#
#
# patch "work.cc"
#  from [aa9b143c8200a66da1372f863cf5f172a4e12a15]
#    to [49ef124c843675a8a4b13ffcbd0441887414af3f]
#
============================================================
--- work.cc	aa9b143c8200a66da1372f863cf5f172a4e12a15
+++ work.cc	49ef124c843675a8a4b13ffcbd0441887414af3f
@@ -485,14 +485,17 @@ read_options_file(any_path const & optsp
 
       if (opt == "database")
         {
-          if (val.find(':') == 0 && val != memory_db_identifier)
+          E(val != memory_db_identifier, origin::user,
+            F("a memory database '%s' cannot be used in a workspace")
+                % memory_db_identifier);
+
+          if (val.find(':') == 0)
             {
               opts.dbname_alias = val;
               opts.dbname_given = true;
               opts.dbname_type = managed_db;
             }
           else
-          if (val != memory_db_identifier)
             {
               opts.dbname = system_path(val, origin::workspace);
               opts.dbname_given = true;
@@ -528,6 +531,10 @@ write_options_file(bookkeeping_path cons
 {
   basic_io::stanza st;
 
+  E(opts.dbname_type != memory_db, origin::user,
+    F("a memory database '%s' cannot be used in a workspace")
+      % memory_db_identifier);
+
   // if we have both, alias and full path, prefer the alias
   if (opts.dbname_type == managed_db && !opts.dbname_alias.empty())
     st.push_str_pair(symbol("database"), opts.dbname_alias);