diff --git a/mbuni/extras/pgsql-queue/mms_pgsql_queue.c b/mbuni/extras/pgsql-queue/mms_pgsql_queue.c
index 312bafc..9177cbc 100644
--- a/mbuni/extras/pgsql-queue/mms_pgsql_queue.c
+++ b/mbuni/extras/pgsql-queue/mms_pgsql_queue.c
@@ -41,6 +41,19 @@ static int archive_msgs = 1;
 static Octstr *xcinfo = NULL;
 static const char *tdirs[] = {"active", "archive", NULL};
 
+static int conn_status(PGconn *c)
+{
+     if (c == NULL)
+	  return CONNECTION_BAD;
+     else {
+	  PGresult *r = PQexec(c, "SELECT 1"); /* Ping the database */
+	  int x = (PQresultStatus(r) == PGRES_TUPLES_OK) ? CONNECTION_OK : CONNECTION_BAD; 
+	  PQclear(r);
+
+	  return x;
+     }     
+}
+
 static int pgq_init_module(Octstr *conninfo, char *xtopdir, int max_connections)
 {
      long i;
@@ -76,7 +89,7 @@ static int pgq_init_module(Octstr *conninfo, char *xtopdir, int max_connections)
      /* Make one connection, just so we konw it works. */
      
      if ((c = PQconnectdb(octstr_get_cstr(xcinfo))) != NULL && 
-	 PQstatus(c) == CONNECTION_OK) {
+	 conn_status(c) == CONNECTION_OK) {
 	  gwlist_produce(free_conns, c);	
 	  alloc_conns++;
 	  
@@ -172,7 +185,7 @@ static PGconn *get_conn_real(const char *function, const char *file, const int l
      
      do {
 	  if ((c = gwlist_extract_first(free_conns)) != NULL &&  /* First try to swipe a connection. */
-	      (PQstatus(c) == CONNECTION_OK)) 
+	      (conn_status(c) == CONNECTION_OK)) 
 	       break;
 	  else if (c) {/* dead connection */
 	       PQfinish(c); 
@@ -182,7 +195,7 @@ static PGconn *get_conn_real(const char *function, const char *file, const int l
 	  /* We failed to get a connection: if there are not max_connections, allocate one. */
 	  if (alloc_conns < max_conns && 
 	      (c = PQconnectdb(octstr_get_cstr(xcinfo))) != NULL && 
-	      (PQstatus(c) == CONNECTION_OK)) {
+	      (conn_status(c) == CONNECTION_OK)) {
 	       alloc_conns++;
 
 	       break;
@@ -197,11 +210,11 @@ static PGconn *get_conn_real(const char *function, const char *file, const int l
 	   * of allowed connections, or db connection allocation failed.
 	   */
 	  if ((c = gwlist_timed_consume(free_conns, DEFAULT_PG_WAIT)) != NULL && 
-	      (PQstatus(c) == CONNECTION_OK))
+	      (conn_status(c) == CONNECTION_OK))
 	       break;	    
      } while (num_tries-- > 0);
      
-     if (c && (PQstatus(c) == CONNECTION_OK)) { /* might fail if we are shutting down. */
+     if (c && (conn_status(c) == CONNECTION_OK)) { /* might fail if we are shutting down. */
 	  r = PQexec(c, "BEGIN"); /* start a transaction. */
 	  PQclear(r);
      } else {
@@ -224,6 +237,8 @@ static void return_conn_real(PGconn *c, const char *function, const char *file,
 {
      PGresult *r;
      
+     gw_assert(c);
+     
      /*  debug("pg_cp", 0, "pg_release_conn> %s:%d, %s => %d", file, line, function, (int)c); */
 
      if (free_conns == NULL || c == NULL) return;
@@ -234,7 +249,8 @@ static void return_conn_real(PGconn *c, const char *function, const char *file,
      else 
 	  r = PQexec(c, "COMMIT");
      PQclear(r);
-     if (PQstatus(c) == CONNECTION_OK)
+
+     if (conn_status(c) == CONNECTION_OK)
 	  gwlist_produce(free_conns,c);
      else {
 	  PQfinish(c);