diff --git a/jstests/core/pseudocommand_db.js b/jstests/core/pseudocommand_db.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..e28fa75a64d42
--- /dev/null
+++ b/jstests/core/pseudocommand_db.js
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+(function() {
+    "use strict";
+    var testDB = db.getSiblingDB("blah");
+    // test that we can run the 'inprog' pseudocommand on any database.
+    assert.commandWorked(testDB.$cmd.sys.inprog.findOne());
+
+})();
diff --git a/src/mongo/s/strategy.cpp b/src/mongo/s/strategy.cpp
index c3475ad36f7f5..49ae3f8637372 100644
--- a/src/mongo/s/strategy.cpp
+++ b/src/mongo/s/strategy.cpp
@@ -404,13 +404,13 @@ bool Strategy::handleSpecialNamespaces(OperationContext* txn, Request& r, QueryM
 
     BSONObjBuilder reply;
 
-    const auto upgradeToRealCommand = [txn, &r, &q, &reply](StringData commandName) {
+    const auto upgradeToRealCommand = [txn, &q, &reply](StringData commandName) {
         BSONObjBuilder cmdBob;
         cmdBob.append(commandName, 1);
         cmdBob.appendElements(q.query);  // fields are validated by Commands
         auto interposedCmd = cmdBob.done();
-        NamespaceString nss(r.getns());
-        NamespaceString interposedNss(nss.db(), "$cmd");
+        // Rewrite upgraded pseudoCommands to run on the 'admin' database.
+        NamespaceString interposedNss("admin", "$cmd");
         Command::runAgainstRegistered(
             txn, interposedNss.ns().c_str(), interposedCmd, reply, q.queryOptions);
     };