diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 2e23922..0a52e15 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ There are three types of configuration parameters:
 
 ### 1. Database
 
-that *User Backend SQL Raw* will connect to. (Starting with version 2.0.0) there are four parameters: `dsn`, `db_user`, `db_password` and `db_password_file`. The DSN (Data Source Name) encompasses almost all db connection parameters and gives you the freedom to customize your connection however you want without user_backend_sql_raw needing to provide configuration parameters for each of them. As [to be expected](https://github.com/PanCakeConnaisseur/user_backend_sql_raw/issues/46#issuecomment-2081741993), MySQL needs special treatment, and the db password and user must be provided separately in `db_user` and `db_password`.
+that *User Backend SQL Raw* will connect to. There are four parameters: `dsn`, `db_user`, `db_password` and `db_password_file`. The DSN (Data Source Name) encompasses almost all db connection parameters and gives you the freedom to customize your connection however you want without user_backend_sql_raw needing to provide configuration parameters for each of them. As [to be expected](https://github.com/PanCakeConnaisseur/user_backend_sql_raw/issues/46#issuecomment-2081741993), MySQL needs special treatment, and the db password and user must be provided separately in `db_user` and `db_password`.
 
 * `dsn`: check how to construct DSNs for [PostgreSQL](https://github.com/PanCakeConnaisseur/user_backend_sql_raw/issues/46#issuecomment-2081741993) and [MySQL](https://www.php.net/manual/en/ref.pdo-mysql.connection.php) Examples:
   * connect to PostgreSQL via a socket with ident authentication which requires no user or password: `pgsql:host=/var/run/postgresql;dbname=theNameOfYourUserDb`
diff --git a/lib/Config.php b/lib/Config.php
index 8e6166d..abfdf12 100644
--- a/lib/Config.php
+++ b/lib/Config.php
@@ -100,11 +100,6 @@ public function getDsn()
      */
     public function getDbUser()
     {
-        if (!$this->getDbPassword()) {
-            throw new \UnexpectedValueException("You specified a `db_user` but neither provided a "
-            ."`db_password` nor `db_password_file`. When using `db_user` the password can not be "
-            ."read from the DSN and must be specified using either of the two mentioned keys.");
-        }
         return $this->getConfigValueOrFalse(self::CONFIG_KEY_DB_USER);
     }
 
diff --git a/lib/Db.php b/lib/Db.php
index af88e5e..8f452b5 100644
--- a/lib/Db.php
+++ b/lib/Db.php
@@ -74,9 +74,23 @@ public function getDbHandle()
      */
     protected function createDbHandle()
     {
-        $this->logger->debug("dsn: {$this->config->getDsn()} dbuser: {$this->config->getDbUser()} dbpassword: {$this->config->getDbPassword()}"); //TODO: remove
-        return new PDO($this->config->getDsn(),
-            $this->config->getDbUser(),
-            $this->config->getDbPassword());
+        $this->logger->debug("dsn: {$this->config->getDsn()} db_user: {$this->config->getDbUser()} db_password: {$this->config->getDbPassword()}"); //TODO: remove
+
+        if (empty($this->config->getDbUser()) !== empty($this->config->getDbPassword())) {
+            throw new \UnexpectedValueException("You set only one of `db_user` and `db_password`"
+                . " but not the other. You must either set both or none. If none are provided, "
+                . "then both values are used from the DSN.");
+        } elseif ($this->config->getDbUser() and $this->config->getDbPassword()) {
+            // for e.g. MySQL
+            return new PDO($this->config->getDsn(),
+                $this->config->getDbUser(),
+                $this->config->getDbPassword());
+            return new PDO($this->config->getDsn());
+        } elseif (!$this->config->getDbUser() and !$this->config->getDbPassword()) {
+            // for e.g. PostgreSQL
+            return new PDO($this->config->getDsn());
+        }
+        throw new \LogicException("This should never happen. If you see this error, please report"
+        ." it as a bug.");
     }
 }