diff --git a/airflow/hooks/dbapi_hook.py b/airflow/hooks/dbapi_hook.py
index b787c2496d..9d2ea280a9 100644
--- a/airflow/hooks/dbapi_hook.py
+++ b/airflow/hooks/dbapi_hook.py
@@ -26,14 +26,16 @@ class DbApiHook(BaseHook):
     """
     supports_autocommit = False
 
-    def __init__(self, **kwargs):
-        try:
-            self.conn_id_name = kwargs[self.conn_name_attr]
-        except NameError:
+    def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        if not self.conn_name_attr:
             raise AirflowException("conn_name_attr is not defined")
-        except KeyError:
-            raise AirflowException(
-                self.conn_name_attr + " was not passed in the kwargs")
+        elif len(args) == 1:
+            setattr(self, self.conn_name_attr, args[0])
+        elif self.conn_name_attr not in kwargs:
+            setattr(self, self.conn_name_attr, self.default_conn_name)
+        else:
+            setattr(self, self.conn_name_attr, kwargs[self.conn_name_attr])
+
 
     def get_pandas_df(self, sql, parameters=None):
         '''
diff --git a/airflow/hooks/mysql_hook.py b/airflow/hooks/mysql_hook.py
index b4f1bc4631..856a4d53f8 100644
--- a/airflow/hooks/mysql_hook.py
+++ b/airflow/hooks/mysql_hook.py
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ class MySqlHook(DbApiHook):
         """
         Returns a mysql connection object
         """
-        conn = self.get_connection(self.conn_id_name)
+        conn = self.get_connection(self.mysql_conn_id)
         conn = MySQLdb.connect(
             conn.host,
             conn.login,
diff --git a/airflow/hooks/postgres_hook.py b/airflow/hooks/postgres_hook.py
index 1682ef5c33..fc5bfa1432 100644
--- a/airflow/hooks/postgres_hook.py
+++ b/airflow/hooks/postgres_hook.py
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ class PostgresHook(DbApiHook):
     supports_autocommit = True
 
     def get_conn(self):
-        conn = self.get_connection(self.conn_id_name)
+        conn = self.get_connection(self.postgres_conn_id)
         return psycopg2.connect(
             host=conn.host,
             user=conn.login,
diff --git a/airflow/hooks/presto_hook.py b/airflow/hooks/presto_hook.py
index 2355eef7eb..f2eabf581e 100644
--- a/airflow/hooks/presto_hook.py
+++ b/airflow/hooks/presto_hook.py
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ class PrestoHook(DbApiHook):
 
     def get_conn(self):
         """Returns a connection object"""
-        db = self.get_connection(self.conn_id_name)
+        db = self.get_connection(self.presto_conn_id)
         return presto.connect(
             host=db.host,
             port=db.port,
diff --git a/airflow/hooks/sqlite_hook.py b/airflow/hooks/sqlite_hook.py
index 1dafd86386..697e762b45 100644
--- a/airflow/hooks/sqlite_hook.py
+++ b/airflow/hooks/sqlite_hook.py
@@ -17,6 +17,6 @@ class SqliteHook(DbApiHook):
         """
         Returns a sqlite connection object
         """
-        conn = self.get_connection(self.conn_id_name)
+        conn = self.get_connection(self.sqlite_conn_id)
         conn = sqlite3.connect(conn.host)
         return conn