diff --git a/classes/Memcached_DataObject.php b/classes/Memcached_DataObject.php
index 8ffb46cc52..27bb5d3c9d 100644
--- a/classes/Memcached_DataObject.php
+++ b/classes/Memcached_DataObject.php
@@ -338,13 +338,27 @@ class Memcached_DataObject extends Safe_DataObject
         }
 
         $start = microtime(true);
-        $result = parent::_query($string);
+        $fail = false;
+        try {
+            $result = parent::_query($string);
+        } catch (Exception $e) {
+            $fail = $e;
+        }
         $delta = microtime(true) - $start;
 
         $limit = common_config('db', 'log_slow_queries');
         if (($limit > 0 && $delta >= $limit) || common_config('db', 'log_queries')) {
             $clean = $this->sanitizeQuery($string);
-            common_log(LOG_DEBUG, sprintf("DB query (%0.3fs): %s", $delta, $clean));
+            if ($fail) {
+                $msg = sprintf("FAILED DB query (%0.3fs): %s - %s", $delta, $fail->getMessage(), $clean);
+            } else {
+                $msg = sprintf("DB query (%0.3fs): %s", $delta, $clean);
+            }
+            common_log(LOG_DEBUG, $msg);
+        }
+
+        if ($fail) {
+            throw $fail;
         }
         return $result;
     }
diff --git a/lib/statusnet.php b/lib/statusnet.php
index 3d018f4e21..2e2359c287 100644
--- a/lib/statusnet.php
+++ b/lib/statusnet.php
@@ -396,7 +396,7 @@ class StatusNet
     static function isHTTPS()
     {
         // There are some exceptions to this; add them here!
-        return $_SERVER['HTTPS'];
+        return !empty($_SERVER['HTTPS']);
     }
 }