diff --git a/modules/Bio/EnsEMBL/Registry.pm b/modules/Bio/EnsEMBL/Registry.pm
index c622366b423c8507d71d77e61830f339e5c1d2de..1c0be9747c4a1a40d95d3c11c486435406d18527 100644
--- a/modules/Bio/EnsEMBL/Registry.pm
+++ b/modules/Bio/EnsEMBL/Registry.pm
@@ -728,7 +728,7 @@ sub set_disconnect_when_inactive{
 =cut
 
 sub disconnect_all {
-  foreach my $dba ( get_all_DBAdaptors() ){
+  foreach my $dba ( @{get_all_DBAdaptors()||[]} ){
     my $dbc = $dba->dbc;
     #disconnect if connected
     $dbc->disconnect_if_idle() if $dbc->connected();