diff --git a/.github/workflows/runtests.py b/.github/workflows/runtests.py
index 62610b28..41d12812 100755
--- a/.github/workflows/runtests.py
+++ b/.github/workflows/runtests.py
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
     "apps",
     "async",
     "auth_tests",
+    "backend_",
     "backends",
     "basic",
     "bulk_create",
diff --git a/django_mongodb/base.py b/django_mongodb/base.py
index a3f4379d..4a48d873 100644
--- a/django_mongodb/base.py
+++ b/django_mongodb/base.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import contextlib
 
+from django.core.exceptions import ImproperlyConfigured
 from django.db.backends.base.base import BaseDatabaseWrapper
 from pymongo.collection import Collection
 from pymongo.mongo_client import MongoClient
@@ -151,13 +152,13 @@ def __getattr__(self, attr):
         raise AttributeError(attr)
 
     def init_connection_state(self):
-        db_name = self.settings_dict["NAME"]
-        if db_name:
-            self.database = self.connection[db_name]
+        self.database = self.connection[self.settings_dict["NAME"]]
         super().init_connection_state()
 
     def get_connection_params(self):
         settings_dict = self.settings_dict
+        if not settings_dict["NAME"]:
+            raise ImproperlyConfigured('settings.DATABASES is missing the "NAME" value.')
         return {
             "host": settings_dict["HOST"] or None,
             "port": int(settings_dict["PORT"] or 27017),
diff --git a/tests/backend_/__init__.py b/tests/backend_/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e69de29b
diff --git a/tests/backend_/test_base.py b/tests/backend_/test_base.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..9b084926
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/backend_/test_base.py
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+from django.core.exceptions import ImproperlyConfigured
+from django.db import connection
+from django.test import SimpleTestCase
+
+from django_mongodb.base import DatabaseWrapper
+
+
+class DatabaseWrapperTests(SimpleTestCase):
+    def test_database_name_empty(self):
+        settings = connection.settings_dict.copy()
+        settings["NAME"] = ""
+        msg = 'settings.DATABASES is missing the "NAME" value.'
+        with self.assertRaisesMessage(ImproperlyConfigured, msg):
+            DatabaseWrapper(settings).get_connection_params()