diff --git a/django/db/backends/mysql/client.py b/django/db/backends/mysql/client.py
index 129f86a951..3743225957 100644
--- a/django/db/backends/mysql/client.py
+++ b/django/db/backends/mysql/client.py
@@ -1,12 +1,14 @@
-from django.db.backends import BaseDatabaseClient
 import os
+import sys
+
+from django.db.backends import BaseDatabaseClient
 
 class DatabaseClient(BaseDatabaseClient):
     executable_name = 'mysql'
 
     def runshell(self):
         settings_dict = self.connection.settings_dict
-        args = ['']
+        args = [self.executable_name]
         db = settings_dict['DATABASE_OPTIONS'].get('db', settings_dict['DATABASE_NAME'])
         user = settings_dict['DATABASE_OPTIONS'].get('user', settings_dict['DATABASE_USER'])
         passwd = settings_dict['DATABASE_OPTIONS'].get('passwd', settings_dict['DATABASE_PASSWORD'])
@@ -14,7 +16,7 @@ class DatabaseClient(BaseDatabaseClient):
         port = settings_dict['DATABASE_OPTIONS'].get('port', settings_dict['DATABASE_PORT'])
         defaults_file = settings_dict['DATABASE_OPTIONS'].get('read_default_file')
         # Seems to be no good way to set sql_mode with CLI.
-    
+
         if defaults_file:
             args += ["--defaults-file=%s" % defaults_file]
         if user:
@@ -28,4 +30,8 @@ class DatabaseClient(BaseDatabaseClient):
         if db:
             args += [db]
 
-        os.execvp(self.executable_name, args)
+        if os.name == 'nt':
+            sys.exit(os.system(" ".join(args)))
+        else:
+            os.execvp(self.executable_name, args)
+
diff --git a/django/db/backends/oracle/client.py b/django/db/backends/oracle/client.py
index 84193eaedc..ccc64ebffc 100644
--- a/django/db/backends/oracle/client.py
+++ b/django/db/backends/oracle/client.py
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
-from django.db.backends import BaseDatabaseClient
 import os
+import sys
+
+from django.db.backends import BaseDatabaseClient
 
 class DatabaseClient(BaseDatabaseClient):
     executable_name = 'sqlplus'
@@ -7,4 +9,8 @@ class DatabaseClient(BaseDatabaseClient):
     def runshell(self):
         conn_string = self.connection._connect_string()
         args = [self.executable_name, "-L", conn_string]
-        os.execvp(self.executable_name, args)
+        if os.name == 'nt':
+            sys.exit(os.system(" ".join(args)))
+        else:
+            os.execvp(self.executable_name, args)
+
diff --git a/django/db/backends/postgresql/client.py b/django/db/backends/postgresql/client.py
index 695017130f..13273b9fb5 100644
--- a/django/db/backends/postgresql/client.py
+++ b/django/db/backends/postgresql/client.py
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
-from django.db.backends import BaseDatabaseClient
 import os
+import sys
+
+from django.db.backends import BaseDatabaseClient
 
 class DatabaseClient(BaseDatabaseClient):
     executable_name = 'psql'
@@ -14,4 +16,8 @@ class DatabaseClient(BaseDatabaseClient):
         if settings_dict['DATABASE_PORT']:
             args.extend(["-p", str(settings_dict['DATABASE_PORT'])])
         args += [settings_dict['DATABASE_NAME']]
-        os.execvp(self.executable_name, args)
+        if os.name == 'nt':
+            sys.exit(os.system(" ".join(args)))
+        else:
+            os.execvp(self.executable_name, args)
+
diff --git a/django/db/backends/sqlite3/client.py b/django/db/backends/sqlite3/client.py
index 0b65444d74..8836b09899 100644
--- a/django/db/backends/sqlite3/client.py
+++ b/django/db/backends/sqlite3/client.py
@@ -1,9 +1,16 @@
-from django.db.backends import BaseDatabaseClient
 import os
+import sys
+
+from django.db.backends import BaseDatabaseClient
 
 class DatabaseClient(BaseDatabaseClient):
     executable_name = 'sqlite3'
 
     def runshell(self):
-        args = ['', self.connection.settings_dict['DATABASE_NAME']]
-        os.execvp(self.executable_name, args)
+        args = [self.executable_name,
+                self.connection.settings_dict['DATABASE_NAME']]
+        if os.name == 'nt':
+            sys.exit(os.system(" ".join(args)))
+        else:
+            os.execvp(self.executable_name, args)
+