diff --git a/bob/bio/base/database/database.py b/bob/bio/base/database/database.py
index 7620ef507ed1008c7224af6f04074883106d933f..c437ff16740df0418d09c0739ac322bc748fa5fc 100644
--- a/bob/bio/base/database/database.py
+++ b/bob/bio/base/database/database.py
@@ -194,9 +194,18 @@ class BioDatabase(six.with_metaclass(abc.ABCMeta, bob.db.base.Database)):
         if self.original_directory in replacements:
             self.original_directory = replacements[self.original_directory]
 
+        try:
+            self._db.original_directory = self.original_directory
+        except AttributeError:
+            pass
+
         try:
             if self.annotation_directory in replacements:
                 self.annotation_directory = replacements[self.annotation_directory]
+                try:
+                    self._db.annotation_directory = self.annotation_directory
+                except AttributeError:
+                    pass
         except AttributeError:
             pass