diff --git a/django/db/backends/mysql/client.py b/django/db/backends/mysql/client.py
index 17daca9fd6..4b6de03e9f 100644
--- a/django/db/backends/mysql/client.py
+++ b/django/db/backends/mysql/client.py
@@ -1,12 +1,13 @@
 from django.db.backends import BaseDatabaseClient
 from django.conf import settings
 import os
+import sys
 
 class DatabaseClient(BaseDatabaseClient):
     executable_name = 'mysql'
 
     def runshell(self):
-        args = ['']
+        args = [self.executable_name]
         db = settings.DATABASE_OPTIONS.get('db', settings.DATABASE_NAME)
         user = settings.DATABASE_OPTIONS.get('user', settings.DATABASE_USER)
         passwd = settings.DATABASE_OPTIONS.get('passwd', settings.DATABASE_PASSWORD)
@@ -28,4 +29,7 @@ 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 c95b8109ba..dd6b765cc2 100644
--- a/django/db/backends/oracle/client.py
+++ b/django/db/backends/oracle/client.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 from django.db.backends import BaseDatabaseClient
 from django.conf import settings
 import os
+import sys
 
 class DatabaseClient(BaseDatabaseClient):
     executable_name = 'sqlplus'
@@ -9,4 +10,7 @@ class DatabaseClient(BaseDatabaseClient):
         from django.db import connection
         conn_string = connection._connect_string(settings)
         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 03898c45da..2a94a09a85 100644
--- a/django/db/backends/postgresql/client.py
+++ b/django/db/backends/postgresql/client.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 from django.db.backends import BaseDatabaseClient
 from django.conf import settings
 import os
+import sys
 
 class DatabaseClient(BaseDatabaseClient):
     executable_name = 'psql'
@@ -14,4 +15,7 @@ class DatabaseClient(BaseDatabaseClient):
         if settings.DATABASE_PORT:
             args.extend(["-p", str(settings.DATABASE_PORT)])
         args += [settings.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 239e72f1e9..5e28e389d0 100644
--- a/django/db/backends/sqlite3/client.py
+++ b/django/db/backends/sqlite3/client.py
@@ -1,10 +1,14 @@
 from django.db.backends import BaseDatabaseClient
 from django.conf import settings
 import os
+import sys
 
 class DatabaseClient(BaseDatabaseClient):
     executable_name = 'sqlite3'
 
     def runshell(self):
-        args = ['', settings.DATABASE_NAME]
-        os.execvp(self.executable_name, args)
+        args = [self.executable_name, settings.DATABASE_NAME]
+        if os.name == 'nt':
+            sys.exit(os.system(" ".join(args)))
+        else:
+            os.execvp(self.executable_name, args)