diff --git a/compute_tools/src/compute.rs b/compute_tools/src/compute.rs
index a82b999cfb09..da271e49cd2c 100644
--- a/compute_tools/src/compute.rs
+++ b/compute_tools/src/compute.rs
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ use chrono::{DateTime, Utc};
 use futures::future::join_all;
 use futures::stream::FuturesUnordered;
 use futures::StreamExt;
+use postgres::error::SqlState;
 use postgres::{Client, NoTls};
 use tracing::{debug, error, info, instrument, warn};
 use utils::id::{TenantId, TimelineId};
@@ -774,27 +775,34 @@ impl ComputeNode {
         // but we can create a new one and grant it all privileges.
         let connstr = self.connstr.clone();
         let mut client = match Client::connect(connstr.as_str(), NoTls) {
-            Err(e) => {
-                info!(
-                    "cannot connect to postgres: {}, retrying with `zenith_admin` username",
-                    e
-                );
-                let mut zenith_admin_connstr = connstr.clone();
-
-                zenith_admin_connstr
-                    .set_username("zenith_admin")
-                    .map_err(|_| anyhow::anyhow!("invalid connstr"))?;
-
-                let mut client = Client::connect(zenith_admin_connstr.as_str(), NoTls)?;
-                // Disable forwarding so that users don't get a cloud_admin role
-                client.simple_query("SET neon.forward_ddl = false")?;
-                client.simple_query("CREATE USER cloud_admin WITH SUPERUSER")?;
-                client.simple_query("GRANT zenith_admin TO cloud_admin")?;
-                drop(client);
-
-                // reconnect with connstring with expected name
-                Client::connect(connstr.as_str(), NoTls)?
-            }
+            Err(e) => match e.code() {
+                Some(&SqlState::INVALID_PASSWORD)
+                | Some(&SqlState::INVALID_AUTHORIZATION_SPECIFICATION) => {
+                    // connect with zenith_admin if cloud_admin could not authenticate
+                    info!(
+                        "cannot connect to postgres: {}, retrying with `zenith_admin` username",
+                        e
+                    );
+                    let mut zenith_admin_connstr = connstr.clone();
+
+                    zenith_admin_connstr
+                        .set_username("zenith_admin")
+                        .map_err(|_| anyhow::anyhow!("invalid connstr"))?;
+
+                    let mut client =
+                        Client::connect(zenith_admin_connstr.as_str(), NoTls)
+                            .context("broken cloud_admin credential: tried connecting with cloud_admin but could not authenticate, and zenith_admin does not work either")?;
+                    // Disable forwarding so that users don't get a cloud_admin role
+                    client.simple_query("SET neon.forward_ddl = false")?;
+                    client.simple_query("CREATE USER cloud_admin WITH SUPERUSER")?;
+                    client.simple_query("GRANT zenith_admin TO cloud_admin")?;
+                    drop(client);
+
+                    // reconnect with connstring with expected name
+                    Client::connect(connstr.as_str(), NoTls)?
+                }
+                _ => return Err(e.into()),
+            },
             Ok(client) => client,
         };