diff --git a/inc/AwlQuery.php b/inc/AwlQuery.php
index af1167ec..9bb3f016 100644
--- a/inc/AwlQuery.php
+++ b/inc/AwlQuery.php
@@ -502,7 +502,7 @@ class AwlQuery
       }
       else $this->error_info = null;
     }
-    else if ( $this->sth !== false ) {
+    else if ( !isset($this->sth) ) {
       /** Ensure we have a connection to the database */
       if ( !isset($this->connection) ) {
         _awl_connect_configured_database();
@@ -515,6 +515,9 @@ class AwlQuery
       }
       else $this->error_info = null;
     }
+    else if ( $this->sth === false ) {
+      $success = false;
+    }
     if ( $success ) $this->rows = $this->sth->rowCount();
     $t2 = microtime(true); // get end time
     $i_took = $t2 - $t1;