diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/database/postgresql/postgresql_db.py b/lib/ansible/modules/database/postgresql/postgresql_db.py
index 941644d6fb1..4ce8e146ccd 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/modules/database/postgresql/postgresql_db.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/database/postgresql/postgresql_db.py
@@ -275,7 +275,7 @@ def main():
         kw["host"] = module.params["login_unix_socket"]
 
     try:
-        db_connection = psycopg2.connect(database="template1", **kw)
+        db_connection = psycopg2.connect(database="postgres", **kw)
         # Enable autocommit so we can create databases
         if psycopg2.__version__ >= '2.4.2':
             db_connection.autocommit = True