diff --git a/src/exchange/Makefile.am b/src/exchange/Makefile.am
index fa359411c..3453683ae 100644
--- a/src/exchange/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/exchange/Makefile.am
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 # This Makefile.am is in the public domain
-AM_CPPFLAGS = -I$(top_srcdir)/src/include -I$(top_srcdir)/src/bank-lib/
+AM_CPPFLAGS = \
+ -I$(top_srcdir)/src/include \
+ -I$(top_srcdir)/src/bank-lib/ \
+ $(LIBGCRYPT_CFLAGS) \
+ $(POSTGRESQL_CPPFLAGS)
 
 if USE_COVERAGE
   AM_CFLAGS = --coverage -O0
@@ -112,6 +116,7 @@ test_taler_exchange_wirewatch_postgres_LDADD = \
   -lmicrohttpd \
   -lgnunetutil \
   -lgnunetjson \
+  -lgnunetpq \
   -ljansson \
   -lpthread
 
diff --git a/src/exchange/test_taler_exchange_wirewatch.c b/src/exchange/test_taler_exchange_wirewatch.c
index da2da615a..7632bdfa9 100644
--- a/src/exchange/test_taler_exchange_wirewatch.c
+++ b/src/exchange/test_taler_exchange_wirewatch.c
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 #include "platform.h"
 #include "taler_util.h"
 #include <gnunet/gnunet_json_lib.h>
+#include <gnunet/gnunet_pq_lib.h>
 #include "taler_json_lib.h"
 #include <microhttpd.h>
 #include "taler_fakebank_lib.h"
@@ -791,6 +792,20 @@ main (int argc,
   GNUNET_log_setup ("test_taler_exchange_wirewatch",
                     "WARNING",
                     NULL);
+  /* check database is working */
+  {
+    struct GNUNET_PQ_Context *conn;
+    struct GNUNET_PQ_ExecuteStatement es[] = {
+      GNUNET_PQ_EXECUTE_STATEMENT_END
+    };
+
+    conn = GNUNET_PQ_connect ("postgres:///talercheck",
+                              es,
+                              NULL);
+    if (NULL == conn)
+      return 77;
+    GNUNET_PQ_disconnect (conn);
+  }
   proc = GNUNET_OS_start_process (GNUNET_NO,
                                   GNUNET_OS_INHERIT_STD_ALL,
                                   NULL, NULL, NULL,