diff --git a/pagure/lib/__init__.py b/pagure/lib/__init__.py
index da0d929..4ed0312 100644
--- a/pagure/lib/__init__.py
+++ b/pagure/lib/__init__.py
@@ -100,13 +100,13 @@ def create_session(db_url, debug=False, pool_recycle=3600):
     :return a Session that can be used to query the database.
 
     '''
-    if db_url.startswith('sqlite'):
-        engine = sqlalchemy.create_engine(
-            db_url, echo=debug, pool_recycle=pool_recycle)
-    else:
+    if db_url.startswith('postgres'):
         engine = sqlalchemy.create_engine(
             db_url, echo=debug, pool_recycle=pool_recycle,
             client_encoding='utf8')
+    else:
+        engine = sqlalchemy.create_engine(
+            db_url, echo=debug, pool_recycle=pool_recycle)
     scopedsession = scoped_session(sessionmaker(bind=engine))
     model.BASE.metadata.bind = scopedsession
     return scopedsession
diff --git a/pagure/lib/model.py b/pagure/lib/model.py
index 0c5d0bd..d7b1e1a 100644
--- a/pagure/lib/model.py
+++ b/pagure/lib/model.py
@@ -67,10 +67,10 @@ def create_tables(db_url, alembic_ini=None, acls=None, debug=False):
     :return a session that can be used to query the database.
 
     """
-    if db_url.startswith('sqlite'):
-        engine = create_engine(db_url, echo=debug)
-    else:
+    if db_url.startswith('postgres'):
         engine = create_engine(db_url, echo=debug, client_encoding='utf8')
+    else:
+        engine = create_engine(db_url, echo=debug)
 
     from pagure.lib.plugins import get_plugin_tables
     get_plugin_tables()