diff --git a/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/BoardDelegate.java b/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/BoardDelegate.java
index 731c6faa8..952c9fc84 100644
--- a/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/BoardDelegate.java
+++ b/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/BoardDelegate.java
@@ -2592,7 +2592,7 @@ public class BoardDelegate extends DelegateBase
 
     public static boolean rematchSupported( Context context, long rowID )
     {
-        GameSummary summary = DBUtils.getSummary( context, rowID, 1 );
+        GameSummary summary = GameUtils.getSummary( context, rowID, 1 );
         return null != summary && rematchSupported( null, summary );
     }
 
diff --git a/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/DBUtils.java b/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/DBUtils.java
index ae3fdd690..a31d43335 100644
--- a/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/DBUtils.java
+++ b/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/DBUtils.java
@@ -116,27 +116,6 @@ public class DBUtils {
         public int[] m_counts;
     }
 
-    public static GameSummary getSummary( Context context, long rowid,
-                                          long maxMillis )
-    {
-        GameSummary result = null;
-        try {
-            GameLock lock = new GameLock( rowid, false ).lock( maxMillis );
-            if ( null != lock ) {
-                result = getSummary( context, lock );
-                lock.unlock();
-            }
-        } catch ( GameLock.GameLockedException gle ) {
-            DbgUtils.loge( gle );
-        }
-        return result;
-    }
-
-    public static GameSummary getSummary( Context context, long rowid )
-    {
-        return getSummary( context, rowid, 0L );
-    }
-
     public static GameSummary getSummary( Context context,
                                           GameLock lock )
     {
@@ -1125,6 +1104,9 @@ public class DBUtils {
             lock.unlock();
         } else {
             DbgUtils.logf( "deleteGame: unable to lock rowid %d", rowid );
+            if ( BuildConfig.DEBUG ) {
+                Assert.fail();
+            }
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/GameListItem.java b/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/GameListItem.java
index ec3b3aefb..a581da510 100644
--- a/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/GameListItem.java
+++ b/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/GameListItem.java
@@ -351,21 +351,7 @@ public class GameListItem extends LinearLayout
         @Override
         protected GameSummary doInBackground( Void... unused )
         {
-            GameSummary result = null;
-
-            JNIThread thread = JNIThread.getRetained( m_rowid );
-            if ( null != thread ) {
-                GameLock lock = thread.getLock();
-                if ( null != lock ) {
-                    result = DBUtils.getSummary( m_context, lock );
-                }
-                thread.release( false );
-            }
-
-            if ( null == result ) {
-                result = DBUtils.getSummary( m_context, m_rowid, SUMMARY_WAIT_MSECS );
-            }
-            return result;
+            return GameUtils.getSummary( m_context, m_rowid, SUMMARY_WAIT_MSECS );
         } // doInBackground
 
         @Override
diff --git a/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/GameUtils.java b/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/GameUtils.java
index d24f5b145..ac43ce43e 100644
--- a/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/GameUtils.java
+++ b/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/GameUtils.java
@@ -213,6 +213,38 @@ public class GameUtils {
         return result;
     }
 
+    public static GameSummary getSummary( Context context, long rowid,
+                                          long maxMillis )
+    {
+        GameSummary result = null;
+        JNIThread thread = JNIThread.getRetained( rowid );
+        GameLock lock = null;
+        if ( null != thread ) {
+            lock = thread.getLock();
+        } else {
+            try {
+                lock = new GameLock( rowid, false ).lock( maxMillis );
+            } catch ( GameLock.GameLockedException gle ) {
+                DbgUtils.loge( gle );
+            }
+        }
+
+        if ( null != lock ) {
+            result = DBUtils.getSummary( context, lock );
+            if ( null == thread ) {
+                lock.unlock();
+            } else {
+                thread.release();
+            }
+        }
+        return result;
+    }
+
+    public static GameSummary getSummary( Context context, long rowid )
+    {
+        return getSummary( context, rowid, 0L );
+    }
+
     public static long dupeGame( Context context, long rowidIn )
     {
         long rowid = DBUtils.ROWID_NOTFOUND;
diff --git a/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/GamesListDelegate.java b/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/GamesListDelegate.java
index d4bab59ea..964a92dc8 100644
--- a/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/GamesListDelegate.java
+++ b/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/GamesListDelegate.java
@@ -711,7 +711,7 @@ public class GamesListDelegate extends ListDelegateBase
                         self.m_adapter.invalName( self.m_rowid );
                     }
                 };
-            GameSummary summary = DBUtils.getSummary( m_activity, m_rowid );
+            GameSummary summary = GameUtils.getSummary( m_activity, m_rowid );
             int labelID = (summary.isMultiGame() && !summary.anyMissing())
                 ? R.string.rename_label_caveat : R.string.rename_label;
             dialog = buildNamerDlg( GameUtils.getName( m_activity, m_rowid ),
@@ -1748,7 +1748,8 @@ public class GamesListDelegate extends ListDelegateBase
                                  Action.NEW_FROM, selRowIDs[0] );
             break;
         case R.id.games_game_copy:
-            final GameSummary smry = DBUtils.getSummary( m_activity, selRowIDs[0] );
+            final GameSummary smry = GameUtils.getSummary( m_activity,
+                                                           selRowIDs[0] );
             if ( smry.inRelayGame() ) {
                 showOKOnlyDialog( R.string.no_copy_network );
             } else {
@@ -1782,7 +1783,7 @@ public class GamesListDelegate extends ListDelegateBase
 
             // DEBUG only
         case R.id.games_game_invites:
-            msg = DBUtils.getSummary( m_activity, selRowIDs[0] )
+            msg = GameUtils.getSummary( m_activity, selRowIDs[0] )
                 .conTypes.toString( m_activity );
             msg = getString( R.string.invites_net_fmt, msg );
 
diff --git a/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/NagTurnReceiver.java b/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/NagTurnReceiver.java
index 85c7e65c8..9372e5829 100644
--- a/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/NagTurnReceiver.java
+++ b/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/NagTurnReceiver.java
@@ -81,8 +81,8 @@ public class NagTurnReceiver extends BroadcastReceiver {
                     boolean lastWarning = 0 == info.m_nextNag;
 
                     long rowid = info.m_rowid;
-                    GameSummary summary = DBUtils.getSummary( context, rowid,
-                                                              10 );
+                    GameSummary summary = GameUtils.getSummary( context, rowid,
+                                                                10 );
                     String prevPlayer = null == summary
                         ? LocUtils.getString(context, R.string.prev_player)
                         : summary.getPrevPlayer();
diff --git a/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/jni/JNIThread.java b/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/jni/JNIThread.java
index 42d50f3ff..2f3976a5e 100644
--- a/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/jni/JNIThread.java
+++ b/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/jni/JNIThread.java
@@ -233,7 +233,7 @@ public class JNIThread extends Thread {
     public GamePtr getGamePtr() { return m_jniGamePtr; }
     public CurGameInfo getGI() { return m_gi; }
     public GameSummary getSummary() { return m_summary; }
-    public GameLock getLock() { return m_lock; }
+    public GameLock getLock() { Assert.assertNotNull(m_lock); return m_lock; }
 
     private void waitToStop( boolean save )
     {
@@ -787,6 +787,7 @@ public class JNIThread extends Thread {
             result = s_instances.get( rowid );
             if ( null == result && makeNew ) {
                 result = new JNIThread( new GameLock( rowid, true ).lock() );
+                Assert.assertNotNull( result );
                 s_instances.put( rowid, result );
             }
             if ( null != result ) {