diff --git a/app/__init__.py b/app/__init__.py
index 5ad123e1c..ca9fe9414 100644
--- a/app/__init__.py
+++ b/app/__init__.py
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@ from app.its_dangerous_session import ItsdangerousSessionInterface
 import app.proxy_fix
 from config import configs
 from utils import logging
-from credstash import getAllSecrets
 
 db = SQLAlchemy()
 login_manager = LoginManager()
@@ -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)
 
@@ -71,17 +70,15 @@ 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 app.config['NOTIFY_ADMIN_ENVIRONMENT'] == 'live':
-        secrets = getAllSecrets(region="eu-west-1")
-
+    if config_overrides:
         for key in app.config.keys():
-            if key in secrets:
-                    app.config[key] = secrets[key]
+            if key in config_overrides:
+                    app.config[key] = config_overrides[key]
 
     @app.context_processor
     def inject_global_template_variables():
diff --git a/db.py b/db.py
index 139f9267b..4aa190099 100644
--- a/db.py
+++ b/db.py
@@ -1,8 +1,11 @@
 from flask.ext.script import Manager, Server
 from flask_migrate import Migrate, MigrateCommand
 from app import create_app, db
+from credstash import getAllSecrets
 
-application = create_app('live')
+secrets = getAllSecrets(region="eu-west-1")
+
+application = create_app('live', secrets)
 
 manager = Manager(application)
 migrate = Migrate(application, db)
diff --git a/wsgi.py b/wsgi.py
index febb098ce..138a48c6f 100644
--- a/wsgi.py
+++ b/wsgi.py
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
 from app import create_app
+from credstash import getAllSecrets
 
-application = create_app('live')
+secrets = getAllSecrets(region="eu-west-1")
+
+application = create_app('live', secrets)
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
         application.run()