diff --git a/openerp/addons/base/tests/test_db_cursor.py b/openerp/addons/base/tests/test_db_cursor.py
index abf8ceb91eb..d60f38185b9 100644
--- a/openerp/addons/base/tests/test_db_cursor.py
+++ b/openerp/addons/base/tests/test_db_cursor.py
@@ -21,15 +21,12 @@ class test_cr_execute(unittest2.TestCase):
         """
         Try to use iterable but non-list or int params in query parameters.
         """
-        cr = registry().cursor()
-        try:
+        with registry().cursor() as cr:
             with self.assertRaises(ValueError):
                 cr.execute("SELECT id FROM res_users WHERE login=%s", 'admin')
             with self.assertRaises(ValueError):
                 cr.execute("SELECT id FROM res_users WHERE id=%s", 1)
             with self.assertRaises(ValueError):
                 cr.execute("SELECT id FROM res_users WHERE id=%s", '1')
-        finally:
-            cr.close()
 
 # vim:expandtab:smartindent:tabstop=4:softtabstop=4:shiftwidth=4:
diff --git a/openerp/modules/registry.py b/openerp/modules/registry.py
index ce76f8e86c9..385056fecce 100644
--- a/openerp/modules/registry.py
+++ b/openerp/modules/registry.py
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ class Registry(Mapping):
         self._init_modules = set()
 
         self.db_name = db_name
-        self.db = openerp.sql_db.db_connect(db_name)
+        self._db = openerp.sql_db.db_connect(db_name)
 
         # special cursor for test mode; None means "normal" mode
         self.test_cr = None
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ class Registry(Mapping):
         self._any_cache_cleared = False
 
         cr = self.cursor()
-        has_unaccent = openerp.modules.db.has_unaccent(cr)
+        has_unaccent = openerp.modules._db.has_unaccent(cr)
         if openerp.tools.config['unaccent'] and not has_unaccent:
             _logger.warning("The option --unaccent was given but no unaccent() function was found in database.")
         self.has_unaccent = openerp.tools.config['unaccent'] and has_unaccent
@@ -193,7 +193,7 @@ class Registry(Mapping):
     def enter_test_mode(self):
         """ Enter the 'test' mode, where one cursor serves several requests. """
         assert self.test_cr is None
-        self.test_cr = self.db.test_cursor()
+        self.test_cr = self._db.test_cursor()
         RegistryManager.enter_test_mode()
 
     def leave_test_mode(self):
@@ -214,7 +214,7 @@ class Registry(Mapping):
             # cursor itself in its method close().
             self.test_cr.acquire()
             return self.test_cr
-        return self.db.cursor()
+        return self._db.cursor()
 
 class DummyRLock(object):
     """ Dummy reentrant lock, to be used while running rpc and js tests """
@@ -295,7 +295,7 @@ class RegistryManager(object):
                     registry.base_registry_signaling_sequence = seq_registry
                     registry.base_cache_signaling_sequence = seq_cache
                 # This should be a method on Registry
-                openerp.modules.load_modules(registry.db, force_demo, status, update_module)
+                openerp.modules.load_modules(registry._db, force_demo, status, update_module)
             except Exception:
                 del cls.registries[db_name]
                 raise
diff --git a/openerp/pooler.py b/openerp/pooler.py
index 0df6f88c819..5ada4c2a014 100644
--- a/openerp/pooler.py
+++ b/openerp/pooler.py
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ def get_db_and_pool(db_name, force_demo=False, status=None, update_module=False)
     assert openerp.conf.deprecation.openerp_pooler
     _logger.warning('openerp.pooler.get_db_and_pool() is deprecated.')
     registry = RegistryManager.get(db_name, force_demo, status, update_module)
-    return registry.db, registry
+    return registry._db, registry
 
 
 def restart_pool(db_name, force_demo=False, status=None, update_module=False):
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ def restart_pool(db_name, force_demo=False, status=None, update_module=False):
     _logger.warning('openerp.pooler.restart_pool() is deprecated.')
     assert openerp.conf.deprecation.openerp_pooler
     registry = RegistryManager.new(db_name, force_demo, status, update_module)
-    return registry.db, registry
+    return registry._db, registry
 
 def get_db(db_name):
     """Return a database connection. The corresponding registry is initialized."""