diff --git a/pavelib/paver_tests/test_servers.py b/pavelib/paver_tests/test_servers.py
index 1c3b2f6964..033e93eadc 100644
--- a/pavelib/paver_tests/test_servers.py
+++ b/pavelib/paver_tests/test_servers.py
@@ -155,7 +155,8 @@ class TestPaverServerTasks(PaverTestCase):
         """
         settings = options.get("settings", "devstack")
         call_task("pavelib.servers.update_db", options=options)
-        db_command = "python manage.py {server} --settings={settings} migrate --traceback --pythonpath=."
+        # pylint: disable=line-too-long
+        db_command = "NO_EDXAPP_SUDO=1 EDX_PLATFORM_SETTINGS_OVERRIDE={settings} /edx/bin/edxapp-migrate-{server} --traceback --pythonpath=. "
         self.assertEquals(
             self.task_messages,
             [
diff --git a/pavelib/servers.py b/pavelib/servers.py
index f76fdf906a..19d9302409 100644
--- a/pavelib/servers.py
+++ b/pavelib/servers.py
@@ -239,12 +239,16 @@ def run_all_servers(options):
 ])
 def update_db(options):
     """
-    Runs syncdb and then migrate.
+    Migrates the lms and cms across all databases
     """
     settings = getattr(options, 'settings', DEFAULT_SETTINGS)
     fake = "--fake-initial" if getattr(options, 'fake_initial', False) else ""
     for system in ('lms', 'cms'):
-        sh(django_cmd(system, settings, 'migrate', fake, '--traceback', '--pythonpath=.'))
+        # pylint: disable=line-too-long
+        sh("NO_EDXAPP_SUDO=1 EDX_PLATFORM_SETTINGS_OVERRIDE={settings} /edx/bin/edxapp-migrate-{system} --traceback --pythonpath=. {fake}".format(
+            settings=settings,
+            system=system,
+            fake=fake))
 
 
 @task