diff --git a/install/dist/lib/gentoo.lib.php b/install/dist/lib/gentoo.lib.php
index 69691a6afd7c34f1ed1baa89ddd0f867e0653499..eac07e0a8bcf35cddb8f2f6e1f0b92317bd92698 100644
--- a/install/dist/lib/gentoo.lib.php
+++ b/install/dist/lib/gentoo.lib.php
@@ -754,13 +754,7 @@ class installer extends installer_base
 		}
 
 		//* load the powerdns databse dump
-		if($conf['mysql']['admin_password'] == '') {
-			caselog("mysql --default-character-set=".$conf['mysql']['charset']." -h '".$conf['mysql']['host']."' -u '".$conf['mysql']['admin_user']."' --force '".$conf['powerdns']['database']."' < '".ISPC_INSTALL_ROOT."/install/sql/powerdns.sql' &> /dev/null",
-				__FILE__, __LINE__, 'read in ispconfig3.sql', 'could not read in powerdns.sql');
-		} else {
-			caselog("mysql --default-character-set=".$conf['mysql']['charset']." -h '".$conf['mysql']['host']."' -u '".$conf['mysql']['admin_user']."' -p'".$conf['mysql']['admin_password']."' --force '".$conf['powerdns']['database']."' < '".ISPC_INSTALL_ROOT."/install/sql/powerdns.sql' &> /dev/null",
-				__FILE__, __LINE__, 'read in ispconfig3.sql', 'could not read in powerdns.sql');
-		}
+		$this->load_sql_via_cli($conf['powerdns']['database'], ISPC_INSTALL_ROOT.'/install/sql/powerdns.sql', __FILE__, __LINE__, 'read in install/sql/powerdns.sql', 'could not read in install/sql/powerdns.sql');
 
 		//* Create the powerdns config file
 		$content = $this->get_template_file('pdns.local', true, true); //* get contents & insert db cred
diff --git a/install/lib/install.lib.php b/install/lib/install.lib.php
index 885432f7efc94429f2e7a685836b32e79b58c3e1..aa470717aa35d56f1cb106b7e1815b24205b83de 100644
--- a/install/lib/install.lib.php
+++ b/install/lib/install.lib.php
@@ -449,9 +449,11 @@ function caselog($command, $file = '', $line = '', $success = '', $failure = '')
 	if($ret_val != 0){
 		if($failure == '') $failure = 'could not '.$command;
 		ilog($pre.'WARNING: '.$failure);
+		return false;
 	} else {
 		if($success == '') $success = $command;
 		ilog($pre.$success);
+		return true;
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/install/lib/installer_base.lib.php b/install/lib/installer_base.lib.php
index 9ae569b6fba0a3bbf28c6b0fd977ad7155a0c784..2edb22055c34bc31092e23616f9dad14973f989d 100644
--- a/install/lib/installer_base.lib.php
+++ b/install/lib/installer_base.lib.php
@@ -368,13 +368,9 @@ class installer_base extends stdClass {
 		if(count($db_tables) > 0) {
 			$this->error('Stopped: Database already contains some tables.');
 		} else {
-			if($conf['mysql']['admin_password'] == '') {
-				caselog("mysql --default-character-set=".escapeshellarg($conf['mysql']['charset'])." -h ".escapeshellarg($conf['mysql']['host'])." -u ".escapeshellarg($conf['mysql']['admin_user'])." -P ".escapeshellarg($conf['mysql']['port'])." ".escapeshellarg($conf['mysql']['database'])." < '".ISPC_INSTALL_ROOT."/install/sql/ispconfig3.sql' &> /dev/null",
-					__FILE__, __LINE__, 'read in ispconfig3.sql', 'could not read in ispconfig3.sql');
-			} else {
-				caselog("mysql --default-character-set=".escapeshellarg($conf['mysql']['charset'])." -h ".escapeshellarg($conf['mysql']['host'])." -u ".escapeshellarg($conf['mysql']['admin_user'])." -p".escapeshellarg($conf['mysql']['admin_password'])." -P ".escapeshellarg($conf['mysql']['port'])." ".escapeshellarg($conf['mysql']['database'])." < '".ISPC_INSTALL_ROOT."/install/sql/ispconfig3.sql' &> /dev/null",
-					__FILE__, __LINE__, 'read in ispconfig3.sql', 'could not read in ispconfig3.sql');
-			}
+
+			$this->load_sql_via_cli($conf['mysql']['database'], ISPC_INSTALL_ROOT."/install/sql/ispconfig3.sql", __FILE__, __LINE__, 'read in ispconfig3.sql', 'could not read in ispconfig3.sql');
+
 			$db_tables = $this->db->getTables();
 			if(count($db_tables) == 0) {
 				$this->error('Unable to load SQL-Dump into database table.');
@@ -387,6 +383,26 @@ class installer_base extends stdClass {
 		}
 	}
 
+	public function load_sql_via_cli($database, $filename, $file = '', $line = '', $success = '', $failure = '', $logfile = '/dev/null') {
+		global $conf;
+
+		$command = "mysql --default-character-set=".escapeshellarg($conf['mysql']['charset'])
+			." --host=".escapeshellarg($conf['mysql']['host'])
+			." --user=".escapeshellarg($conf['mysql']['admin_user']);
+
+		// Localhost defaults to use a socket
+		if ($conf['mysql']['host'] != 'localhost' || $conf['mysql']['port'] != '3306') {
+			$command .= " --port=".escapeshellarg($conf['mysql']['port']);
+		}
+		if (!empty($conf['mysql']['admin_password'])) {
+			$command .= " --password=".escapeshellarg($conf['mysql']['admin_password']);
+		}
+		$command .= " --database=".escapeshellarg($database);
+
+		caselog($command . " < '$filename' &>> $logfile", $file, $line, $success, $failure);
+	}
+
+
 	//** Create the server record in the database
 	public function add_database_server_record() {
 
@@ -2222,13 +2238,7 @@ class installer_base extends stdClass {
 		}
 
 		//* load the powerdns databse dump
-		if($conf['mysql']['admin_password'] == '') {
-			caselog("mysql --default-character-set=".$conf['mysql']['charset']." -h '".$conf['mysql']['host']."' -u '".$conf['mysql']['admin_user']."' --force '".$conf['powerdns']['database']."' < '".ISPC_INSTALL_ROOT."/install/sql/powerdns.sql' &> /dev/null",
-				__FILE__, __LINE__, 'read in ispconfig3.sql', 'could not read in powerdns.sql');
-		} else {
-			caselog("mysql --default-character-set=".$conf['mysql']['charset']." -h '".$conf['mysql']['host']."' -u '".$conf['mysql']['admin_user']."' -p'".$conf['mysql']['admin_password']."' --force '".$conf['powerdns']['database']."' < '".ISPC_INSTALL_ROOT."/install/sql/powerdns.sql' &> /dev/null",
-				__FILE__, __LINE__, 'read in ispconfig3.sql', 'could not read in powerdns.sql');
-		}
+		$this->load_sql_via_cli($conf['powerdns']['database'], ISPC_INSTALL_ROOT."/install/sql/powerdns.sql", __FILE__, __LINE__, 'read in powerdns.sql', 'could not read in powerdns.sql');
 
 		//* Create the powerdns config file
 		$configfile = 'pdns.local';
diff --git a/install/lib/update.lib.php b/install/lib/update.lib.php
index d88d64d6cd414f85387f10882b979bf44fbc7e6e..d82db9a3a7e802e54dc6bda31e6800d55dbc0b13 100644
--- a/install/lib/update.lib.php
+++ b/install/lib/update.lib.php
@@ -39,15 +39,11 @@ class installer_patch_update {
 
 //* DB dump function
 function prepareDBDump() {
-	global $conf;
+	global $inst, $conf;
 
 	//** load the pre update sql script do perform modifications on the database before the database is dumped
 	if(is_file(ISPC_INSTALL_ROOT."/install/sql/pre_update.sql")) {
-		if($conf['mysql']['admin_password'] == '') {
-			caselog("mysql --default-character-set=".escapeshellarg($conf['mysql']['charset'])." -h ".escapeshellarg($conf['mysql']['host'])." -u ".escapeshellarg($conf['mysql']['admin_user'])." ".escapeshellarg($conf['mysql']['database'])." < '".ISPC_INSTALL_ROOT."/install/sql/pre_update.sql' &> /dev/null", __FILE__, __LINE__, 'read in pre_update.sql', 'could not read in pre_update.sql');
-		} else {
-			caselog("mysql --default-character-set=".escapeshellarg($conf['mysql']['charset'])." -h ".escapeshellarg($conf['mysql']['host'])." -u ".escapeshellarg($conf['mysql']['admin_user'])." -p".escapeshellarg($conf['mysql']['admin_password'])." ".escapeshellarg($conf['mysql']['database'])." < '".ISPC_INSTALL_ROOT."/install/sql/pre_update.sql' &> /dev/null", __FILE__, __LINE__, 'read in pre_update.sql', 'could not read in pre_update.sql');
-		}
+		$inst->load_sql_via_cli($conf['mysql']['database'], ISPC_INSTALL_ROOT.'/install/sql/pre_update.sql',  __FILE__, __LINE__, 'read in pre_update.sql', 'could not read in pre_update.sql');
 	}
 
 	//** export the current database data
@@ -103,7 +99,22 @@ function checkDbHealth() {
 	$notok = array();
 
 	echo "Checking ISPConfig database .. ";
-	exec("mysqlcheck -h ".escapeshellarg($conf['mysql']['host'])." -u ".escapeshellarg($conf['mysql']['admin_user'])." -p".escapeshellarg($conf['mysql']['admin_password'])." -P ".escapeshellarg($conf['mysql']['port'])." --auto-repair ".escapeshellarg($conf["mysql"]["database"]), $result);
+
+	$command = "mysqlcheck --auto-repair"
+		." --host=".escapeshellarg($conf['mysql']['host'])
+		." --user=".escapeshellarg($conf['mysql']['admin_user']);
+
+	// Localhost defaults to use a socket
+	if ($conf['mysql']['host'] != 'localhost' || $conf['mysql']['port'] != '3306') {
+		$command .= " --port=".escapeshellarg($conf['mysql']['port']);
+	}
+	if (!empty($conf['mysql']['admin_password'])) {
+		$command .= " --password=".escapeshellarg($conf['mysql']['admin_password']);
+	}
+	$command .= " ".escapeshellarg($conf["mysql"]["database"]);
+
+	exec($command, $result);
+
 	for( $i=0; $i<sizeof($result);$i++) {
 		if ( substr($result[$i], -2) != "OK" ) {
 			$notok[] = $result[$i];
@@ -209,20 +220,13 @@ function updateDbAndIni() {
 				}
 
 				//* Load patch file into database
-				if( !empty($conf["mysql"]["admin_password"]) ) {
-					$cmd = "mysql --default-character-set=".escapeshellarg($conf['mysql']['charset'])." --force -h ".escapeshellarg($conf['mysql']['host'])." -u ".escapeshellarg($conf['mysql']['admin_user'])." -p".escapeshellarg($conf['mysql']['admin_password'])." -P ".escapeshellarg($conf['mysql']['port'])." ".escapeshellarg($conf['mysql']['database'])." < ".$sql_patch_filename;
-				} else {
-					$cmd = "mysql --default-character-set=".escapeshellarg($conf['mysql']['charset'])." --force -h ".escapeshellarg($conf['mysql']['host'])." -u ".escapeshellarg($conf['mysql']['admin_user'])." -P ".escapeshellarg($conf['mysql']['port'])." ".escapeshellarg($conf['mysql']['database'])." < ".$sql_patch_filename;
-				}
-
 				if(in_array($next_db_version,explode(',',$silent_update_versions))) {
-					$cmd .= ' > /dev/null 2> /dev/null';
+					$logfile = '/dev/null';
 				} else {
-					$cmd .= ' >> /var/log/ispconfig_install.log 2>> /var/log/ispconfig_install.log';
+					$logfile = '/var/log/ispconfig_install.log';
 				}
-				system($cmd);
-
 				swriteln($inst->lng('Loading SQL patch file').': '.$sql_patch_filename);
+				$inst->load_sql_via_cli($conf['mysql']['database'], $sql_patch_filename,  __FILE__, __LINE__, "read in $sql_patch_filename", "could not read in $sql_patch_filename", $logfile);
 
 				//* Exec onAfterSQL function
 				if(isset($php_patch) && is_object($php_patch) && method_exists($php_patch, 'onAfterSQL')) {
@@ -266,11 +270,7 @@ function updateDbAndIni() {
 		}
 
 		//** load old data back into database
-		if( !empty($conf["mysql"]["admin_password"]) ) {
-			system("mysql --default-character-set=".escapeshellarg($conf['mysql']['charset'])." --force -h ".escapeshellarg($conf['mysql']['host'])." -u ".escapeshellarg($conf['mysql']['admin_user'])." -p".escapeshellarg($conf['mysql']['admin_password'])." ".escapeshellarg($conf['mysql']['database'])." < existing_db.sql");
-		} else {
-			system("mysql --default-character-set=".escapeshellarg($conf['mysql']['charset'])." --force -h ".escapeshellarg($conf['mysql']['host'])." -u ".escapeshellarg($conf['mysql']['admin_user'])." ".escapeshellarg($conf['mysql']['database'])." < existing_db.sql");
-		}
+		$inst->load_sql_via_cli($conf['mysql']['database'], 'existing_db.sql', __FILE__, __LINE__, 'read in existing_db.sql', 'could not read in existing_db.sql');
 
 		//** Get the database version number based on the patchfile
 		$found = true;
@@ -301,11 +301,7 @@ function updateDbAndIni() {
 			$inst->configure_powerdns();
 
 			//** load old data back into the PowerDNS database
-			if( !empty($conf["mysql"]["admin_password"]) ) {
-				system("mysql --default-character-set=".escapeshellarg($conf['mysql']['charset'])." --force -h ".escapeshellarg($conf['mysql']['host'])." -u ".escapeshellarg($conf['mysql']['admin_user'])." -p".escapeshellarg($conf['mysql']['admin_password'])." ".escapeshellarg($conf['powerdns']['database'])." < existing_powerdns_db.sql");
-			} else {
-				system("mysql --default-character-set=".escapeshellarg($conf['mysql']['charset'])." --force -h ".escapeshellarg($conf['mysql']['host'])." -u ".escapeshellarg($conf['mysql']['admin_user'])." ".escapeshellarg($conf['powerdns']['database'])." < existing_powerdns_db.sql");
-			}
+			$inst->load_sql_via_cli($conf['powerdns']['database'], 'existing_powerdns_db.sql', __FILE__, __LINE__, 'read in existing_powerdns_db.sql', 'could not read in existing_powerdns_db.sql');
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/install/update.php b/install/update.php
index 55b711da739eeb96e9b25641816a79a5f2205848..899b9a5a3cef74c6f4cb46c370fc0e8c6eac3ac7 100644
--- a/install/update.php
+++ b/install/update.php
@@ -320,15 +320,23 @@ checkDbHealth();
 /*
  * Check command line mysql login
  */
-if( !empty($conf["mysql"]["admin_password"]) ) {
-	$cmd = "mysql --default-character-set=".escapeshellarg($conf['mysql']['charset'])." --force -h ".escapeshellarg($conf['mysql']['host'])." -u ".escapeshellarg($conf['mysql']['admin_user'])." -p".escapeshellarg($conf['mysql']['admin_password'])." -P ".escapeshellarg($conf['mysql']['port'])." -D ".escapeshellarg($conf['mysql']['database'])." -e ". escapeshellarg('SHOW DATABASES');
-} else {
-	$cmd = "mysql --default-character-set=".escapeshellarg($conf['mysql']['charset'])." --force -h ".escapeshellarg($conf['mysql']['host'])." -u ".escapeshellarg($conf['mysql']['admin_user'])." -P ".escapeshellarg($conf['mysql']['port'])." -D ".escapeshellarg($conf['mysql']['database'])." -e ". escapeshellarg('SHOW DATABASES');
+$command = "mysql --default-character-set=".escapeshellarg($conf['mysql']['charset'])
+  ." --host=".escapeshellarg($conf['mysql']['host'])
+  ." --user=".escapeshellarg($conf['mysql']['admin_user']);
+
+// Localhost defaults to use a socket
+if ($conf['mysql']['host'] != 'localhost' || $conf['mysql']['port'] != '3306') {
+  $command .= " --port=".escapeshellarg($conf['mysql']['port']);
+}
+if (!empty($conf['mysql']['admin_password'])) {
+  $command .= " --password=".escapeshellarg($conf['mysql']['admin_password']);
 }
-$retval = 0;
-$retout = array();
-exec($cmd, $retout, $retval);
-if($retval != 0) {
+
+$command .= " --database=".escapeshellarg($conf['mysql']['database']);
+$command .= " --execute='SHOW DATABASES'";
+
+$retval = caselog($command . " &> /dev/null", __FILE__, __LINE__, 'Tested sql cli connection', 'sql cli connection failed');
+if($retval == false) {
 	die("Unable to call mysql command line with credentials from mysql_clientdb.conf\n");
 }