diff --git a/apps/astarte_appengine_api/lib/astarte_appengine_api/device/device.ex b/apps/astarte_appengine_api/lib/astarte_appengine_api/device/device.ex
index a9b856b98..78aa832a6 100644
--- a/apps/astarte_appengine_api/lib/astarte_appengine_api/device/device.ex
+++ b/apps/astarte_appengine_api/lib/astarte_appengine_api/device/device.ex
@@ -990,12 +990,12 @@ defmodule Astarte.AppEngine.API.Device do
   end
 
   def device_alias_to_device_id(realm_name, device_alias) do
-    with {:ok, client} <- Database.connect(realm: realm_name) do
-      Queries.device_alias_to_device_id(client, device_alias)
-    else
-      not_ok ->
-        _ = Logger.warning("Database error: #{inspect(not_ok)}.", tag: "db_error")
-        {:error, :database_error}
+    result =
+      Queries.device_alias_to_device_id(realm_name, device_alias)
+      |> Repo.fetch_one(consistency: :quorum, error: :device_not_found)
+
+    with {:ok, name} <- result do
+      {:ok, name.object_uuid}
     end
   end
 end
diff --git a/apps/astarte_appengine_api/lib/astarte_appengine_api/device/queries.ex b/apps/astarte_appengine_api/lib/astarte_appengine_api/device/queries.ex
index 39d3c1ac3..2af9ba0ef 100644
--- a/apps/astarte_appengine_api/lib/astarte_appengine_api/device/queries.ex
+++ b/apps/astarte_appengine_api/lib/astarte_appengine_api/device/queries.ex
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ defmodule Astarte.AppEngine.API.Device.Queries do
   alias Astarte.DataAccess.Realms.DeletionInProgress, as: DatabaseDeletionInProgress
   alias Astarte.DataAccess.Realms.IndividualDatastream, as: DatabaseIndividualDatastream
   alias Astarte.DataAccess.Realms.IndividualProperty, as: DatabaseIndividualProperty
+  alias Astarte.DataAccess.Realms.Name, as: DatabaseName
   alias Astarte.DataAccess.Astarte.KvStore
   alias Astarte.DataAccess.Astarte.Realm
 
@@ -161,32 +162,6 @@ defmodule Astarte.AppEngine.API.Device.Queries do
       limit: ^limit
   end
 
-  def device_alias_to_device_id(client, device_alias) do
-    device_id_statement = """
-    SELECT object_uuid
-    FROM names
-    WHERE object_name = :device_alias AND object_type = 1
-    """
-
-    device_id_query =
-      DatabaseQuery.new()
-      |> DatabaseQuery.statement(device_id_statement)
-      |> DatabaseQuery.put(:device_alias, device_alias)
-      |> DatabaseQuery.consistency(:quorum)
-
-    with {:ok, result} <- DatabaseQuery.call(client, device_id_query),
-         [object_uuid: device_id] <- DatabaseResult.head(result) do
-      {:ok, device_id}
-    else
-      :empty_dataset ->
-        {:error, :device_not_found}
-
-      not_ok ->
-        _ = Logger.warning("Database error: #{inspect(not_ok)}.", tag: "db_error")
-        {:error, :database_error}
-    end
-  end
-
   def insert_attribute(client, device_id, attribute_key, attribute_value) do
     insert_attribute_statement = """
     UPDATE devices
@@ -433,6 +408,15 @@ defmodule Astarte.AppEngine.API.Device.Queries do
     end
   end
 
+  def device_alias_to_device_id(realm_name, device_alias) do
+    keyspace = Realm.keyspace_name(realm_name)
+
+    from DatabaseName,
+      prefix: ^keyspace,
+      select: [:object_uuid],
+      where: [object_type: 1, object_name: ^device_alias]
+  end
+
   def set_inhibit_credentials_request(client, device_id, inhibit_credentials_request) do
     statement = """
     UPDATE devices