diff --git a/odoo/cli/server.py b/odoo/cli/server.py
index 8809cda542a..93f40126839 100644
--- a/odoo/cli/server.py
+++ b/odoo/cli/server.py
@@ -138,6 +138,7 @@ def main(args):
         for db_name in preload:
             try:
                 odoo.service.db._create_empty_database(db_name)
+                config['init']['base'] = True
             except ProgrammingError as err:
                 if err.pgcode == errorcodes.INSUFFICIENT_PRIVILEGE:
                     # We use an INFO loglevel on purpose in order to avoid
diff --git a/odoo/cli/start.py b/odoo/cli/start.py
index c42494b60b1..d695f6e4860 100644
--- a/odoo/cli/start.py
+++ b/odoo/cli/start.py
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import itertools
 import os
 import sys
 
+import odoo
 from . import Command
 from .server import main
 from odoo.modules.module import get_module_root, MANIFEST_NAMES
@@ -60,6 +61,7 @@ class Start(Command):
         # TODO: forbid some database names ? eg template1, ...
         try:
             _create_empty_database(args.db_name)
+            odoo.tools.config['init']['base'] = True
         except DatabaseExists as e:
             pass
         except Exception as e:
diff --git a/odoo/modules/loading.py b/odoo/modules/loading.py
index 7d79626d0fc..6f2ee27c8e6 100644
--- a/odoo/modules/loading.py
+++ b/odoo/modules/loading.py
@@ -333,6 +333,9 @@ def load_modules(db, force_demo=False, status=None, update_module=False):
 
     with db.cursor() as cr:
         if not odoo.modules.db.is_initialized(cr):
+            if not update_module:
+                _logger.error("Database %s not initialized, you can force it with `-i base`", cr.dbname)
+                return
             _logger.info("init db")
             odoo.modules.db.initialize(cr)
             update_module = True # process auto-installed modules