diff --git a/lisp/sqlite-mode.el b/lisp/sqlite-mode.el
index 71c9e57fc12..38e9f84b842 100644
--- a/lisp/sqlite-mode.el
+++ b/lisp/sqlite-mode.el
@@ -136,22 +136,7 @@
 
 (defun sqlite-mode--column-names (table)
   "Return a list of the column names for TABLE."
-  (let ((sql
-         (caar
-          (sqlite-select
-           sqlite--db
-           "select sql from sqlite_master where tbl_name = ? AND type = 'table'"
-           (list table)))))
-    (with-temp-buffer
-      (insert sql)
-      (mapcar #'string-trim
-              (split-string
-               ;; Extract the args to CREATE TABLE.  Point is
-               ;; currently at its end.
-               (buffer-substring
-                (1- (point))                          ; right before )
-                (1+ (progn (backward-sexp) (point)))) ; right after (
-               ",")))))
+  (mapcar (lambda (row) (nth 1 row)) (sqlite-select sqlite--db (format "pragma table_info(%s)" table))))
 
 (defun sqlite-mode-list-data ()
   "List the data from the table under point."