diff --git a/test/prepare_db.sh b/test/prepare_db.sh
index 2dad764d..47a39dd8 100755
--- a/test/prepare_db.sh
+++ b/test/prepare_db.sh
@@ -1,7 +1,15 @@
 #!/bin/sh
 
 # this script prepare database and redis instance to run accpetance test
-# Note: requires a postgis template called template_postgis
+#
+# NOTE: assumes existance of a "template_postgis"
+# NOTE2: use PG* environment variables to control who and where
+
+die() {
+        msg=$1
+        echo "${msg}" >&2
+        exit 1
+}
 
 echo "preparing redis..."
 echo "HSET rails:users:vizzuality id 1" | redis-cli -n 5
@@ -9,9 +17,9 @@ echo "HSET rails:users:vizzuality database_name cartodb_test_user_1_db" | redis-
 echo 'HSET rails:cartodb_test_user_1_db:my_table infowindow "this, that, the other"' | redis-cli -n 0
 
 echo "preparing postgres..."
-dropdb -Upostgres -hlocalhost  cartodb_test_user_1_db
-createdb -Upostgres -hlocalhost -Ttemplate_postgis -Opostgres -EUTF8 cartodb_test_user_1_db
-psql -Upostgres -hlocalhost cartodb_test_user_1_db < ./sql/windshaft.test.sql
-psql -Upostgres -hlocalhost cartodb_test_user_1_db < ./sql/gadm4.sql
+dropdb cartodb_test_user_1_db
+createdb -Ttemplate_postgis -EUTF8 cartodb_test_user_1_db || die "Could not create test database"
+psql cartodb_test_user_1_db < ./sql/windshaft.test.sql
+psql cartodb_test_user_1_db < ./sql/gadm4.sql
 
 echo "Finished preparing data. Run tests with expresso."