Index: wp-includes/ms-load.php
===================================================================
--- wp-includes/ms-load.php	(revision 31521)
+++ wp-includes/ms-load.php	(working copy)
@@ -400,7 +400,7 @@
 	$title = __( 'Error establishing a database connection' );
 	$msg  = '<h1>' . $title . '</h1>';
 	if ( ! is_admin() ) {
-		die( $msg );
+		dead_db();
 	}
 	$msg .= '<p>' . __( 'If your site does not display, please contact the owner of this network.' ) . '';
 	$msg .= ' ' . __( 'If you are the owner of this network please check that MySQL is running properly and all tables are error free.' ) . '</p>';
@@ -420,7 +420,8 @@
 	}
 	$msg .= '</ul>';
 
-	wp_die( $msg, $title );
+	$wpdb->error = $msg;
+	dead_db();
 }
 
 /**