diff --git a/openerp-server b/openerp-server
index e47a8ea29cf..c985579ef15 100755
--- a/openerp-server
+++ b/openerp-server
@@ -90,7 +90,8 @@ def preload_registry(dbname):
     """ Preload a registry, and start the cron."""
     try:
         update_module = True if config['init'] or config['update'] else False
-        db, registry = openerp.pooler.get_db_and_pool(dbname, update_module=update_module, pooljobs=False)
+        db, registry = openerp.pooler.get_db_and_pool(
+            dbname, update_module=update_module, pooljobs=False, force_demo=not config['without_demo'])
 
         # jobs will start to be processed later, when openerp.cron.start_master_thread() is called by openerp.service.start_services()
         registry.schedule_cron_jobs()
@@ -101,7 +102,8 @@ def run_test_file(dbname, test_file):
     """ Preload a registry, possibly run a test file, and start the cron."""
     try:
         update_module = True if config['init'] or config['update'] else False
-        db, registry = openerp.pooler.get_db_and_pool(dbname, update_module=update_module, pooljobs=False)
+        db, registry = openerp.pooler.get_db_and_pool(
+            dbname, update_module=update_module, pooljobs=False, force_demo=not config['without_demo'])
         cr = db.cursor()
         logger = logging.getLogger('server')
         logger.info('loading test file %s', test_file)
diff --git a/openerp/modules/graph.py b/openerp/modules/graph.py
index 62b706ad846..5c6e5899ce4 100644
--- a/openerp/modules/graph.py
+++ b/openerp/modules/graph.py
@@ -88,15 +88,19 @@ class Graph(dict):
             for k, v in additional_data[package.name].items():
                 setattr(package, k, v)
 
-    def add_module(self, cr, module, force=None):
-        self.add_modules(cr, [module], force)
+    def add_module(self, cr, module, force_demo=False):
+        self.add_modules(cr, [module], force_demo)
 
-    def add_modules(self, cr, module_list, force=None):
-        if force is None:
-            force = []
+    def add_modules(self, cr, module_list, force_demo=False):
         packages = []
         len_graph = len(self)
         for module in module_list:
+            if force_demo:
+                cr.execute("""
+                    UPDATE ir_module_module
+                    SET demo='t'
+                    WHERE name = %s""",
+                    (module,))
             # This will raise an exception if no/unreadable descriptor file.
             # NOTE The call to load_information_from_description_file is already
             # done by db.initialize, so it is possible to not do it again here.
diff --git a/openerp/modules/loading.py b/openerp/modules/loading.py
index d0b18632e31..066b78f5e3f 100644
--- a/openerp/modules/loading.py
+++ b/openerp/modules/loading.py
@@ -281,7 +281,7 @@ def load_modules(db, force_demo=False, status=None, update_module=False):
 
         # STEP 1: LOAD BASE (must be done before module dependencies can be computed for later steps) 
         graph = openerp.modules.graph.Graph()
-        graph.add_module(cr, 'base', force)
+        graph.add_module(cr, 'base', force_demo)
         if not graph:
             logger.notifyChannel('init', netsvc.LOG_CRITICAL, 'module base cannot be loaded! (hint: verify addons-path)')
             raise osv.osv.except_osv(_('Could not load base module'), _('module base cannot be loaded! (hint: verify addons-path)'))