diff --git a/phpgwapi/inc/class.sessions.inc.php b/phpgwapi/inc/class.sessions.inc.php
index eb8f454601..0226e47e86 100644
--- a/phpgwapi/inc/class.sessions.inc.php
+++ b/phpgwapi/inc/class.sessions.inc.php
@@ -1322,6 +1322,10 @@
 
 	if(empty($GLOBALS['phpgw_info']['server']['sessions_type']))
 	{
-		$GLOBALS['phpgw_info']['server']['sessions_type'] = 'db';
+		$GLOBALS['phpgw_info']['server']['sessions_type'] = 'php4';	// the more performant default
+	}
+	if ($GLOBALS['phpgw_info']['server']['sessions_type'] == 'php4' && !extension_loaded('session') && !@dl('session'))
+	{
+		$GLOBALS['phpgw_info']['server']['sessions_type'] = 'db';	// fallback if we have no php4 sessions support
 	}
 	include_once(PHPGW_API_INC.'/class.sessions_'.$GLOBALS['phpgw_info']['server']['sessions_type'].'.inc.php');