diff --git a/rattail_demo/web/app.py b/rattail_demo/web/app.py
index 26858dc..bfcb7a7 100644
--- a/rattail_demo/web/app.py
+++ b/rattail_demo/web/app.py
@@ -14,13 +14,13 @@ def main(global_config, **settings):
     """
     This function returns a Pyramid WSGI application.
     """
-    # set some defaults for postgres
-    app.provide_postgresql_settings(settings)
-
     # prefer demo templates over tailbone
     settings.setdefault('mako.directories', ['rattail_demo.web:templates',
                                              'tailbone:templates',])
 
+    # for graceful handling of postgres restart
+    settings.setdefault('retry.attempts', 2)
+
     # make config objects
     rattail_config = app.make_rattail_config(settings)
     pyramid_config = app.make_pyramid_config(settings)
@@ -34,4 +34,8 @@ def main(global_config, **settings):
     pyramid_config.include('rattail_demo.web.subscribers')
     pyramid_config.include('rattail_demo.web.views')
 
+    # for graceful handling of postgres restart
+    pyramid_config.add_tween('tailbone.tweens.sqlerror_tween_factory',
+                             under='pyramid_tm.tm_tween_factory')
+
     return pyramid_config.make_wsgi_app()