diff --git a/config/application.rb b/config/application.rb
index f76a58f203..d2876c06fb 100644
--- a/config/application.rb
+++ b/config/application.rb
@@ -79,7 +79,8 @@ module Openfoodnetwork
     initializer 'ofn.spree_locale_settings', before: 'spree.promo.environment' do |app|
       Spree::Config['checkout_zone'] = ENV['CHECKOUT_ZONE']
       Spree::Config['currency'] = ENV['CURRENCY']
-      if Spree::Country.table_exists?
+
+      if ActiveRecord::Base.connected? && Spree::Country.table_exists?
         country = Spree::Country.find_by(iso: ENV['DEFAULT_COUNTRY_CODE'])
         Spree::Config['default_country_id'] = country.id if country.present?
       else
diff --git a/lib/spree/localized_number.rb b/lib/spree/localized_number.rb
index f14d4ed176..f6089b2930 100644
--- a/lib/spree/localized_number.rb
+++ b/lib/spree/localized_number.rb
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@ module Spree
     # It also adds a validation on the input format.
     # It accepts as arguments a variable number of attribute as symbols
     def localize_number(*attributes)
+      return unless connected?
+
       validate :validate_localizable_number
 
       attributes.each do |attribute|