diff --git a/src/layman/layer/db/table.py b/src/layman/layer/db/table.py
index 40baeb05d..ae3814bee 100644
--- a/src/layman/layer/db/table.py
+++ b/src/layman/layer/db/table.py
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import logging
 from psycopg2 import sql
 
 from db import util as db_util
@@ -7,6 +8,7 @@
 from . import get_internal_table_name
 from .. import LAYER_TYPE, util as layer_util
 
+logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 PATCH_MODE = patch_mode.DELETE_IF_DEPENDANT
 
 
@@ -26,6 +28,18 @@ def get_layer_info(workspace, layername,):
             db_uri_str = None
         else:
             db_uri_str = table_uri.db_uri_str
+            try:
+                db_util.get_connection_pool(db_uri_str=db_uri_str,)
+            except BaseException:
+                result['db'] = {
+                    'schema': table_uri.schema,
+                    'table': table_uri.table,
+                    'geo_column': table_uri.geo_column,
+                    'external_uri': layer_util.redact_uri(table_uri.db_uri_str),
+                    'status': 'NOT_AVAILABLE',
+                    'error': 'Cannot connect to DB.',
+                }
+                return result
         try:
             rows = db_util.run_query(f"""
     SELECT schemaname, tablename, tableowner
diff --git a/tests/dynamic_data/publications/layer_wfst/new_attribute_test.py b/tests/dynamic_data/publications/layer_wfst/new_attribute_test.py
index 043e4ed58..d8172cf22 100644
--- a/tests/dynamic_data/publications/layer_wfst/new_attribute_test.py
+++ b/tests/dynamic_data/publications/layer_wfst/new_attribute_test.py
@@ -255,7 +255,7 @@ def test_new_attribute(self, layer: Publication, rest_args, params, parametrizat
                                                  context={'keys': ['table_uri']})['_table_uri']
             table_uris[layer_name] = table_uri
             old_db_attributes[layer_name] = db.get_all_table_column_names(table_uri.schema, table_uri.table,
-                                                                          uri_str=table_uri, )
+                                                                          uri_str=table_uri.db_uri_str, )
             for attr_name in attr_names:
                 assert attr_name not in old_db_attributes[layer_name], \
                     f"old_db_attributes={old_db_attributes[layer_name]}, attr_name={attr_name}"
@@ -284,7 +284,7 @@ def test_new_attribute(self, layer: Publication, rest_args, params, parametrizat
         for layer_name, attr_names in new_attributes:
             # assert that exactly all attr_names were created in DB table
             table_uri = table_uris[layer_name]
-            db_attributes = db.get_all_table_column_names(table_uri.schema, table_uri.table, uri_str=table_uri)
+            db_attributes = db.get_all_table_column_names(table_uri.schema, table_uri.table, uri_str=table_uri.db_uri_str)
             for attr_name in attr_names:
                 assert attr_name in db_attributes, f"db_attributes={db_attributes}, attr_name={attr_name}"
             assert set(attr_names).union(set(old_db_attributes[layer_name])) == set(db_attributes)