===================================================================
--- back_postgresql.py  (revision 4212)
+++ back_postgresql.py  (working copy)
@@ -48,16 +48,18 @@
     if os.path.exists(config.DATABASE):
         shutil.rmtree(config.DATABASE)

-def db_command(config, command):
+def db_command(config, command, database='postgres'):
     '''Perform some sort of database-level command. Retry 10 times  if we
     fail by conflicting with another user.
     '''
     template1 = connection_dict(config)
-    template1['database'] = 'template1'
+    template1['database'] = database

     try:
         conn = psycopg.connect(**template1)
     except psycopg.OperationalError, message:
+        if str(message).find('database "postgres" does not exist') >= 0:
+            return db_command(config, command, database='template1')
         raise hyperdb.DatabaseError, message

     conn.set_isolation_level(0)