diff --git a/Database/ContentIdentifier.hs b/Database/ContentIdentifier.hs
index c531f915ea..4fdfd5b292 100644
--- a/Database/ContentIdentifier.hs
+++ b/Database/ContentIdentifier.hs
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ openDb :: Annex ContentIdentifierHandle
 openDb = do
 	dbdir <- calcRepo' gitAnnexContentIdentifierDbDir
 	let db = dbdir </> literalOsPath "db"
-	isnew <- liftIO $ not <$> doesDirectoryExist db
+	isnew <- liftIO $ not <$> doesFileExist db
 	if isnew
 		then initDb db $ void $ 
 			runMigrationSilent migrateContentIdentifier
diff --git a/Database/Export.hs b/Database/Export.hs
index 0ed6c126bb..71fbbec13d 100644
--- a/Database/Export.hs
+++ b/Database/Export.hs
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ openDb :: UUID -> Annex ExportHandle
 openDb u = do
 	dbdir <- calcRepo' (gitAnnexExportDbDir u)
 	let db = dbdir </> literalOsPath "db"
-	unlessM (liftIO $ doesDirectoryExist db) $ do
+	unlessM (liftIO $ doesFileExist db) $ do
 		initDb db $ void $
 			runMigrationSilent migrateExport
 	h <- liftIO $ H.openDbQueue db "exported"
diff --git a/Database/Fsck.hs b/Database/Fsck.hs
index 496903e0e4..50ba8f8c30 100644
--- a/Database/Fsck.hs
+++ b/Database/Fsck.hs
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ openDb :: UUID -> Annex FsckHandle
 openDb u = do
 	dbdir <- calcRepo' (gitAnnexFsckDbDir u)
 	let db = dbdir </> literalOsPath "db"
-	unlessM (liftIO $ doesDirectoryExist db) $ do
+	unlessM (liftIO $ doesFileExist db) $ do
 		initDb db $ void $
 			runMigrationSilent migrateFsck
 	lockFileCached =<< calcRepo' (gitAnnexFsckDbLock u)
diff --git a/Database/ImportFeed.hs b/Database/ImportFeed.hs
index 2d1611c73c..8820b84189 100644
--- a/Database/ImportFeed.hs
+++ b/Database/ImportFeed.hs
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ openDb :: Annex ImportFeedDbHandle
 openDb = do
 	dbdir <- calcRepo' gitAnnexImportFeedDbDir
 	let db = dbdir </> literalOsPath "db"
-	isnew <- liftIO $ not <$> doesDirectoryExist db
+	isnew <- liftIO $ not <$> doesFileExist db
 	when isnew $
 		initDb db $ void $ 
 			runMigrationSilent migrateImportFeed
diff --git a/Database/Keys.hs b/Database/Keys.hs
index 686be30e13..cc3f189b99 100644
--- a/Database/Keys.hs
+++ b/Database/Keys.hs
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ openDb forwrite _ = do
 	catchPermissionDenied permerr $ withExclusiveLock lck $ do
 		dbdir <- calcRepo' gitAnnexKeysDbDir
 		let db = dbdir </> literalOsPath "db"
-		dbexists <- liftIO $ doesDirectoryExist db
+		dbexists <- liftIO $ doesFileExist db
 		case dbexists of
 			True -> open db False
 			False -> do
diff --git a/Database/RepoSize.hs b/Database/RepoSize.hs
index 93c6b1d5ba..d70de72191 100644
--- a/Database/RepoSize.hs
+++ b/Database/RepoSize.hs
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ openDb :: Annex RepoSizeHandle
 openDb = lockDbWhile permerr $ do
 	dbdir <- calcRepo' gitAnnexRepoSizeDbDir
 	let db = dbdir </> literalOsPath "db"
-	unlessM (liftIO $ doesDirectoryExist db) $ do
+	unlessM (liftIO $ doesFileExist db) $ do
 		initDb db $ void $
 			runMigrationSilent migrateRepoSizes
 	h <- liftIO $ H.openDb db "repo_sizes"