn = ENGINES_CACHE.connect()
+    conn.close()
+
+    favicons.init()
+
+    # init application
     locales_initialize()
     valkey_initialize()
     searx.plugins.initialize(app)
@@ -1366,7 +1380,6 @@ def init():
     searx.search.initialize(check_network=True, enable_metrics=metrics)
 
     limiter.initialize(app, settings)
-    favicons.init()
 
 
 def static_headers(headers: Headers, _path: str, _url: str) -> None: