diff --git a/servers/slapd/back-bdb/init.c b/servers/slapd/back-bdb/init.c
index ff7957f237..bca81d8f50 100644
--- a/servers/slapd/back-bdb/init.c
+++ b/servers/slapd/back-bdb/init.c
@@ -87,6 +87,10 @@ bdb_db_init( BackendDB *be, ConfigReply *cr )
 	be->be_private = bdb;
 	be->be_cf_ocs = be->bd_info->bi_cf_ocs;
 
+#ifndef BDB_MULTIPLE_SUFFIXES
+	SLAP_DBFLAGS( be ) |= SLAP_DBFLAG_ONE_SUFFIX;
+#endif
+
 	rc = bdb_monitor_db_init( be );
 
 	return rc;
@@ -119,19 +123,6 @@ bdb_db_open( BackendDB *be, ConfigReply *cr )
 		LDAP_XSTRING(bdb_db_open) ": \"%s\"\n",
 		be->be_suffix[0].bv_val, 0, 0 );
 
-#ifndef BDB_MULTIPLE_SUFFIXES
-	if ( be->be_suffix[1].bv_val ) {
-		if (cr) {
-			snprintf(cr->msg, sizeof(cr->msg),
-				"database \"%s\": only one suffix allowed.",
-				be->be_suffix[0].bv_val);
-			Debug( LDAP_DEBUG_ANY,
-				LDAP_XSTRING(bdb_db_open) ": %s\n", cr->msg, 0, 0 );
-		}
-		return -1;
-	}
-#endif
-
 	/* Check existence of dbenv_home. Any error means trouble */
 	rc = stat( bdb->bi_dbenv_home, &stat1 );
 	if( rc != 0 ) {
diff --git a/servers/slapd/bconfig.c b/servers/slapd/bconfig.c
index d76ac9b1af..a0fa915259 100644
--- a/servers/slapd/bconfig.c
+++ b/servers/slapd/bconfig.c
@@ -2244,8 +2244,17 @@ config_suffix(ConfigArgs *c)
 	}
 #endif
 
+	if (SLAP_DB_ONE_SUFFIX( c->be ) && c->be->be_suffix ) {
+		snprintf( c->cr_msg, sizeof( c->cr_msg ), "<%s> Only one suffix is allowed on this %s backend",
+			c->argv[0], c->be->bd_info->bi_type );
+		Debug(LDAP_DEBUG_ANY, "%s: %s\n",
+			c->log, c->cr_msg, 0);
+		return(1);
+	}
+
 	pdn = c->value_dn;
 	ndn = c->value_ndn;
+
 	if (SLAP_DBHIDDEN( c->be ))
 		tbe = NULL;
 	else
diff --git a/servers/slapd/slap.h b/servers/slapd/slap.h
index eb387104e6..abafe18bdd 100644
--- a/servers/slapd/slap.h
+++ b/servers/slapd/slap.h
@@ -1764,6 +1764,7 @@ struct BackendDB {
 #define SLAP_DBFLAG_NOLASTMOD		0x0001U
 #define SLAP_DBFLAG_NO_SCHEMA_CHECK	0x0002U
 #define	SLAP_DBFLAG_HIDDEN		0x0004U
+#define	SLAP_DBFLAG_ONE_SUFFIX		0x0008U
 #define	SLAP_DBFLAG_GLUE_INSTANCE	0x0010U	/* a glue backend */
 #define	SLAP_DBFLAG_GLUE_SUBORDINATE	0x0020U	/* child of a glue hierarchy */
 #define	SLAP_DBFLAG_GLUE_LINKED		0x0040U	/* child is connected to parent */
@@ -1781,6 +1782,7 @@ struct BackendDB {
 #define SLAP_NOLASTMOD(be)			(SLAP_DBFLAGS(be) & SLAP_DBFLAG_NOLASTMOD)
 #define SLAP_LASTMOD(be)			(!SLAP_NOLASTMOD(be))
 #define SLAP_DBHIDDEN(be)			(SLAP_DBFLAGS(be) & SLAP_DBFLAG_HIDDEN)
+#define SLAP_DB_ONE_SUFFIX(be)		(SLAP_DBFLAGS(be) & SLAP_DBFLAG_ONE_SUFFIX)
 #define SLAP_ISOVERLAY(be)			(SLAP_DBFLAGS(be) & SLAP_DBFLAG_OVERLAY)
 #define SLAP_ISGLOBALOVERLAY(be)		(SLAP_DBFLAGS(be) & SLAP_DBFLAG_GLOBAL_OVERLAY)
 #define SLAP_DBMONITORING(be)			(SLAP_DBFLAGS(be) & SLAP_DBFLAG_MONITORING)