diff --git a/src/AppFactory.php b/src/AppFactory.php
index fd9d701..12ad1b2 100644
--- a/src/AppFactory.php
+++ b/src/AppFactory.php
@@ -72,7 +72,11 @@ public function setConnection( Database $connection ) {
 	 */
 	public function getConnection() {
 		if ( $this->connection === null ) {
-			$this->connection = wfGetDB( DB_REPLICA );
+			if ( version_compare( MW_VERSION, '1.42', '>=' ) ) {
+				$this->connection = MediaWikiServices::getInstance()->getConnectionProvider()->getReplicaDatabase();
+			} else {
+				$this->connection = MediaWikiServices::getInstance()->getDBLoadBalancer()->getConnection( DB_REPLICA );
+			}
 		}
 
 		return $this->connection;
diff --git a/src/PropertyAnnotators/ApprovedDatePropertyAnnotator.php b/src/PropertyAnnotators/ApprovedDatePropertyAnnotator.php
index e10c050..7acb4d8 100644
--- a/src/PropertyAnnotators/ApprovedDatePropertyAnnotator.php
+++ b/src/PropertyAnnotators/ApprovedDatePropertyAnnotator.php
@@ -63,8 +63,13 @@ public function addAnnotation( DIProperty $property, SemanticData $semanticData
 			// ApprovedRevs does not provide a function to get the approval date,
 			// so fetch it here from the ApprovedRevs table
 			$pageID = $semanticData->getSubject()->getTitle()->getArticleID();
-			$dbr = wfGetDB( DB_REPLICA );
-			$approval_date = $dbr->selectField( 'approved_revs', 'approval_date', [ 'page_id' => $pageID ] );
+			$dbr = $this->appFactory->getConnection();
+			if ( $dbr ) {
+				$approval_date = $dbr->selectField( 'approved_revs', 'approval_date', [ 'page_id' => $pageID ] );
+			} else {
+				// Handle the error appropriately, e.g., log an error or throw an exception
+				throw new \RuntimeException( 'Database connection failed.' );
+			}
 
 			if ( $approval_date ) {
 				$this->approvedDate = new MWTimestamp( wfTimestamp( TS_MW, $approval_date ) );