diff --git a/AUTHORS b/AUTHORS
index 96278827c5..b16225741b 100644
--- a/AUTHORS
+++ b/AUTHORS
@@ -337,6 +337,7 @@ answer newbie questions, and generally made Django that much better:
     Aljosa Mohorovic <aljosa.mohorovic@gmail.com>
     Ramiro Morales <rm0@gmx.net>
     Eric Moritz <http://eric.themoritzfamily.com/>
+    Gregor Müllegger <gregor@muellegger.de>
     Robin Munn <http://www.geekforgod.com/>
     James Murty
     msundstr
diff --git a/django/core/management/__init__.py b/django/core/management/__init__.py
index 32e744374a..85bf324fdc 100644
--- a/django/core/management/__init__.py
+++ b/django/core/management/__init__.py
@@ -250,15 +250,15 @@ class ManagementUtility(object):
         """
         try:
             app_name = get_commands()[subcommand]
-            if isinstance(app_name, BaseCommand):
-                # If the command is already loaded, use it directly.
-                klass = app_name
-            else:
-                klass = load_command_class(app_name, subcommand)
         except KeyError:
             sys.stderr.write("Unknown command: %r\nType '%s help' for usage.\n" % \
                 (subcommand, self.prog_name))
             sys.exit(1)
+        if isinstance(app_name, BaseCommand):
+            # If the command is already loaded, use it directly.
+            klass = app_name
+        else:
+            klass = load_command_class(app_name, subcommand)
         return klass
 
     def autocomplete(self):
diff --git a/django/db/__init__.py b/django/db/__init__.py
index 4bae04ab9a..4c4faef694 100644
--- a/django/db/__init__.py
+++ b/django/db/__init__.py
@@ -35,6 +35,8 @@ if DEFAULT_DB_ALIAS not in settings.DATABASES:
     raise ImproperlyConfigured("You must default a '%s' database" % DEFAULT_DB_ALIAS)
 
 for alias, database in settings.DATABASES.items():
+    if 'ENGINE' not in database:
+        raise ImproperlyConfigured("You must specify a 'ENGINE' for database '%s'" % alias)
     if database['ENGINE'] in ("postgresql", "postgresql_psycopg2", "sqlite3", "mysql", "oracle"):
         import warnings
         if 'django.contrib.gis' in settings.INSTALLED_APPS: