diff --git a/bin/cqlsh b/bin/cqlsh
index bb0ffdfc79..d2a503d335 100755
--- a/bin/cqlsh
+++ b/bin/cqlsh
@@ -504,15 +504,9 @@ class Shell(cmd.Cmd):
             self.conn = use_conn
         else:
             transport = transport_factory(hostname, port, os.environ, CONFIG_FILE)
-            self.conn = cql.connect(hostname, port, user=username, password=password,
-                                    cql_version=cqlver, transport=transport)
+            self.conn = cql.connect(hostname, port, keyspace=keyspace, user=username, 
+                                    password=password, cql_version=cqlver, transport=transport)
         self.set_expanded_cql_version(cqlver)
-        # we could set the keyspace through cql.connect(), but as of 1.0.10,
-        # it doesn't quote the keyspace for USE :(
-        if keyspace is not None:
-            tempcurs = self.conn.cursor()
-            tempcurs.execute('USE %s;' % self.cql_protect_name(keyspace))
-            tempcurs.close()
         self.cursor = self.conn.cursor()
         self.get_connection_versions()
 
@@ -1056,6 +1050,16 @@ class Shell(cmd.Cmd):
             except CQL_ERRORS, err:
                 self.printerr(str(err))
                 return False
+            except KeyboardInterrupt:
+                self.cursor.close()
+                self.conn.terminate_connection()
+                transport = self.transport_factory(self.hostname, self.port,
+                                                   os.environ, CONFIG_FILE)
+                self.conn = cql.connect(self.hostname, self.port, keyspace=self.keyspace,
+                                        user=self.username, password=self.password,
+                                        cql_version=self.cql_version, transport=transport)
+                self.cursor = self.conn.cursor()
+                return False                
             except Exception, err:
                 import traceback
                 self.printerr(traceback.format_exc())