diff --git a/libraries/database_interface.lib.php b/libraries/database_interface.lib.php
index 19eee0820..0c5d98563 100644
--- a/libraries/database_interface.lib.php
+++ b/libraries/database_interface.lib.php
@@ -1037,8 +1037,14 @@ function PMA_DBI_get_warnings($link = null)
  * @return integer  $is_superuser
  */
 function PMA_isSuperuser() {
-    return PMA_DBI_try_query('SELECT COUNT(*) FROM mysql.user',
-        $GLOBALS['userlink'], PMA_DBI_QUERY_STORE);
+    // with mysql extension, when connection failed we don't have
+    // a $userlink
+    if (isset($GLOBALS['userlink'])) {
+        return PMA_DBI_try_query('SELECT COUNT(*) FROM mysql.user',
+		$GLOBALS['userlink'], PMA_DBI_QUERY_STORE);
+    } else {
+        return false;
+    }
 }
 
 
diff --git a/libraries/dbi/mysql.dbi.lib.php b/libraries/dbi/mysql.dbi.lib.php
index a57655ba6..1e1e66e53 100644
--- a/libraries/dbi/mysql.dbi.lib.php
+++ b/libraries/dbi/mysql.dbi.lib.php
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ function PMA_DBI_connect($user, $password, $is_controluser = false)
         $link = PMA_DBI_real_connect($cfg['Server']['host'] . $server_port . $server_socket, $user, '', empty($client_flags) ? NULL : $client_flags);
     }
 
-    if (empty($link) && ! $is_controluser) {
+    if (empty($link)) {
         if ($is_controluser) {
             trigger_error($GLOBALS['strControluserFailed'], E_USER_WARNING);
             return false;