diff --git a/bin/travis.py b/bin/travis.py
index 49c8b46b4b0..1c70dc79b95 100755
--- a/bin/travis.py
+++ b/bin/travis.py
@@ -30,6 +30,6 @@ def shell(arg, split_on='~'):
 CREATE DATABASE ckan_test_datastore WITH OWNER ckanuser;
 '''
 
-shell('psql~%s' % sql)
+shell('psql~%s~-U~postgres' % sql)
 
 shell('psql~-U~ckanuser~ckan_test~-c~SELECT version();')