diff --git a/bitbake/bin/toaster b/bitbake/bin/toaster
index fd6cabf378..61a4a0f85d 100755
--- a/bitbake/bin/toaster
+++ b/bitbake/bin/toaster
@@ -24,6 +24,29 @@ Usage: source toaster start|stop [webport=<address:port>] [noweb]
         [webport] Set the development server (default: localhost:8000)
 "
 
+databaseCheck()
+{
+    retval=0
+    # you can always add a superuser later via
+    # ../bitbake/lib/toaster/manage.py createsuperuser --username=<ME>
+    $MANAGE migrate --noinput || retval=1
+
+    if [ $retval -eq 1 ]; then
+        echo "Failed migrations, aborting system start" 1>&2
+        return $retval
+    fi
+    # Make sure that checksettings can pick up any value for TEMPLATECONF
+    export TEMPLATECONF
+    $MANAGE checksettings --traceback || retval=1
+
+    if [ $retval -eq 1 ]; then
+        printf "\nError while checking settings; aborting\n"
+        return $retval
+    fi
+
+    return $retval
+}
+
 webserverKillAll()
 {
     local pidfile
@@ -48,22 +71,9 @@ webserverStartAll()
     fi
 
     retval=0
-    # you can always add a superuser later via
-    # ../bitbake/lib/toaster/manage.py createsuperuser --username=<ME>
-    $MANAGE migrate --noinput || retval=1
 
-    if [ $retval -eq 1 ]; then
-        echo "Failed migrations, aborting system start" 1>&2
-        return $retval
-    fi
-    # Make sure that checksettings can pick up any value for TEMPLATECONF
-    export TEMPLATECONF
-    $MANAGE checksettings --traceback || retval=1
-
-    if [ $retval -eq 1 ]; then
-        printf "\nError while checking settings; aborting\n"
-        return $retval
-    fi
+    # check the database
+    databaseCheck || return 1
 
     echo "Starting webserver..."
 
@@ -240,6 +250,16 @@ case $CMD in
         line='INHERIT+="toaster buildhistory"'
         grep -q "$line" $conf || echo $line >> $conf
 
+        if [ $WEBSERVER -eq 0 ] ; then
+            # Do not update the database for "noweb" unless
+            # it does not yet exist
+            if [ ! -f "$TOASTER_DIR/toaster.sqlite" ] ; then
+                if ! databaseCheck; then
+                    echo "Failed ${CMD}."
+                  return 4
+                fi
+            fi
+        fi
         if [ $WEBSERVER -gt 0 ] && ! webserverStartAll; then
             echo "Failed ${CMD}."
             return 4