diff --git a/servers/slapd/back-bdb/init.c b/servers/slapd/back-bdb/init.c
index 5fe8baa358..2a80970a46 100644
--- a/servers/slapd/back-bdb/init.c
+++ b/servers/slapd/back-bdb/init.c
@@ -197,7 +197,12 @@ bdb_db_open( BackendDB *be )
 	}
 
 	flags = DB_INIT_MPOOL | DB_THREAD | DB_CREATE
-		| DB_INIT_LOCK | DB_INIT_LOG | DB_INIT_TXN | DB_RECOVER;
+		| DB_INIT_LOCK | DB_INIT_LOG | DB_INIT_TXN;
+	
+	/* Only slapd will do recovery, slap-tools won't. Otherwise
+	 * running slapcat while slapd is active corrupts the db.
+	 */
+	if( !(slapMode & SLAP_TOOL_MODE) ) flags |= DB_RECOVER;
 
 	bdb->bi_dbenv->set_errpfx( bdb->bi_dbenv, be->be_suffix[0].bv_val );
 	bdb->bi_dbenv->set_errcall( bdb->bi_dbenv, bdb_errcall );