diff --git a/src/commands.py b/src/commands.py
index 403f07b87..b0cd8363f 100644
--- a/src/commands.py
+++ b/src/commands.py
@@ -238,14 +238,6 @@ def getBoolean(irc, msg, args, state):
     except ValueError:
         irc.errorInvalid('boolean', args[0])
 
-def getChannelDb(irc, msg, args, state, **kwargs):
-    if not conf.supybot.databases.plugins.channelSpecific():
-        channel = conf.supybot.databases.plugins.channelSpecific.channel()
-        state.args.append(channel)
-        state.channel = channel
-    else:
-        getChannel(irc, msg, args, state, **kwargs)
-
 def getNetworkIrc(irc, msg, args, state, errorIfNoMatch=False):
     if args:
         for otherIrc in world.ircs:
@@ -365,6 +357,18 @@ def getChannel(irc, msg, args, state):
     state.channel = channel
     state.args.append(channel)
 
+def getChannelDb(irc, msg, args, state, **kwargs):
+    channelSpecific = conf.supybot.databases.plugins.channelSpecific
+    try:
+        getChannel(irc, msg, args, state, **kwargs)
+        if state.channel and not conf.get(channelSpecific, state.channel):
+            state.channel = conf.get(channelSpecific.channel, state.channel)
+    except (callbacks.ArgumentError, IndexError):
+        if channelSpecific():
+            raise
+        else:
+            state.channel = channelSpecific.channel()
+
 def inChannel(irc, msg, args, state):
     if not state.channel:
         getChannel(irc, msg, args, state)
diff --git a/src/conf.py b/src/conf.py
index ffab34bc1..00be0949f 100644
--- a/src/conf.py
+++ b/src/conf.py
@@ -802,7 +802,7 @@ registerChannelValue(supybot.databases.plugins, 'channelSpecific',
     this variable to take effect; also note that you may wish to set
     supybot.databases.plugins.channelSpecific.channel appropriately if you
     wish to share a certain channel's databases globally."""))
-registerGlobalValue(supybot.databases.plugins.channelSpecific, 'channel',
+registerChannelValue(supybot.databases.plugins.channelSpecific, 'channel',
     ValidChannel('#', """Determines what channel global (non-channel-specific)
     databases will be considered a part of.  This is helpful if you've been
     running channel-specific for awhile and want to turn the databases for your