diff --git a/src/wuttjamaican/install.py b/src/wuttjamaican/install.py
index 5077644..395a4a9 100644
--- a/src/wuttjamaican/install.py
+++ b/src/wuttjamaican/install.py
@@ -298,6 +298,9 @@ class InstallHandler(GenericHandler):
         """
         envname = os.path.basename(sys.prefix)
         appdir = os.path.join(sys.prefix, "app")
+        dburl = dbinfo["dburl"]
+        if not isinstance(dburl, str):
+            dburl = dburl.render_as_string(hide_password=False)
         context = {
             "envdir": sys.prefix,
             "envname": envname,
@@ -305,7 +308,7 @@ class InstallHandler(GenericHandler):
             "app_title": self.app_title,
             "pypi_name": self.pypi_name,
             "appdir": appdir,
-            "db_url": dbinfo["dburl"],
+            "db_url": dburl,
             "egg_name": self.egg_name,
         }
         context.update(kwargs)
diff --git a/tests/test_install.py b/tests/test_install.py
index a58725f..603485c 100644
--- a/tests/test_install.py
+++ b/tests/test_install.py
@@ -170,6 +170,8 @@ class TestInstallHandler(ConfigTestCase):
 
     def test_make_template_context(self):
         handler = self.make_handler()
+
+        # can handle dburl as string
         dbinfo = {"dburl": "sqlite:///poser.sqlite"}
         context = handler.make_template_context(dbinfo)
         self.assertEqual(context["envdir"], sys.prefix)
@@ -180,6 +182,22 @@ class TestInstallHandler(ConfigTestCase):
         self.assertEqual(context["appdir"], os.path.join(sys.prefix, "app"))
         self.assertEqual(context["db_url"], "sqlite:///poser.sqlite")
 
+        try:
+            import sqlalchemy as sa
+        except ImportError:
+            pytest.skip("remainder of test is not relevant without sqlalchemy")
+
+        # but also can handle dburl as object
+        dbinfo = {"dburl": sa.create_engine("sqlite:///poser.sqlite").url}
+        context = handler.make_template_context(dbinfo)
+        self.assertEqual(context["envdir"], sys.prefix)
+        self.assertEqual(context["pkg_name"], "poser")
+        self.assertEqual(context["app_title"], "poser")
+        self.assertEqual(context["pypi_name"], "poser")
+        self.assertEqual(context["egg_name"], "poser")
+        self.assertEqual(context["appdir"], os.path.join(sys.prefix, "app"))
+        self.assertEqual(context["db_url"], "sqlite:///poser.sqlite")
+
     def test_make_appdir(self):
         handler = self.make_handler()
         handler.templates = TemplateLookup(