diff --git a/openerp/service/web_services.py b/openerp/service/web_services.py
index 5bc4eb7b9aa..f6392dff824 100644
--- a/openerp/service/web_services.py
+++ b/openerp/service/web_services.py
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ class db(netsvc.ExportService):
         return fn(*params)
 
     def _create_empty_database(self, name):
-        db = sql_db.db_connect('template1')
+        db = sql_db.db_connect('postgres')
         cr = db.cursor()
         chosen_template = tools.config['db_template']
         try:
@@ -179,7 +179,7 @@ class db(netsvc.ExportService):
         openerp.modules.registry.RegistryManager.delete(db_name)
         sql_db.close_db(db_name)
 
-        db = sql_db.db_connect('template1')
+        db = sql_db.db_connect('postgres')
         cr = db.cursor()
         cr.autocommit(True) # avoid transaction block
         try:
@@ -292,7 +292,7 @@ class db(netsvc.ExportService):
         openerp.modules.registry.RegistryManager.delete(old_name)
         sql_db.close_db(old_name)
 
-        db = sql_db.db_connect('template1')
+        db = sql_db.db_connect('postgres')
         cr = db.cursor()
         cr.autocommit(True) # avoid transaction block
         try:
@@ -320,7 +320,7 @@ class db(netsvc.ExportService):
             raise openerp.exceptions.AccessDenied()
         chosen_template = tools.config['db_template']
         templates_list = tuple(set(['template0', 'template1', 'postgres', chosen_template]))
-        db = sql_db.db_connect('template1')
+        db = sql_db.db_connect('postgres')
         cr = db.cursor()
         try:
             try:
@@ -557,7 +557,7 @@ GNU Public Licence.
         return http_server.list_http_services()
 
     def exp_check_connectivity(self):
-        return bool(sql_db.db_connect('template1'))
+        return bool(sql_db.db_connect('postgres'))
 
     def exp_get_os_time(self):
         return os.times()
diff --git a/openerp/tools/config.py b/openerp/tools/config.py
index 3a4329433eb..ce157c5e697 100644
--- a/openerp/tools/config.py
+++ b/openerp/tools/config.py
@@ -223,7 +223,7 @@ class configmanager(object):
                          help="specify the database port", type="int")
         group.add_option("--db_maxconn", dest="db_maxconn", type='int', my_default=64,
                          help="specify the the maximum number of physical connections to posgresql")
-        group.add_option("--db-template", dest="db_template", my_default="template0",
+        group.add_option("--db-template", dest="db_template", my_default="template1",
                          help="specify a custom database template to create a new database")
         parser.add_option_group(group)