diff --git a/src/objects/manager.py b/src/objects/manager.py
index 41866a3d6b..729511aced 100644
--- a/src/objects/manager.py
+++ b/src/objects/manager.py
@@ -174,7 +174,8 @@ class ObjectManager(TypedObjectManager):
         if isinstance(property_value, basestring):
             property_value = to_unicode(property_value)
         if isinstance(property_name, basestring):
-            property_name = "db_%s" % property_name.lstrip('db_')
+            if not property_name.startswith('db_'):
+                property_name = "db_%s" % property_name
         querykwargs = {property_name:property_value}
         cand_restriction = candidates and Q(pk__in=[_GA(obj, "id") for obj in make_iter(candidates) if obj]) or Q()
         type_restriction = typeclasses and Q(db_typeclass_path__in=make_iter(typeclasses)) or Q()