diff --git a/app/__init__.py b/app/__init__.py
index 4ce430175..ca9fe9414 100644
--- a/app/__init__.py
+++ b/app/__init__.py
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@ import app.proxy_fix
 from config import configs
 from utils import logging
 
-
 db = SQLAlchemy()
 login_manager = LoginManager()
 csrf = CsrfProtect()
@@ -22,13 +21,13 @@ csrf = CsrfProtect()
 admin_api_client = AdminAPIClient()
 
 
-def create_app(config_name):
+def create_app(config_name, config_overrides=None):
     application = Flask(__name__)
 
     application.config['NOTIFY_ADMIN_ENVIRONMENT'] = config_name
     application.config.from_object(configs[config_name])
+    init_app(application, config_overrides)
     db.init_app(application)
-    init_app(application)
     init_csrf(application)
     logging.init_app(application)
 
@@ -71,11 +70,16 @@ def init_csrf(application):
         abort(400, reason)
 
 
-def init_app(app):
+def init_app(app, config_overrides):
     for key, value in app.config.items():
         if key in os.environ:
             app.config[key] = convert_to_boolean(os.environ[key])
 
+    if config_overrides:
+        for key in app.config.keys():
+            if key in config_overrides:
+                    app.config[key] = config_overrides[key]
+
     @app.context_processor
     def inject_global_template_variables():
         return {'asset_path': '/static/'}
diff --git a/db.py b/db.py
index 40ed2511c..4aa190099 100644
--- a/db.py
+++ b/db.py
@@ -1,18 +1,11 @@
-from app import create_app
-import os
-from credstash import getAllSecrets
 from flask.ext.script import Manager, Server
 from flask_migrate import Migrate, MigrateCommand
 from app import create_app, db
+from credstash import getAllSecrets
 
 secrets = getAllSecrets(region="eu-west-1")
 
-application = create_app(os.getenv('NOTIFICATIONS_ADMIN_ENVIRONMENT') or 'live')
-
-for key in application.config.keys():
-        if key in secrets:
-                application.config[key] = secrets[key]
-
+application = create_app('live', secrets)
 
 manager = Manager(application)
 migrate = Migrate(application, db)
diff --git a/wsgi.py b/wsgi.py
index f394112fe..138a48c6f 100644
--- a/wsgi.py
+++ b/wsgi.py
@@ -1,22 +1,9 @@
 from app import create_app
-import os
 from credstash import getAllSecrets
-from flask.ext.script import Manager, Server
-from flask_migrate import Migrate, MigrateCommand
-from app import create_app, db
 
 secrets = getAllSecrets(region="eu-west-1")
 
-application = create_app(os.getenv('NOTIFICATIONS_ADMIN_ENVIRONMENT') or 'live')
-
-for key in application.config.keys():
-        if key in secrets:
-                application.config[key] = secrets[key]
-
-
-manager = Manager(application)
-migrate = Migrate(application, db)
-manager.add_command('db', MigrateCommand)
+application = create_app('live', secrets)
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
         application.run()