diff --git a/lib/db/backends.js b/lib/db/backends.js
index a96976c7..073a4cb1 100644
--- a/lib/db/backends.js
+++ b/lib/db/backends.js
@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@ exports.get = function get(name) {
   try {
     return require(name);
   } catch (e) {
-    throw new Error('Database backend "' + name + '" not found.');
+    if (e.code === 'MODULE_NOT_FOUND')
+      throw new Error('Database backend "' + name + '" not found.');
+    throw e;
   }
 };