diff --git a/django/test/simple.py b/django/test/simple.py
index 3c94ebc64e..1b26ebbe74 100644
--- a/django/test/simple.py
+++ b/django/test/simple.py
@@ -273,9 +273,9 @@ class DjangoTestSuiteRunner(object):
                 # the alias.
                 mirrored_aliases[alias] = connection.settings_dict['TEST_MIRROR']
             else:
-                # Store the (engine, name) pair. If we have two aliases
-                # with the same pair, we only need to create the test database
-                # once.
+                # Store a tuple with DB parameters that uniquely identify it.
+                # If we have two aliases with the same values for that tuple,
+                # we only need to create the test database once.
                 test_databases.setdefault((
                         connection.settings_dict['HOST'],
                         connection.settings_dict['PORT'],
@@ -286,8 +286,8 @@ class DjangoTestSuiteRunner(object):
                 if 'TEST_DEPENDENCIES' in connection.settings_dict:
                     dependencies[alias] = connection.settings_dict['TEST_DEPENDENCIES']
                 else:
-                    if alias != 'default':
-                        dependencies[alias] = connection.settings_dict.get('TEST_DEPENDENCIES', ['default'])
+                    if alias != DEFAULT_DB_ALIAS:
+                        dependencies[alias] = connection.settings_dict.get('TEST_DEPENDENCIES', [DEFAULT_DB_ALIAS])
 
         # Second pass -- actually create the databases.
         old_names = []
diff --git a/docs/topics/testing.txt b/docs/topics/testing.txt
index d1fda1d6a6..17a5db5481 100644
--- a/docs/topics/testing.txt
+++ b/docs/topics/testing.txt
@@ -493,7 +493,7 @@ can specify the dependencies that exist using the
     }
 
 Under this configuration, the ``diamonds`` database will be created first,
-as it is the only database alias without dependencies. The ``default``` and
+as it is the only database alias without dependencies. The ``default`` and
 ``clubs`` alias will be created next (although the order of creation of this
 pair is not guaranteed); then ``hearts``; and finally ``spades``.