diff -r 375fc1868b11 -r d62e13eba033 server/session.py
--- a/server/session.py	Thu Jun 27 08:52:15 2013 +0200
+++ b/server/session.py	Wed Jan 22 15:49:32 2014 +0100
@@ -1164,7 +1164,7 @@
         """return a sql cursor on the system database"""
         if sql.split(None, 1)[0].upper() != 'SELECT':
             self.mode = 'write'
-        source = self.cnxset.source('system')
+        source = self.repo.system_source
         try:
             return source.doexec(self, sql, args, rollback=rollback_on_failure)
         except (source.OperationalError, source.InterfaceError):