diff --git a/lib/Cake/Error/exceptions.php b/lib/Cake/Error/exceptions.php
index 3b79a3c89..65b4fb5ab 100644
--- a/lib/Cake/Error/exceptions.php
+++ b/lib/Cake/Error/exceptions.php
@@ -324,7 +324,7 @@ class MissingDatabaseException extends CakeException {
  * @package       Cake.Error
  */
 class MissingConnectionException extends CakeException {
-	protected $_messageTemplate = 'Database connection "%s" is missing.';
+	protected $_messageTemplate = 'Database connection "%s" is missing, or could not be created.';
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/lib/Cake/Model/Datasource/DboSource.php b/lib/Cake/Model/Datasource/DboSource.php
index 8adab3bbb..63ddf8271 100644
--- a/lib/Cake/Model/Datasource/DboSource.php
+++ b/lib/Cake/Model/Datasource/DboSource.php
@@ -243,7 +243,9 @@ class DboSource extends DataSource {
 		parent::__construct($config);
 		$this->fullDebug = Configure::read('debug') > 1;
 		if (!$this->enabled()) {
-			return;
+			throw new MissingConnectionException(array(
+				'class' => get_class($this)
+			));
 		}
 		if ($autoConnect) {
 			$this->connect();