diff --git a/oml/app.py b/oml/app.py
index becdce7..fc1a3a9 100644
--- a/oml/app.py
+++ b/oml/app.py
@@ -10,9 +10,10 @@ import logging
 
 
 import settings
-from settings import db
 
 import changelog
+
+from db import session
 import item.models
 import user.models
 import item.person
@@ -22,13 +23,9 @@ import api
 import commands
 
 app = Flask('openmedialibrary', static_folder=settings.static_path)
-app.config['SQLALCHEMY_DATABASE_URI'] = 'sqlite:////%s' % settings.db_path
-db.init_app(app)
 
-migrate = Migrate(app, db)
 
 manager = Manager(app, with_default_commands=False)
-manager.add_command('db', MigrateCommand)
 manager.add_command('release', commands.Release)
 manager.add_command('debug', commands.Debug)
 manager.add_command('update', commands.Update)
diff --git a/oml/changelog.py b/oml/changelog.py
index 51d0d43..a85f6fc 100644
--- a/oml/changelog.py
+++ b/oml/changelog.py
@@ -10,7 +10,8 @@ from datetime import datetime
 from utils import valid, datetime2ts, ts2datetime
 
 import settings
-from settings import db
+import db
+import sqlalchemy as sa
 import state
 from websocket import trigger_event
 
@@ -35,15 +36,16 @@ class Changelog(db.Model):
         editmeta              key, value data (i.e. 'isbn', '0000000000', {title: 'Example'})
         resetmeta             key, value
     '''
-    id = db.Column(db.Integer(), primary_key=True)
+    __tablename__ = 'changelog'
+    id = sa.Column(sa.Integer(), primary_key=True)
 
-    created = db.Column(db.DateTime())
-    timestamp = db.Column(db.BigInteger())
+    created = sa.Column(sa.DateTime())
+    timestamp = sa.Column(sa.BigInteger())
 
-    user_id = db.Column(db.String(43))
-    revision = db.Column(db.BigInteger())
-    data = db.Column(db.Text())
-    sig = db.Column(db.String(96))
+    user_id = sa.Column(sa.String(43))
+    revision = sa.Column(sa.BigInteger())
+    data = sa.Column(sa.Text())
+    sig = sa.Column(sa.String(96))
 
     @classmethod
     def record(cls, user, action, *args):
diff --git a/oml/commands.py b/oml/commands.py
index e06954e..a6a073b 100644
--- a/oml/commands.py
+++ b/oml/commands.py
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ class PostUpdate(Command):
                 Option('-n', '--new', dest='new'),
             ]
 
-        def run(selfi, old, new):
+        def run(self, old, new):
             if old <= '20140521-65-e14c686' and new > '20140521-65-e14c686':
                 if not os.path.exists(settings.db_path):
                     r('./ctl', 'setup')
@@ -122,11 +122,9 @@ class Setup(Command):
             Setup new node
         """
         def run(self):
-            r('./ctl', 'db', 'upgrade')
             import setup
+            setup.create_db()
             setup.create_default_lists()
-            settings.db.session.connection().execute("PRAGMA journal_mode=WAL")
-            settings.db.session.commit()
 
 class UpdateStatic(Command):
         """
diff --git a/oml/db.py b/oml/db.py
index 8e6f126..45943cd 100644
--- a/oml/db.py
+++ b/oml/db.py
@@ -1,4 +1,19 @@
+from sqlalchemy import create_engine
+from sqlalchemy.orm import sessionmaker
 from sqlalchemy.ext.mutable import Mutable
+from sqlalchemy.ext.declarative import declarative_base
+import settings
+
+
+engine = create_engine('sqlite:////%s' % settings.db_path)
+Session = sessionmaker(bind=engine)
+
+# create a Session
+session = Session()
+
+
+Model = declarative_base()
+
 
 class MutableDict(Mutable, dict):
     @classmethod
diff --git a/oml/item/models.py b/oml/item/models.py
index 77e6374..3318d13 100644
--- a/oml/item/models.py
+++ b/oml/item/models.py
@@ -16,10 +16,12 @@ import unicodedata
 import Image
 import ox
 
+import db
 from db import MutableDict
+import sqlalchemy as sa
 
 import settings
-from settings import db, config
+from settings import config
 
 from person import get_sort_name
 
@@ -39,29 +41,30 @@ from utils import remove_empty_folders
 
 logger = logging.getLogger('oml.item.model')
 
-
-user_items = db.Table('useritem',
-    db.Column('user_id', db.String(43), db.ForeignKey('user.id')),
-    db.Column('item_id', db.String(32), db.ForeignKey('item.id'))
+metadata = sa.MetaData()
+user_items = sa.Table('useritem', metadata,
+    sa.Column('user_id', sa.String(43), sa.ForeignKey('user.id')),
+    sa.Column('item_id', sa.String(32), sa.ForeignKey('item.id'))
 )
 
 class Item(db.Model):
+    __tablename__ = 'item'
 
-    created = db.Column(db.DateTime())
-    modified = db.Column(db.DateTime())
+    created = sa.Column(sa.DateTime())
+    modified = sa.Column(sa.DateTime())
 
-    id = db.Column(db.String(32), primary_key=True)
+    id = sa.Column(sa.String(32), primary_key=True)
 
-    info = db.Column(MutableDict.as_mutable(db.PickleType(pickler=json)))
-    meta = db.Column(MutableDict.as_mutable(db.PickleType(pickler=json)))
+    info = sa.Column(MutableDict.as_mutable(sa.PickleType(pickler=json)))
+    meta = sa.Column(MutableDict.as_mutable(sa.PickleType(pickler=json)))
 
     # why is this in db and not in i.e. info?
-    added = db.Column(db.DateTime()) # added to local library
-    accessed = db.Column(db.DateTime())
-    timesaccessed = db.Column(db.Integer())
+    added = sa.Column(sa.DateTime()) # added to local library
+    accessed = sa.Column(sa.DateTime())
+    timesaccessed = sa.Column(sa.Integer())
 
-    users = db.relationship('User', secondary=user_items,
-        backref=db.backref('items', lazy='dynamic'))
+    users = sa.orm.relationship('User', secondary=user_items,
+        backref=sa.orm.backref('items', lazy='dynamic'))
 
     @property
     def timestamp(self):
@@ -404,8 +407,10 @@ class Item(db.Model):
         Changelog.record(user, 'removeitem', self.id)
 
 class Sort(db.Model):
-    item_id = db.Column(db.String(32), db.ForeignKey('item.id'), primary_key=True)
-    item = db.relationship('Item', backref=db.backref('sort', lazy='dynamic'))
+    __tablename__ = 'sort'
+
+    item_id = sa.Column(sa.String(32), sa.ForeignKey('item.id'), primary_key=True)
+    item = sa.orm.relationship('Item', backref=sa.orm.backref('sort', lazy='dynamic'))
 
     def __repr__(self):
         return '%s_sort' % self.item_id
@@ -427,13 +432,13 @@ for key in config['itemKeys']:
     if key.get('sort'):
         sort_type = key.get('sortType', key['type'])
         if sort_type == 'integer':
-            col = db.Column(db.BigInteger(), index=True)
+            col = sa.Column(sa.BigInteger(), index=True)
         elif sort_type == 'float':
-            col = db.Column(db.Float(), index=True)
+            col = sa.Column(sa.Float(), index=True)
         elif sort_type == 'date':
-            col = db.Column(db.DateTime(), index=True)
+            col = sa.Column(sa.DateTime(), index=True)
         else:
-            col = db.Column(db.String(1000), index=True)
+            col = sa.Column(sa.String(1000), index=True)
         setattr(Sort, '%s' % key['id'], col)
 
 Item.id_keys = ['isbn', 'lccn', 'olid', 'oclc', 'asin']
@@ -441,12 +446,14 @@ Item.item_keys = config['itemKeys']
 Item.filter_keys = [k['id'] for k in config['itemKeys'] if k.get('filter')]
 
 class Find(db.Model):
-    id = db.Column(db.Integer(), primary_key=True)
-    item_id = db.Column(db.String(32), db.ForeignKey('item.id'))
-    item = db.relationship('Item', backref=db.backref('find', lazy='dynamic'))
-    key = db.Column(db.String(200), index=True)
-    value = db.Column(db.Text())
-    findvalue = db.Column(db.Text(), index=True)
+    __tablename__ = 'find'
+
+    id = sa.Column(sa.Integer(), primary_key=True)
+    item_id = sa.Column(sa.String(32), sa.ForeignKey('item.id'))
+    item = sa.orm.relationship('Item', backref=sa.orm.backref('find', lazy='dynamic'))
+    key = sa.Column(sa.String(200), index=True)
+    value = sa.Column(sa.Text())
+    findvalue = sa.Column(sa.Text(), index=True)
 
     def __repr__(self):
         return (u'%s=%s' % (self.key, self.findvalue)).encode('utf-8')
@@ -465,17 +472,18 @@ class Find(db.Model):
         return f
 
 class File(db.Model):
+    __tablename__ = 'file'
 
-    created = db.Column(db.DateTime())
-    modified = db.Column(db.DateTime())
+    created = sa.Column(sa.DateTime())
+    modified = sa.Column(sa.DateTime())
 
-    sha1 = db.Column(db.String(32), primary_key=True)
-    path = db.Column(db.String(2048))
+    sha1 = sa.Column(sa.String(32), primary_key=True)
+    path = sa.Column(sa.String(2048))
 
-    info = db.Column(MutableDict.as_mutable(db.PickleType(pickler=json)))
+    info = sa.Column(MutableDict.as_mutable(sa.PickleType(pickler=json)))
 
-    item_id = db.Column(db.String(32), db.ForeignKey('item.id'))
-    item = db.relationship('Item', backref=db.backref('files', lazy='dynamic'))
+    item_id = sa.Column(sa.String(32), sa.ForeignKey('item.id'))
+    item = sa.orm.relationship('Item', backref=sa.orm.backref('files', lazy='dynamic'))
 
     @classmethod
     def get(cls, sha1):
@@ -553,12 +561,13 @@ class File(db.Model):
 
 
 class Transfer(db.Model):
+    __tablename__ = 'transfer'
 
-    item_id = db.Column(db.String(32), db.ForeignKey('item.id'), primary_key=True)
-    item = db.relationship('Item', backref=db.backref('transfer', lazy='dynamic'))
+    item_id = sa.Column(sa.String(32), sa.ForeignKey('item.id'), primary_key=True)
+    item = sa.orm.relationship('Item', backref=sa.orm.backref('transfer', lazy='dynamic'))
 
-    added = db.Column(db.DateTime())
-    progress = db.Column(db.Float())
+    added = sa.Column(sa.DateTime())
+    progress = sa.Column(sa.Float())
 
     def __repr__(self):
         return '='.join(map(str, [self.item_id, self.progress]))
@@ -582,16 +591,17 @@ class Transfer(db.Model):
         db.session.commit()
 
 class Metadata(db.Model):
+    __tablename__ = 'metadata'
 
-    created = db.Column(db.DateTime())
-    modified = db.Column(db.DateTime())
+    created = sa.Column(sa.DateTime())
+    modified = sa.Column(sa.DateTime())
 
-    id = db.Column(db.Integer(), primary_key=True)
+    id = sa.Column(sa.Integer(), primary_key=True)
 
-    key = db.Column(db.String(256))
-    value = db.Column(db.String(256))
+    key = sa.Column(sa.String(256))
+    value = sa.Column(sa.String(256))
 
-    data = db.Column(MutableDict.as_mutable(db.PickleType(pickler=json)))
+    data = sa.Column(MutableDict.as_mutable(sa.PickleType(pickler=json)))
 
     def __repr__(self):
         return '='.join([self.key, self.value])
diff --git a/oml/item/person.py b/oml/item/person.py
index 602d642..c472487 100644
--- a/oml/item/person.py
+++ b/oml/item/person.py
@@ -6,7 +6,8 @@ import unicodedata
 
 import ox
 
-from settings import db
+import db
+import sqlalchemy as sa
 
 def get_sort_name(name, sortname=None):
     name = unicodedata.normalize('NFKD', name).strip()
@@ -21,9 +22,11 @@ def get_sort_name(name, sortname=None):
     return sortname
 
 class Person(db.Model):
-    name = db.Column(db.String(1024), primary_key=True)
-    sortname = db.Column(db.String())
-    numberofnames = db.Column(db.Integer())
+    __tablename__ = 'person'
+
+    name = sa.Column(sa.String(1024), primary_key=True)
+    sortname = sa.Column(sa.String())
+    numberofnames = sa.Column(sa.Integer())
 
     def __repr__(self):
         return self.name
diff --git a/oml/settings.py b/oml/settings.py
index f2a55e5..dca5ab3 100644
--- a/oml/settings.py
+++ b/oml/settings.py
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 # -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
 # vi:si:et:sw=4:sts=4:ts=4
 
-from flask.ext.sqlalchemy import SQLAlchemy
 import json
 import os
 import ed25519
@@ -24,7 +23,6 @@ key_path = os.path.join(config_path, 'node.key')
 ssl_cert_path = os.path.join(config_path, 'node.ssl.crt')
 ssl_key_path = os.path.join(config_path, 'node.ssl.key')
 
-db = SQLAlchemy()
 
 if os.path.exists(oml_config_path):
     with open(oml_config_path) as fd:
diff --git a/oml/setup.py b/oml/setup.py
index 6965293..7d5308e 100644
--- a/oml/setup.py
+++ b/oml/setup.py
@@ -1,9 +1,25 @@
 # -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
 # vi:si:et:sw=4:sts=4:ts=4
 
+import os
+
 import settings
+from db import session
+
 from user.models import List, User
 
+
+def create_db():
+    if not os.path.exists(settings.db_path):
+        print 'create db'
+        session.connection().execute("PRAGMA journal_mode=WAL")
+        session.commit()
+        upgrade_db('0')
+
+def upgrade_db(old):
+    if old <= '20140527-120-3cb9819':
+        create_index('ix_find_findvalue', 'find', ['findvalue'], unique=False)
+
 def create_default_lists(user_id=None):
     user_id = user_id or settings.USER_ID
     user = User.get_or_create(user_id)
diff --git a/oml/user/models.py b/oml/user/models.py
index ac7e4f4..51046de 100644
--- a/oml/user/models.py
+++ b/oml/user/models.py
@@ -3,12 +3,13 @@
 
 import json
 
+import db
 from db import MutableDict
+import sqlalchemy as sa
 from queryparser import Parser
 
 from changelog import Changelog
 import settings
-from settings import db
 
 import state
 
@@ -16,19 +17,20 @@ import logging
 logger = logging.getLogger('oml.user.models')
 
 class User(db.Model):
+    __tablename__ = 'user'
 
-    created = db.Column(db.DateTime())
-    modified = db.Column(db.DateTime())
+    created = sa.Column(sa.DateTime())
+    modified = sa.Column(sa.DateTime())
 
-    id = db.Column(db.String(43), primary_key=True)
-    info = db.Column(MutableDict.as_mutable(db.PickleType(pickler=json)))
+    id = sa.Column(sa.String(43), primary_key=True)
+    info = sa.Column(MutableDict.as_mutable(sa.PickleType(pickler=json)))
 
-    nickname = db.Column(db.String(256), unique=True)
+    nickname = sa.Column(sa.String(256), unique=True)
 
-    pending = db.Column(db.String(64)) # sent|received
-    queued = db.Column(db.Boolean())
-    peered = db.Column(db.Boolean())
-    online = db.Column(db.Boolean())
+    pending = sa.Column(sa.String(64)) # sent|received
+    queued = sa.Column(sa.Boolean())
+    peered = sa.Column(sa.Boolean())
+    online = sa.Column(sa.Boolean())
 
     def __repr__(self):
         return self.id
@@ -126,24 +128,27 @@ class User(db.Model):
             n += 1
         self.nickname = nickname
 
-list_items = db.Table('listitem',
-    db.Column('list_id', db.Integer(), db.ForeignKey('list.id')),
-    db.Column('item_id', db.String(32), db.ForeignKey('item.id'))
+metadata = sa.MetaData()
+list_items = sa.Table('listitem', metadata,
+    sa.Column('list_id', sa.Integer(), sa.ForeignKey('list.id')),
+    sa.Column('item_id', sa.String(32), sa.ForeignKey('item.id'))
 )
 
 class List(db.Model):
-    id = db.Column(db.Integer(), primary_key=True)
-    name = db.Column(db.String())
-    index_ = db.Column(db.Integer())
+    __tablename__ = 'list'
 
-    type = db.Column(db.String(64))
-    _query = db.Column('query', MutableDict.as_mutable(db.PickleType(pickler=json)))
+    id = sa.Column(sa.Integer(), primary_key=True)
+    name = sa.Column(sa.String())
+    index_ = sa.Column(sa.Integer())
 
-    user_id = db.Column(db.String(43), db.ForeignKey('user.id'))
-    user = db.relationship('User', backref=db.backref('lists', lazy='dynamic'))
+    type = sa.Column(sa.String(64))
+    _query = sa.Column('query', MutableDict.as_mutable(sa.PickleType(pickler=json)))
 
-    items = db.relationship('Item', secondary=list_items,
-            backref=db.backref('lists', lazy='dynamic'))
+    user_id = sa.Column(sa.String(43), sa.ForeignKey('user.id'))
+    user = sa.orm.relationship('User', backref=sa.orm.backref('lists', lazy='dynamic'))
+
+    items = sa.orm.relationship('Item', secondary=list_items,
+            backref=sa.orm.backref('lists', lazy='dynamic'))
 
     @classmethod
     def get(cls, user_id, name=None):