diff --git a/addons/web/controllers/main.py b/addons/web/controllers/main.py
index 73bd64694ef..01395b48f0b 100644
--- a/addons/web/controllers/main.py
+++ b/addons/web/controllers/main.py
@@ -657,7 +657,7 @@ class Database(http.Controller):
             request.session.authenticate(name, post['login'], password)
             return http.local_redirect('/web/')
         except Exception, e:
-            error = "Database creation error: %s" % e
+            error = "Database creation error: %s" % str(e) or repr(e)
         return self._render_template(error=error)
 
     @http.route('/web/database/duplicate', type='http', auth="none", methods=['POST'], csrf=False)
@@ -668,7 +668,7 @@ class Database(http.Controller):
             dispatch_rpc('db', 'duplicate_database', [master_pwd, name, new_name])
             return http.local_redirect('/web/database/manager')
         except Exception, e:
-            error = "Database duplication error: %s" % e
+            error = "Database duplication error: %s" % str(e) or repr(e)
             return self._render_template(error=error)
 
     @http.route('/web/database/drop', type='http', auth="none", methods=['POST'], csrf=False)
@@ -678,7 +678,7 @@ class Database(http.Controller):
             request._cr = None  # dropping a database leads to an unusable cursor
             return http.local_redirect('/web/database/manager')
         except Exception, e:
-            error = "Database deletion error: %s" % e
+            error = "Database deletion error: %s" % str(e) or repr(e)
             return self._render_template(error=error)
 
     @http.route('/web/database/backup', type='http', auth="none", methods=['POST'], csrf=False)
@@ -696,7 +696,7 @@ class Database(http.Controller):
             return response
         except Exception, e:
             _logger.exception('Database.backup')
-            error = "Database backup error: %s" % e
+            error = "Database backup error: %s" % str(e) or repr(e)
             return self._render_template(error=error)
 
     @http.route('/web/database/restore', type='http', auth="none", methods=['POST'], csrf=False)
@@ -706,7 +706,7 @@ class Database(http.Controller):
             dispatch_rpc('db', 'restore', [master_pwd, name, data, str2bool(copy)])
             return http.local_redirect('/web/database/manager')
         except Exception, e:
-            error = "Database restore error: %s" % e
+            error = "Database restore error: %s" % str(e) or repr(e)
             return self._render_template(error=error)
 
     @http.route('/web/database/change_password', type='http', auth="none", methods=['POST'], csrf=False)
@@ -715,7 +715,7 @@ class Database(http.Controller):
             dispatch_rpc('db', 'change_admin_password', [master_pwd, master_pwd_new])
             return http.local_redirect('/web/database/manager')
         except Exception, e:
-            error = "Master password update error: %s" % e
+            error = "Master password update error: %s" % str(e) or repr(e)
             return self._render_template(error=error)
 
     @http.route('/web/database/list', type='json', auth='none')