diff --git a/SAS/TMSS/backend/services/report_refresh/lib/report_refresh.py b/SAS/TMSS/backend/services/report_refresh/lib/report_refresh.py
index 6d84885694c95ae8ba693a9d3db05258c8e6e7a8..12aafe538761cadd3e09a8d94384f8969c974055 100644
--- a/SAS/TMSS/backend/services/report_refresh/lib/report_refresh.py
+++ b/SAS/TMSS/backend/services/report_refresh/lib/report_refresh.py
@@ -78,11 +78,19 @@ def main():
 
     group = OptionGroup(parser, 'Django options')
     parser.add_option_group(group)
-    group.add_option('-C', '--credentials', dest='dbcredentials', type='string', default=os.environ.get('TMSS_DBCREDENTIALS', 'TMSSClient'), help='django rest api dbcredentials name, default: %default')
+    group.add_option('-R', '--tmss_client_credentials_id', dest='tmss_client_credentials_id', type='string', default='TMSSClient', help='TMSS django REST API credentials name, default: %default')
+    group.add_option('-C', '--credentials', dest='dbcredentials', type='string', default=os.environ.get('TMSS_DBCREDENTIALS', 'TMSS'), help='django dbcredentials name, default: %default')
 
     (options, args) = parser.parse_args()
 
-    with create_service(options.exchange, options.broker, options.dbcredentials):
+    # check TMSS is up and running via the client
+    TMSSsession.check_connection_and_exit_on_error(options.tmss_client_credentials_id)
+
+    # setup/check the django ORM as well
+    from lofar.sas.tmss.tmss import setup_and_check_tmss_django_database_connection_and_exit_on_error
+    setup_and_check_tmss_django_database_connection_and_exit_on_error(options.dbcredentials)
+
+    with create_service(options.exchange, options.broker, options.tmss_client_credentials_id):
         waitForInterrupt()
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':