diff --git a/Common/GmshMessage.cpp b/Common/GmshMessage.cpp
index 152f0a2fdad7699e43a6e259e4d773f35354005e..c278761ddaa98f0bdfd3aabce525e1fda0293a37 100644
--- a/Common/GmshMessage.cpp
+++ b/Common/GmshMessage.cpp
@@ -637,8 +637,10 @@ void Msg::InitializeOnelab(const std::string &name, const std::string &sockname)
   if(_onelabClient) delete _onelabClient;
   if(sockname.empty()){
     _onelabClient = new onelab::localClient("Gmsh");
-    if(!_onelabClient->fromFile(name))
-      Error("Error loading onelab database '%s'", name.c_str());
+    if(name != "Gmsh"){ // load db from file:
+      if(!_onelabClient->fromFile(name))
+        Error("Error loading onelab database '%s'", name.c_str());
+    }
   }
   else{
     onelab::remoteNetworkClient *c = new onelab::remoteNetworkClient(name, sockname);