We get a T-SQL (SQL Server 2008 R2) error on BACKUP CERTIFICATE: ERROR_NUMBER 15151, SEVERITY 16, STATE 1, PROCEDURE -, LINE 8, MESSAGE: Cannot find the certificate 'certificate1', because it does not exist or you do not have permission. We can see the certificate in master.sys.certificates. Our pseudo-code: copy an unattached template_db to db1 attach db1 create certificate1 (in stored procedure in master db) generate @password CREATE DATABASE ENCRYPTION KEY … ENCRYPTION BY SERVER CERTIFICATE '+@certificate_name +… (in stored procedure in db1) turn on Transparent Database Encryption for db1 using certificate1. (N'ALTER DATABASE '+@db_name+N' SET ENCRYPTION ON') N’BACKUP CERTIFICATE '+@certificate_name+N' TO FILE = '''+@certificate_file_path+N''' WITH PRIVATE KEY ( FILE = '''+@private_key_file_path+N''', ENCRYPTION BY PASSWORD = '''+@password+N'''' To try to work-around the error, we tested three ways with the BACKUP CERTIFICATE code in a different databases each time, including db1 and master. All get the same error. Any ideas? Thanks.