Ruby on Rails

I was testing my app (with rspec) when I noticed that rake test:prepare throws an odd FATAL: database "postgres" does not exist error. Stranger still, my tests run just fine regardless. 

However, whenever I use rake test:prepare --trace (after using rake db:migrate) I get this error and receive a similar error when attempting rake db:create RAILS_ENV=test and also rake db:drop RAILS_ENV=test as well. Any idea what I may be overlooking?

Here is the error in question:

    ** Invoke test:prepare (first_time)
    ** Invoke db:test:prepare (first_time)
    ** Invoke environment (first_time)
    ** Execute environment
    ** Invoke db:load_config (first_time)
    ** Execute db:load_config
    ** Execute db:test:prepare
    ** Invoke db:test:load (first_time)
    ** Invoke db:test:purge (first_time)
    ** Invoke environment
    ** Invoke db:load_config
    ** Execute db:test:purge
    rake aborted!

PG::Error: FATAL: database "postgres" does not exist

/Users/dalecooper/.rvm/gems/ruby-2.0.0-p481@rails_4_0/gems/activerecord-4.0.8/lib/active_record/connection_adapters/postgresql_adapter.rb:855:in `initialize'

    /Users/dalecooper/.rvm/gems/ruby-2.0.0-p481@rails_4_0/gems/activerecord-4.0.8/lib/active_record/connection_adapters/postgresql_adapter.rb:855:in `new'

    /Users/dalecooper/.rvm/gems/ruby-2.0.0-p481@rails_4_0/gems/activerecord-4.0.8/lib/active_record/connection_adapters/postgresql_adapter.rb:855:in `connect'

    /Users/dalecooper/.rvm/gems/ruby-2.0.0-p481@rails_4_0/gems/activerecord-4.0.8/lib/active_record/connection_adapters/postgresql_adapter.rb:556:in `initialize'

    /Users/dalecooper/.rvm/gems/ruby-2.0.0-p481@rails_4_0/gems/activerecord-4.0.8/lib/active_record/connection_adapters/postgresql_adapter.rb:41:in `new'

    /Users/dalecooper/.rvm/gems/ruby-2.0.0-p481@rails_4_0/gems/activerecord-4.0.8/lib/active_record/connection_adapters/postgresql_adapter.rb:41:in `postgresql_connection'

    /Users/dalecooper/.rvm/gems/ruby-2.0.0-p481@rails_4_0/gems/activerecord-4.0.8/lib/active_record/connection_adapters/abstract/connection_pool.rb:440:in `new_connection'

    /Users/dalecooper/.rvm/gems/ruby-2.0.0-p481@rails_4_0/gems/activerecord-4.0.8/lib/active_record/connection_adapters/abstract/connection_pool.rb:450:in `checkout_new_connection'

    /Users/dalecooper/.rvm/gems/ruby-2.0.0-p481@rails_4_0/gems/activerecord-4.0.8/lib/active_record/connection_adapters/abstract/connection_pool.rb:421:in `acquire_connection'

    /Users/dalecooper/.rvm/gems/ruby-2.0.0-p481@rails_4_0/gems/activerecord-4.0.8/lib/active_record/connection_adapters/abstract/connection_pool.rb:356:in `block in checkout'

    /Users/dalecooper/.rvm/rubies/ruby-2.0.0-p481/lib/ruby/2.0.0/monitor.rb:211:in `mon_synchronize'

    /Users/dalecooper/.rvm/gems/ruby-2.0.0-p481@rails_4_0/gems/activerecord-4.0.8/lib/active_record/connection_adapters/abstract/connection_pool.rb:355:in `checkout'

    /Users/dalecooper/.rvm/gems/ruby-2.0.0-p481@rails_4_0/gems/activerecord-4.0.8/lib/active_record/connection_adapters/abstract/connection_pool.rb:265:in `block in connection'

    /Users/dalecooper/.rvm/rubies/ruby-2.0.0-p481/lib/ruby/2.0.0/monitor.rb:211:in `mon_synchronize'

    /Users/dalecooper/.rvm/gems/ruby-2.0.0-p481@rails_4_0/gems/activerecord-4.0.8/lib/active_record/connection_adapters/abstract/connection_pool.rb:264:in `connection'

    /Users/dalecooper/.rvm/gems/ruby-2.0.0-p481@rails_4_0/gems/activerecord-4.0.8/lib/active_record/connection_adapters/abstract/connection_pool.rb:546:in `retrieve_connection'

    /Users/dalecooper/.rvm/gems/ruby-2.0.0-p481@rails_4_0/gems/activerecord-4.0.8/lib/active_record/connection_handling.rb:79:in `retrieve_connection'

    /Users/dalecooper/.rvm/gems/ruby-2.0.0-p481@rails_4_0/gems/activerecord-4.0.8/lib/active_record/connection_handling.rb:53:in `connection'

    /Users/dalecooper/.rvm/gems/ruby-2.0.0-p481@rails_4_0/gems/activerecord-4.0.8/lib/active_record/tasks/postgresql_database_tasks.rb:8:in `connection'

    /Users/dalecooper/.rvm/gems/ruby-2.0.0-p481@rails_4_0/gems/activerecord-4.0.8/lib/active_record/tasks/postgresql_database_tasks.rb:30:in `drop'

    /Users/dalecooper/.rvm/gems/ruby-2.0.0-p481@rails_4_0/gems/activerecord-4.0.8/lib/active_record/tasks/postgresql_database_tasks.rb:43:in `purge'

    /Users/dalecooper/.rvm/gems/ruby-2.0.0-p481@rails_4_0/gems/activerecord-4.0.8/lib/active_record/tasks/database_tasks.rb:137:in `purge'

    /Users/dalecooper/.rvm/gems/ruby-2.0.0-p481@rails_4_0/gems/activerecord-4.0.8/lib/active_record/railties/databases.rake:365:in `block (3 levels) in <top (required)>'

    /Users/dalecooper/.rvm/gems/ruby-2.0.0-p481@rails_4_0/gems/rake-10.3.2/lib/rake/task.rb:240:in `call'

    /Users/dalecooper/.rvm/gems/ruby-2.0.0-p481@rails_4_0/gems/rake-10.3.2/lib/rake/task.rb:240:in `block in execute'

    /Users/dalecooper/.rvm/gems/ruby-2.0.0-p481@rails_4_0/gems/rake-10.3.2/lib/rake/task.rb:235:in `each'

    /Users/dalecooper/.rvm/gems/ruby-2.0.0-p481@rails_4_0/gems/rake-10.3.2/lib/rake/task.rb:235:in `execute'

    /Users/dalecooper/.rvm/gems/ruby-2.0.0-p481@rails_4_0/gems/rake-10.3.2/lib/rake/task.rb:179:in `block in invoke_with_call_chain'

    /Users/dalecooper/.rvm/rubies/ruby-2.0.0-p481/lib/ruby/2.0.0/monitor.rb:211:in `mon_synchronize'

    /Users/dalecooper/.rvm/gems/ruby-2.0.0-p481@rails_4_0/gems/rake-10.3.2/lib/rake/task.rb:172:in `invoke_with_call_chain'

    /Users/dalecooper/.rvm/gems/ruby-2.0.0-p481@rails_4_0/gems/rake-10.3.2/lib/rake/task.rb:201:in `block in invoke_prerequisites'

    /Users/dalecooper/.rvm/gems/ruby-2.0.0-p481@rails_4_0/gems/rake-10.3.2/lib/rake/task.rb:199:in `each'

    /Users/dalecooper/.rvm/gems/ruby-2.0.0-p481@rails_4_0/gems/rake-10.3.2/lib/rake/task.rb:199:in `invoke_prerequisites'

    /Users/dalecooper/.rvm/gems/ruby-2.0.0-p481@rails_4_0/gems/rake-10.3.2/lib/rake/task.rb:178:in `block in invoke_with_call_chain'

    /Users/dalecooper/.rvm/rubies/ruby-2.0.0-p481/lib/ruby/2.0.0/monitor.rb:211:in `mon_synchronize'

    /Users/dalecooper/.rvm/gems/ruby-2.0.0-p481@rails_4_0/gems/rake-10.3.2/lib/rake/task.rb:172:in `invoke_with_call_chain'

    /Users/dalecooper/.rvm/gems/ruby-2.0.0-p481@rails_4_0/gems/rake-10.3.2/lib/rake/task.rb:165:in `invoke'

    /Users/dalecooper/.rvm/gems/ruby-2.0.0-p481@rails_4_0/gems/activerecord-4.0.8/lib/active_record/railties/databases.rake:371:in `block (3 levels) in <top (required)>'

    /Users/dalecooper/.rvm/gems/ruby-2.0.0-p481@rails_4_0/gems/rake-10.3.2/lib/rake/task.rb:240:in `call'

    /Users/dalecooper/.rvm/gems/ruby-2.0.0-p481@rails_4_0/gems/rake-10.3.2/lib/rake/task.rb:240:in `block in execute'

    /Users/dalecooper/.rvm/gems/ruby-2.0.0-p481@rails_4_0/gems/rake-10.3.2/lib/rake/task.rb:235:in `each'

    /Users/dalecooper/.rvm/gems/ruby-2.0.0-p481@rails_4_0/gems/rake-10.3.2/lib/rake/task.rb:235:in `execute'

    /Users/dalecooper/.rvm/gems/ruby-2.0.0-p481@rails_4_0/gems/rake-10.3.2/lib/rake/task.rb:179:in `block in invoke_with_call_chain'

    /Users/dalecooper/.rvm/rubies/ruby-2.0.0-p481/lib/ruby/2.0.0/monitor.rb:211:in `mon_synchronize'

    /Users/dalecooper/.rvm/gems/ruby-2.0.0-p481@rails_4_0/gems/rake-10.3.2/lib/rake/task.rb:172:in `invoke_with_call_chain'

    /Users/dalecooper/.rvm/gems/ruby-2.0.0-p481@rails_4_0/gems/rake-10.3.2/lib/rake/task.rb:201:in `block in invoke_prerequisites'

    /Users/dalecooper/.rvm/gems/ruby-2.0.0-p481@rails_4_0/gems/rake-10.3.2/lib/rake/task.rb:199:in `each'

    /Users/dalecooper/.rvm/gems/ruby-2.0.0-p481@rails_4_0/gems/rake-10.3.2/lib/rake/task.rb:199:in `invoke_prerequisites'

    /Users/dalecooper/.rvm/gems/ruby-2.0.0-p481@rails_4_0/gems/rake-10.3.2/lib/rake/task.rb:178:in `block in invoke_with_call_chain'

    /Users/dalecooper/.rvm/rubies/ruby-2.0.0-p481/lib/ruby/2.0.0/monitor.rb:211:in `mon_synchronize'

    /Users/dalecooper/.rvm/gems/ruby-2.0.0-p481@rails_4_0/gems/rake-10.3.2/lib/rake/task.rb:172:in `invoke_with_call_chain'

    /Users/dalecooper/.rvm/gems/ruby-2.0.0-p481@rails_4_0/gems/rake-10.3.2/lib/rake/task.rb:165:in `invoke'

    /Users/dalecooper/.rvm/gems/ruby-2.0.0-p481@rails_4_0/gems/rake-10.3.2/lib/rake/application.rb:150:in `invoke_task'

    /Users/dalecooper/.rvm/gems/ruby-2.0.0-p481@rails_4_0/gems/rake-10.3.2/lib/rake/application.rb:106:in `block (2 levels) in top_level'

    /Users/dalecooper/.rvm/gems/ruby-2.0.0-p481@rails_4_0/gems/rake-10.3.2/lib/rake/application.rb:106:in `each'

    /Users/dalecooper/.rvm/gems/ruby-2.0.0-p481@rails_4_0/gems/rake-10.3.2/lib/rake/application.rb:106:in `block in top_level'

    /Users/dalecooper/.rvm/gems/ruby-2.0.0-p481@rails_4_0/gems/rake-10.3.2/lib/rake/application.rb:115:in `run_with_threads'

    /Users/dalecooper/.rvm/gems/ruby-2.0.0-p481@rails_4_0/gems/rake-10.3.2/lib/rake/application.rb:100:in `top_level'

    /Users/dalecooper/.rvm/gems/ruby-2.0.0-p481@rails_4_0/gems/rake-10.3.2/lib/rake/application.rb:78:in `block in run'

    /Users/dalecooper/.rvm/gems/ruby-2.0.0-p481@rails_4_0/gems/rake-10.3.2/lib/rake/application.rb:176:in `standard_exception_handling'

    /Users/dalecooper/.rvm/gems/ruby-2.0.0-p481@rails_4_0/gems/rake-10.3.2/lib/rake/application.rb:75:in `run'

    /Users/dalecooper/.rvm/gems/ruby-2.0.0-p481@rails_4_0/gems/rake-10.3.2/bin/rake:33:in `<top (required)>'

    /Users/dalecooper/.rvm/gems/ruby-2.0.0-p481@rails_4_0/bin/rake:23:in `load'

    /Users/dalecooper/.rvm/gems/ruby-2.0.0-p481@rails_4_0/bin/rake:23:in `<main>'

    /Users/dalecooper/.rvm/gems/ruby-2.0.0-p481@rails_4_0/bin/ruby_executable_hooks:15:in `eval'

    /Users/dalecooper/.rvm/gems/ruby-2.0.0-p481@rails_4_0/bin/ruby_executable_hooks:15:in `<main>'

`Tasks: TOP => db:test:load => db:test:purge`

Here is what my test environment looks like (according to my gemfile):

    gem 'rails', '4.0.8'
    gem 'pg', '0.15.1'
   
    group :development, :test do
        gem 'rspec-rails', '2.13.1'
    end


    group :test do
        gem 'selenium-webdriver', '2.35.1'
        gem 'capybara', '2.1.0'
    end

and here is what my database.yml file looks like :

    development:
      adapter: postgresql
      endoding: unicode
      database: myapp_development
      pool: 5
      timeout: 5000
      hostname: localhost


    test:
      adapter: postgresql
      endoding: unicode
      database: myapp_test
      pool: 5
      timeout: 5000
      hostname: localhost


    production:
      adapter: postgresql
      database: myapp_production
      pool: 5
      timeout: 5000