diff --git a/tests/python_tests/load_map_test.py b/tests/python_tests/load_map_test.py
index f7f2d1f00..106981df2 100644
--- a/tests/python_tests/load_map_test.py
+++ b/tests/python_tests/load_map_test.py
@@ -51,7 +51,8 @@ def test_good_files():
             mapnik.load_map_from_string(m,open(filename,'rb').read(),strict,base_path)
         except RuntimeError, e:
             # only test datasources that we have installed
-            if not 'Could not create datasource' in str(e):
+            if not 'Could not create datasource' in str(e) \
+               and not 'Bad connection' in str(e):
                 failures.append('Failed to load valid map %s (%s)' % (filename,e))
     eq_(len(failures),0,'\n'+'\n'.join(failures))
 
diff --git a/tests/python_tests/save_map_test.py b/tests/python_tests/save_map_test.py
index 6af8597e7..4df244d98 100644
--- a/tests/python_tests/save_map_test.py
+++ b/tests/python_tests/save_map_test.py
@@ -26,7 +26,8 @@ def compare_map(xml):
         mapnik.load_map(m, xml, False, absolute_base)
     except RuntimeError, e:
         # only test datasources that we have installed
-        if not 'Could not create datasource' in str(e):
+        if not 'Could not create datasource' in str(e) \
+           and not 'Bad connection' in str(e):
             raise RuntimeError(str(e))
         return
     (handle, test_map) = tempfile.mkstemp(suffix='.xml', prefix='mapnik-temp-map1-')