diff --git a/src/calibre/db/tests/base.py b/src/calibre/db/tests/base.py
index b626551576..997745f97d 100644
--- a/src/calibre/db/tests/base.py
+++ b/src/calibre/db/tests/base.py
@@ -17,9 +17,12 @@ class BaseTest(unittest.TestCase):
         if LibraryDatabase2.exists_at(library_path):
             raise ValueError('A library already exists at %r'%library_path)
         src = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), 'metadata.db')
-        db = os.path.join(library_path, 'metadata.db')
-        shutil.copyfile(src, db)
-        return db
+        dest = os.path.join(library_path, 'metadata.db')
+        shutil.copyfile(src, dest)
+        db = LibraryDatabase2(library_path)
+        db.set_cover(1, I('lt.png', data=True))
+        db.set_cover(2, I('polish.png', data=True))
+        return dest
 
     def init_cache(self, library_path):
         from calibre.db.backend import DB
@@ -35,8 +38,9 @@ class BaseTest(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(allfk1, allfk2)
 
         all_keys = {'format_metadata', 'id', 'application_id',
-                'author_sort_map', 'author_link_map', 'book_size',
-                'ondevice_col', 'last_modified'}.union(allfk1)
+                    'author_sort_map', 'author_link_map', 'book_size',
+                    'ondevice_col', 'last_modified', 'has_cover',
+                    'cover_data'}.union(allfk1)
         for attr in all_keys:
             if attr == 'user_metadata': continue
             if attr == 'format_metadata': continue # TODO: Not implemented yet
diff --git a/src/calibre/db/tests/reading.py b/src/calibre/db/tests/reading.py
index 8c22f6f50e..d9cca41dba 100644
--- a/src/calibre/db/tests/reading.py
+++ b/src/calibre/db/tests/reading.py
@@ -178,13 +178,15 @@ class ReadingTest(BaseTest):
             old.add_format(i, 'text%d'%i, StringIO(b'random%d'%i),
                     index_is_id=True)
 
-        old_metadata = {i:old.get_metadata(i, index_is_id=True) for i in
+        old_metadata = {i:old.get_metadata(
+            i, index_is_id=True, get_cover=True, cover_as_data=True) for i in
                 xrange(1, 4)}
         old = None
 
         cache = self.init_cache(self.library_path)
 
-        new_metadata = {i:cache.get_metadata(i) for i in xrange(1, 4)}
+        new_metadata = {i:cache.get_metadata(
+            i, get_cover=True, cover_as_data=True) for i in xrange(1, 4)}
         cache = None
         for mi2, mi1 in zip(new_metadata.values(), old_metadata.values()):
             self.compare_metadata(mi1, mi2)
diff --git a/src/calibre/library/database2.py b/src/calibre/library/database2.py
index d01c943fce..892d5dfbde 100644
--- a/src/calibre/library/database2.py
+++ b/src/calibre/library/database2.py
@@ -1134,6 +1134,8 @@ class LibraryDatabase2(LibraryDatabase, SchemaUpgrade, CustomColumns):
             base_path = os.path.join(self.library_path, self.path(id,
                 index_is_id=True))
             self.dirtied([id])
+            if not os.path.exists(base_path):
+                os.makedirs(base_path)
 
         path = os.path.join(base_path, 'cover.jpg')