diff --git a/.tests/tests/MigrateTest.php b/.tests/tests/MigrateTest.php
index 9873d56..ebf38dd 100644
--- a/.tests/tests/MigrateTest.php
+++ b/.tests/tests/MigrateTest.php
@@ -129,9 +129,14 @@ class MigrateTest extends UloggerDatabaseTestCase {
         foreach ($queries[0] as $query) {
           uDb::getInstance()->exec($query);
         }
-        uDb::getInstance()->commit();
+        // make sure the transaction wasn't autocommitted
+        if (uDb::getInstance()->inTransaction()) {
+          uDb::getInstance()->commit();
+        }
       } catch (PDOException $e) {
-        uDb::getInstance()->rollBack();
+        if (uDb::getInstance()->inTransaction()) {
+          uDb::getInstance()->rollBack();
+        }
         throw $e;
       }
     }
diff --git a/scripts/migrate_to_1_x.php b/scripts/migrate_to_1_x.php
index 9f722cc..c888419 100644
--- a/scripts/migrate_to_1_x.php
+++ b/scripts/migrate_to_1_x.php
@@ -89,11 +89,16 @@ function updateSchemas() {
     foreach ($queries as $query) {
       uDb::getInstance()->exec($query);
     }
-    uDb::getInstance()->commit();
+    // make sure the transaction wasn't autocommitted
+    if (uDb::getInstance()->inTransaction()) {
+      uDb::getInstance()->commit();
+    }
   } catch (PDOException $e) {
     echo "Database query failed: {$e->getMessage()}" . PHP_EOL;
-    echo "Reverting changes..." . PHP_EOL;
-    uDb::getInstance()->rollBack();
+    if (uDb::getInstance()->inTransaction()) {
+      echo "Reverting changes..." . PHP_EOL;
+      uDb::getInstance()->rollBack();
+    }
     return false;
   }
   echo PHP_EOL;
diff --git a/scripts/setup.php b/scripts/setup.php
index ff39582..224e11c 100644
--- a/scripts/setup.php
+++ b/scripts/setup.php
@@ -96,9 +96,14 @@ switch ($command) {
       foreach ($queries as $query) {
         $pdo->exec($query);
       }
-      $pdo->commit();
+      // MySQL autocommits queries that change schema
+      if ($pdo->inTransaction()) {
+        $pdo->commit();
+      }
     } catch (PDOException $e) {
-      $pdo->rollBack();
+      if ($pdo->inTransaction()) {
+        $pdo->rollBack();
+      }
       $messages[] = "<span class=\"warn\">{$langSetup["dbqueryfailed"]}</span>";
       $messages[] = sprintf($langSetup["serversaid"], "<b>" . htmlentities($e->getMessage()) . "</b>");
       $error = true;