diff --git a/cmd/gochan-migration/internal/pre2021/posts.go b/cmd/gochan-migration/internal/pre2021/posts.go
index 8c19f668..8398627b 100644
--- a/cmd/gochan-migration/internal/pre2021/posts.go
+++ b/cmd/gochan-migration/internal/pre2021/posts.go
@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@ func (m *Pre2021Migrator) migrateThreads() error {
 		return err
 	}
 	defer stmt.Close()
+	defer rows.Close()
 	for rows.Next() {
 		var post postTable
 		if err = rows.Scan(
diff --git a/pkg/gcsql/bans.go b/pkg/gcsql/bans.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c627dbd0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/gcsql/bans.go
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+package gcsql
+
+import "database/sql"
+
+// CheckIPBan returns the latest active IP ban for the given IP, as well as any errors. If the
+// IPBan pointer is nil, the IP has no active bans
+func CheckIPBan(ip string) (*IPBan, error) {
+	const query = `SELECT 
+	id, staff_id, board_id, banned_for_post_id, copy_post_text, is_thread_ban,
+	is_active, ip, issued_at, appeal_at, expires_at, permanent, staff_note,
+	message, can_appeal
+	FROM DBPREFIXip_ban WHERE ip = ? AND is_active AND (expires_at > CURRENT_TIMESTAMP OR permanent)
+	ORDER BY id DESC LIMIT 1`
+	var ban IPBan
+	err := QueryRowSQL(query, interfaceSlice(ip), interfaceSlice(
+		&ban.ID, &ban.StaffID, &ban.BoardID, &ban.BannedForPostID, &ban.CopyPostText, &ban.IsThreadBan,
+		&ban.IsActive, &ban.IP, &ban.IssuedAt, &ban.AppealAt, &ban.ExpiresAt, &ban.Permanent, &ban.StaffNote,
+		&ban.Message, &ban.CanAppeal))
+	if err == sql.ErrNoRows {
+		return nil, nil
+	}
+	return &ban, nil
+}
+
+// IsGlobalBan returns true if BoardID is a nil int, meaning they are banned on all boards, as opposed to a specific one
+func (ipb *IPBan) IsGlobalBan() bool {
+	return ipb.BoardID == nil
+}
diff --git a/pkg/gcsql/database.go b/pkg/gcsql/database.go
index b7216e82..dab0b853 100644
--- a/pkg/gcsql/database.go
+++ b/pkg/gcsql/database.go
@@ -179,6 +179,23 @@ func Open(host, dbDriver, dbName, username, password, prefix string) (db *GCDB,
 	return db, err
 }
 
+// OptimizeDatabase peforms a database optimisation
+func OptimizeDatabase() error {
+	tableRows, tablesErr := QuerySQL("SHOW TABLES")
+	if tablesErr != nil {
+		return tablesErr
+	}
+	defer tableRows.Close()
+	for tableRows.Next() {
+		var table string
+		tableRows.Scan(&table)
+		if _, err := ExecSQL("OPTIMIZE TABLE " + table); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
 func sqlVersionError(err error, dbDriver string, query *string) error {
 	if err == nil {
 		return nil
diff --git a/pkg/gcsql/posts.go b/pkg/gcsql/posts.go
index c5c632d4..9eed49cf 100644
--- a/pkg/gcsql/posts.go
+++ b/pkg/gcsql/posts.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import (
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"html/template"
+	"time"
 
 	"github.com/gochan-org/gochan/pkg/config"
 )
@@ -101,6 +102,42 @@ func GetPostPassword(id int) (string, error) {
 	return passwordChecksum, err
 }
 
+// PermanentlyRemoveDeletedPosts removes all posts and files marked as deleted from the database
+func PermanentlyRemoveDeletedPosts() error {
+	const sql1 = `DELETE FROM DBPREFIXposts WHERE is_deleted`
+	const sql2 = `DELETE FROM DBPREFIXthreads WHERE is_deleted`
+	_, err := ExecSQL(sql1)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	_, err = ExecSQL(sql2)
+	return err
+}
+
+// SinceLastPost returns the number of seconds since the given IP address created a post
+// (used for checking against the new reply cooldown)
+func SinceLastPost(postIP string) (int, error) {
+	const query = `SELECT MAX(created_on) FROM DBPREFIXposts WHERE ip = ?`
+	var when time.Time
+	err := QueryRowSQL(query, interfaceSlice(postIP), interfaceSlice(&when))
+	if err != nil {
+		return -1, err
+	}
+	return int(time.Since(when).Seconds()), nil
+}
+
+// SinceLastThread returns the number of seconds since the given IP address created a new thread/top post
+// (used for checking against the new thread cooldown)
+func SinceLastThread(postIP string) (int, error) {
+	const query = `SELECT MAX(created_on) FROM DBPREFIXposts WHERE ip = ? AND is_top_post`
+	var when time.Time
+	err := QueryRowSQL(query, interfaceSlice(postIP), interfaceSlice(&when))
+	if err != nil {
+		return -1, err
+	}
+	return int(time.Since(when).Seconds()), nil
+}
+
 // UpdateContents updates the email, subject, and message text of the post
 func (p *Post) UpdateContents(email string, subject string, message template.HTML, messageRaw string) error {
 	const sqlUpdate = `UPDATE DBPREFIXposts SET email = ?, subject = ?, message = ?, message_raw = ? WHERE ID = ?`