diff --git a/django/db/backends/__init__.py b/django/db/backends/__init__.py
index 6569120287..99d68221e8 100644
--- a/django/db/backends/__init__.py
+++ b/django/db/backends/__init__.py
@@ -110,9 +110,8 @@ class BaseDatabaseWrapper(object):
         # Establish the connection
         conn_params = self.get_connection_params()
         self.connection = self.get_new_connection(conn_params)
+        self.set_autocommit(self.settings_dict['AUTOCOMMIT'])
         self.init_connection_state()
-        if self.settings_dict['AUTOCOMMIT']:
-            self.set_autocommit(True)
         connection_created.send(sender=self.__class__, connection=self)
 
     def ensure_connection(self):
diff --git a/django/db/backends/oracle/base.py b/django/db/backends/oracle/base.py
index aae3240e12..cdb101d20c 100644
--- a/django/db/backends/oracle/base.py
+++ b/django/db/backends/oracle/base.py
@@ -627,6 +627,9 @@ class DatabaseWrapper(BaseDatabaseWrapper):
             # Django docs specify cx_Oracle version 4.3.1 or higher, but
             # stmtcachesize is available only in 4.3.2 and up.
             pass
+        # Ensure all changes are preserved even when AUTOCOMMIT is False.
+        if not self.get_autocommit():
+            self.commit()
 
     def create_cursor(self):
         return FormatStylePlaceholderCursor(self.connection)
diff --git a/django/db/backends/postgresql_psycopg2/base.py b/django/db/backends/postgresql_psycopg2/base.py
index b58a23c93b..33f885d50c 100644
--- a/django/db/backends/postgresql_psycopg2/base.py
+++ b/django/db/backends/postgresql_psycopg2/base.py
@@ -148,12 +148,12 @@ class DatabaseWrapper(BaseDatabaseWrapper):
                 conn_tz = get_parameter_status('TimeZone')
 
             if conn_tz != tz:
-                self.connection.cursor().execute(
-                    self.ops.set_time_zone_sql(), [tz]
-                )
+                cursor = self.connection.cursor()
+                cursor.execute(self.ops.set_time_zone_sql(), [tz])
+                cursor.close()
                 # Commit after setting the time zone (see #17062)
-                self.connection.commit()
-        self.connection.set_isolation_level(self.isolation_level)
+                if not self.get_autocommit():
+                    self.connection.commit()
 
     def create_cursor(self):
         cursor = self.connection.cursor()
diff --git a/docs/releases/1.7.txt b/docs/releases/1.7.txt
index f33926d10b..0525bb2e12 100644
--- a/docs/releases/1.7.txt
+++ b/docs/releases/1.7.txt
@@ -920,6 +920,11 @@ Miscellaneous
 
 * GeoDjango dropped support for GEOS < 3.1.
 
+* The ``init_connection_state`` method of database backends now executes in
+  autocommit mode (unless you set :setting:`AUTOCOMMIT <DATABASE-AUTOCOMMIT>`
+  to ``False``). If you maintain a custom database backend, you should check
+  that method.
+
 Features deprecated in 1.7
 ==========================