diff -r 6641e941ef1e -r ff1a9aa48cfd app/django/core/management/commands/dbshell.py
--- a/app/django/core/management/commands/dbshell.py	Tue Oct 14 12:36:55 2008 +0000
+++ b/app/django/core/management/commands/dbshell.py	Tue Oct 14 16:00:59 2008 +0000
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-from django.core.management.base import NoArgsCommand
+from django.core.management.base import NoArgsCommand, CommandError
 
 class Command(NoArgsCommand):
     help = "Runs the command-line client for the current DATABASE_ENGINE."
@@ -6,5 +6,13 @@
     requires_model_validation = False
 
     def handle_noargs(self, **options):
-        from django.db import runshell
-        runshell()
+        from django.db import connection
+        try:
+            connection.client.runshell()
+        except OSError:
+            # Note that we're assuming OSError means that the client program
+            # isn't installed. There's a possibility OSError would be raised
+            # for some other reason, in which case this error message would be
+            # inaccurate. Still, this message catches the common case.
+            raise CommandError('You appear not to have the %r program installed or on your path.' % \
+                connection.client.executable_name)