diff --git a/ckan/config/environment.py b/ckan/config/environment.py
index fd8b46fa98d..49348789369 100644
--- a/ckan/config/environment.py
+++ b/ckan/config/environment.py
@@ -353,6 +353,8 @@ def genshi_lookup_attr(cls, obj, key):
     # Here we create the site user if they are not already in the database
     try:
         logic.get_action('get_site_user')({'ignore_auth': True}, None)
-    except sqlalchemy.exc.ProgrammingError:
-        # The database is not initialised.  This is a bit dirty.
+    except (sqlalchemy.exc.ProgrammingError, sqlalchemy.exc.OperationalError):
+        # (ProgrammingError for Postgres, OperationalError for SQLite)
+        # The database is not initialised.  This is a bit dirty.  This occurs
+        # when running tests.
         pass