diff --git a/lib/cli.js b/lib/cli.js
index 3b2d1490..1bb25afc 100644
--- a/lib/cli.js
+++ b/lib/cli.js
@@ -435,6 +435,23 @@ program
     })
   })
 
+program
+  .command('migrate')
+  .description('migrates the database to the latest version')
+  .action(function() {
+    var log = logger.createLogger('cli:migrate')
+      , db = require('./db')
+
+    db.setup()
+      .then(function() {
+        process.exit(0)
+      })
+      .catch(function(err) {
+        log.fatal('Migration had an error:', err.stack)
+        process.exit(1)
+      })
+  })
+
 program
   .command('local [serial..]')
   .description('start everything locally')
@@ -485,114 +502,124 @@ program
   .option('-d, --disable-watch'
     , 'disable watching resources')
   .action(function() {
-    var log = logger.createLogger('cli')
+    var log = logger.createLogger('cli:local')
       , options = cliutil.lastArg(arguments)
+      , db = require('./db')
 
-    var procs = [
-      // app triproxy
-      procutil.fork(__filename, [
-          'triproxy', 'app001'
-        , '--bind-pub', options.bindAppPub
-        , '--bind-dealer', options.bindAppDealer
-        , '--bind-pull', options.bindAppPull
-        ])
+    // Each forked process waits for signals to stop, and we run over the
+    // default limit of 10. So, it's not a leak, but a refactor wouldn't hurt.
+    process.setMaxListeners(20)
 
-      // device triproxy
-    , procutil.fork(__filename, [
-          'triproxy', 'dev001'
-        , '--bind-pub', options.bindDevPub
-        , '--bind-dealer', options.bindDevDealer
-        , '--bind-pull', options.bindDevPull
-        ])
+    function run() {
+      var procs = [
+        // app triproxy
+        procutil.fork(__filename, [
+            'triproxy', 'app001'
+          , '--bind-pub', options.bindAppPub
+          , '--bind-dealer', options.bindAppDealer
+          , '--bind-pull', options.bindAppPull
+          ])
 
-      // processor one
-    , procutil.fork(__filename, [
-          'processor', 'proc001'
-        , '--connect-app-dealer', options.bindAppDealer
-        , '--connect-dev-dealer', options.bindDevDealer
-        ])
+        // device triproxy
+      , procutil.fork(__filename, [
+            'triproxy', 'dev001'
+          , '--bind-pub', options.bindDevPub
+          , '--bind-dealer', options.bindDevDealer
+          , '--bind-pull', options.bindDevPull
+          ])
 
-      // processor two
-    , procutil.fork(__filename, [
-          'processor', 'proc002'
-        , '--connect-app-dealer', options.bindAppDealer
-        , '--connect-dev-dealer', options.bindDevDealer
-        ])
+        // processor one
+      , procutil.fork(__filename, [
+            'processor', 'proc001'
+          , '--connect-app-dealer', options.bindAppDealer
+          , '--connect-dev-dealer', options.bindDevDealer
+          ])
 
-      // reaper one
-    , procutil.fork(__filename, [
-          'reaper', 'reaper001'
-        , '--connect-push', options.bindDevPull
-        ])
+        // processor two
+      , procutil.fork(__filename, [
+            'processor', 'proc002'
+          , '--connect-app-dealer', options.bindAppDealer
+          , '--connect-dev-dealer', options.bindDevDealer
+          ])
 
-      // provider
-    , procutil.fork(__filename, [
-          'provider'
-        , '--name', options.provider
-        , '--connect-sub', options.bindDevPub
-        , '--connect-push', options.bindDevPull
-        ].concat(cliutil.allUnknownArgs(arguments)))
+        // reaper one
+      , procutil.fork(__filename, [
+            'reaper', 'reaper001'
+          , '--connect-push', options.bindDevPull
+          ])
 
-      // auth-mock
-    , procutil.fork(__filename, [
-          'auth-mock'
-        , '--port', options.authPort
-        , '--secret', options.authSecret
-        , '--app-url', util.format('http://localhost:%d/', options.appPort)
-        ])
+        // provider
+      , procutil.fork(__filename, [
+            'provider'
+          , '--name', options.provider
+          , '--connect-sub', options.bindDevPub
+          , '--connect-push', options.bindDevPull
+          ].concat(cliutil.allUnknownArgs(arguments)))
 
-      // app
-    , procutil.fork(__filename, [
-          'app'
-        , '--port', options.appPort
-        , '--secret', options.authSecret
-        , '--auth-url', util.format('http://localhost:%d/', options.authPort)
-        , '--storage-url'
-        , util.format('http://localhost:%d/', options.storagePort)
-        , '--connect-sub', options.bindAppPub
-        , '--connect-push', options.bindAppPull
-        ].concat((function() {
-          var extra = []
-          if (options.disableWatch) {
-            extra.push('--disable-watch')
-          }
-          return extra
-        })()))
+        // auth-mock
+      , procutil.fork(__filename, [
+            'auth-mock'
+          , '--port', options.authPort
+          , '--secret', options.authSecret
+          , '--app-url', util.format('http://localhost:%d/', options.appPort)
+          ])
 
-      // storage
-    , procutil.fork(__filename, [
-          'storage-temp'
-        , '--port', options.storagePort
-        ])
-    ]
+        // app
+      , procutil.fork(__filename, [
+            'app'
+          , '--port', options.appPort
+          , '--secret', options.authSecret
+          , '--auth-url', util.format('http://localhost:%d/', options.authPort)
+          , '--storage-url'
+          , util.format('http://localhost:%d/', options.storagePort)
+          , '--connect-sub', options.bindAppPub
+          , '--connect-push', options.bindAppPull
+          ].concat((function() {
+            var extra = []
+            if (options.disableWatch) {
+              extra.push('--disable-watch')
+            }
+            return extra
+          })()))
 
-    function shutdown() {
-      log.info('Shutting down all child processes')
-      procs.forEach(function(proc) {
-        proc.cancel()
+        // storage
+      , procutil.fork(__filename, [
+            'storage-temp'
+          , '--port', options.storagePort
+          ])
+      ]
+
+      function shutdown() {
+        log.info('Shutting down all child processes')
+        procs.forEach(function(proc) {
+          proc.cancel()
+        })
+        return Promise.settle(procs)
+      }
+
+      process.on('SIGINT', function() {
+        log.info('Received SIGINT, waiting for processes to terminate')
       })
-      return Promise.settle(procs)
+
+      process.on('SIGTERM', function() {
+        log.info('Received SIGTERM, waiting for processes to terminate')
+      })
+
+      return Promise.all(procs)
+        .then(function() {
+          process.exit(0)
+        })
+        .catch(function(err) {
+          log.fatal('Child process had an error', err.stack)
+          return shutdown()
+            .then(function() {
+              process.exit(1)
+            })
+        })
     }
 
-    process.on('SIGINT', function() {
-      log.info('Received SIGINT, waiting for processes to terminate')
-    })
-
-    process.on('SIGTERM', function() {
-      log.info('Received SIGTERM, waiting for processes to terminate')
-    })
-
-    Promise.all(procs)
-      .then(function() {
-        process.exit(0)
-      })
-      .catch(function(err) {
-        log.fatal('Child process had an error', err.stack)
-        return shutdown()
-          .then(function() {
-            process.exit(1)
-          })
-      })
+    procutil.fork(__filename, ['migrate'])
+      .then(run)
   })
 
 program.parse(process.argv)
diff --git a/lib/db/index.js b/lib/db/index.js
index a2889a8b..b24bca66 100644
--- a/lib/db/index.js
+++ b/lib/db/index.js
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 var setup = require('./setup')
 var rutil = require('../util/rutil')
 var logger = require('../util/logger')
+var lifecycle = require('../util/lifecycle')
 
 function connect() {
   var log = logger.createLogger('db')
@@ -11,11 +12,10 @@ function connect() {
     , authKey: process.env.RDB_AUTHKEY
     })
     .then(function(conn) {
-      conn.on('error', function(err) {
+      return conn.on('error', function(err) {
         log.fatal('Connection error', err.stack)
-        process.exit(1)
+        lifecycle.fatal()
       })
-      return setup(conn)
     })
     .catch(function(err) {
       log.fatal('Unable to connect to the database: "%s"', err.message)
@@ -46,3 +46,10 @@ db.run = function(q, options) {
     return rutil.run(conn, q, options)
   })
 }
+
+// Sets up the database
+db.setup = function() {
+  return db.connect().then(function(conn) {
+    return setup(conn)
+  })
+}