diff --git a/src/lua-apk.c b/src/lua-apk.c
index eae78698d8bdbebcfc24789804ac52b45657f649..31987a67f34d5fe764269cc99d4880feae8ea11f 100644
--- a/src/lua-apk.c
+++ b/src/lua-apk.c
@@ -148,8 +148,11 @@ static int Papk_db_open(lua_State *L)
 
 	memset(&opts, 0, sizeof(opts));
 	list_init(&opts.repository_list);
+	apk_atom_init();
 	if (lua_istable(L, 1))
 		get_dbopts(L, 1, &opts);
+	else
+		opts.open_flags |= APK_OPENF_READ;
 
 	db = lua_newuserdata(L, sizeof(struct apk_database));
 	luaL_getmetatable(L, APKDB_META);