diff --git a/default.nix b/default.nix
index ddbca9b..51e0d2a 100644
--- a/default.nix
+++ b/default.nix
@@ -120,7 +120,8 @@ in
       cryptography
       blinker
       ory-hydra-client
-      authlib
+      authlib # as oauth client lib
+      flask_migrate # db migrations
 
       gunicorn
 
diff --git a/lenticular_cloud/app.py b/lenticular_cloud/app.py
index 7c2afad..ddecb93 100644
--- a/lenticular_cloud/app.py
+++ b/lenticular_cloud/app.py
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 from flask.app import Flask
 from flask import g, redirect, request
 from flask.helpers import url_for
-from flask_login import LoginManager
 import time
 import subprocess
 from ory_hydra_client import Client
@@ -37,13 +36,13 @@ def create_app() -> Flask:
     model.ldap_conn = app.ldap_conn
     model.base_dn = app.config['LDAP_BASE_DN']
 
-    from .model import db
+    from .model import db, migrate
     db.init_app(app)
-    with app.app_context():
-        db.create_all()
+    migrate.init_app(app, db)
+#    with app.app_context():
+#        db.create_all()
 
     init_babel(app)
-    app.login_manager = LoginManager(app)
 
     #init hydra admin api
 #    hydra_config = hydra.Configuration(
diff --git a/migrations/README b/migrations/README
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0e04844
--- /dev/null
+++ b/migrations/README
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Single-database configuration for Flask.
diff --git a/migrations/alembic.ini b/migrations/alembic.ini
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ec9d45c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/migrations/alembic.ini
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+# A generic, single database configuration.
+
+[alembic]
+# template used to generate migration files
+# file_template = %%(rev)s_%%(slug)s
+
+# set to 'true' to run the environment during
+# the 'revision' command, regardless of autogenerate
+# revision_environment = false
+
+
+# Logging configuration
+[loggers]
+keys = root,sqlalchemy,alembic,flask_migrate
+
+[handlers]
+keys = console
+
+[formatters]
+keys = generic
+
+[logger_root]
+level = WARN
+handlers = console
+qualname =
+
+[logger_sqlalchemy]
+level = WARN
+handlers =
+qualname = sqlalchemy.engine
+
+[logger_alembic]
+level = INFO
+handlers =
+qualname = alembic
+
+[logger_flask_migrate]
+level = INFO
+handlers =
+qualname = flask_migrate
+
+[handler_console]
+class = StreamHandler
+args = (sys.stderr,)
+level = NOTSET
+formatter = generic
+
+[formatter_generic]
+format = %(levelname)-5.5s [%(name)s] %(message)s
+datefmt = %H:%M:%S
diff --git a/migrations/env.py b/migrations/env.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..68feded
--- /dev/null
+++ b/migrations/env.py
@@ -0,0 +1,91 @@
+from __future__ import with_statement
+
+import logging
+from logging.config import fileConfig
+
+from flask import current_app
+
+from alembic import context
+
+# this is the Alembic Config object, which provides
+# access to the values within the .ini file in use.
+config = context.config
+
+# Interpret the config file for Python logging.
+# This line sets up loggers basically.
+fileConfig(config.config_file_name)
+logger = logging.getLogger('alembic.env')
+
+# add your model's MetaData object here
+# for 'autogenerate' support
+# from myapp import mymodel
+# target_metadata = mymodel.Base.metadata
+config.set_main_option(
+    'sqlalchemy.url',
+    str(current_app.extensions['migrate'].db.get_engine().url).replace(
+        '%', '%%'))
+target_metadata = current_app.extensions['migrate'].db.metadata
+
+# other values from the config, defined by the needs of env.py,
+# can be acquired:
+# my_important_option = config.get_main_option("my_important_option")
+# ... etc.
+
+
+def run_migrations_offline():
+    """Run migrations in 'offline' mode.
+
+    This configures the context with just a URL
+    and not an Engine, though an Engine is acceptable
+    here as well.  By skipping the Engine creation
+    we don't even need a DBAPI to be available.
+
+    Calls to context.execute() here emit the given string to the
+    script output.
+
+    """
+    url = config.get_main_option("sqlalchemy.url")
+    context.configure(
+        url=url, target_metadata=target_metadata, literal_binds=True
+    )
+
+    with context.begin_transaction():
+        context.run_migrations()
+
+
+def run_migrations_online():
+    """Run migrations in 'online' mode.
+
+    In this scenario we need to create an Engine
+    and associate a connection with the context.
+
+    """
+
+    # this callback is used to prevent an auto-migration from being generated
+    # when there are no changes to the schema
+    # reference: http://alembic.zzzcomputing.com/en/latest/cookbook.html
+    def process_revision_directives(context, revision, directives):
+        if getattr(config.cmd_opts, 'autogenerate', False):
+            script = directives[0]
+            if script.upgrade_ops.is_empty():
+                directives[:] = []
+                logger.info('No changes in schema detected.')
+
+    connectable = current_app.extensions['migrate'].db.get_engine()
+
+    with connectable.connect() as connection:
+        context.configure(
+            connection=connection,
+            target_metadata=target_metadata,
+            process_revision_directives=process_revision_directives,
+            **current_app.extensions['migrate'].configure_args
+        )
+
+        with context.begin_transaction():
+            context.run_migrations()
+
+
+if context.is_offline_mode():
+    run_migrations_offline()
+else:
+    run_migrations_online()
diff --git a/migrations/script.py.mako b/migrations/script.py.mako
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2c01563
--- /dev/null
+++ b/migrations/script.py.mako
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+"""${message}
+
+Revision ID: ${up_revision}
+Revises: ${down_revision | comma,n}
+Create Date: ${create_date}
+
+"""
+from alembic import op
+import sqlalchemy as sa
+${imports if imports else ""}
+
+# revision identifiers, used by Alembic.
+revision = ${repr(up_revision)}
+down_revision = ${repr(down_revision)}
+branch_labels = ${repr(branch_labels)}
+depends_on = ${repr(depends_on)}
+
+
+def upgrade():
+    ${upgrades if upgrades else "pass"}
+
+
+def downgrade():
+    ${downgrades if downgrades else "pass"}
diff --git a/requirements.txt b/requirements.txt
index f6d407f..6a665cf 100644
--- a/requirements.txt
+++ b/requirements.txt
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ cryptography
 requests
 requests_oauthlib
 blinker
+flask_migrate
 
 ./libs/ory-hydra-client