diff --git a/src/applications/config/management/PhabricatorConfigManagementGetWorkflow.php b/src/applications/config/management/PhabricatorConfigManagementGetWorkflow.php
--- a/src/applications/config/management/PhabricatorConfigManagementGetWorkflow.php
+++ b/src/applications/config/management/PhabricatorConfigManagementGetWorkflow.php
@@ -59,8 +59,8 @@
       );
     }
 
-    $database_config = new PhabricatorConfigDatabaseSource('default');
     try {
+      $database_config = new PhabricatorConfigDatabaseSource('default');
       $database_value = $database_config->getKeys(array($key));
       if (empty($database_value)) {
         $values['database'] = array(