diff --git a/bin/service/web_services.py b/bin/service/web_services.py
index a3280719f2c..ebd7f063d39 100644
--- a/bin/service/web_services.py
+++ b/bin/service/web_services.py
@@ -286,11 +286,8 @@ class db(netsvc.Service):
         return True
 
     def db_exist(self, db_name):
-        try:
-            db = sql_db.db_connect(db_name)
-            return True
-        except:
-            return False
+        ## Not True: in fact, check if connection to database is possible. The database may exists
+        return bool(sql_db.db_connect(db_name))
 
     def list(self):
         db = sql_db.db_connect('template1')
diff --git a/bin/sql_db.py b/bin/sql_db.py
index 6d2d8b779ef..59d7bcaac1f 100644
--- a/bin/sql_db.py
+++ b/bin/sql_db.py
@@ -310,6 +310,15 @@ class Connection(object):
     def serialized_cursor(self):
         return self.cursor(True)
 
+    def __nonzero__(self):
+        """Check if connection is possible"""
+        try:
+            cr = self.cursor()
+            cr.close()
+            return True
+        except:
+            return False
+
 
 _dsn = ''
 for p in ('host', 'port', 'user', 'password'):