diff --git a/archivebox/index/__init__.py b/archivebox/index/__init__.py
index 32af7c1d..b4c37845 100644
--- a/archivebox/index/__init__.py
+++ b/archivebox/index/__init__.py
@@ -249,7 +249,6 @@ def load_main_index(out_dir: Path=OUTPUT_DIR, warn: bool=True) -> List[Link]:
     """
     Returns all of the snapshots currently in index
     """
-    setup_django(out_dir, check_db=True)
     from core.models import Snapshot
     try:
         return Snapshot.objects.all()
diff --git a/archivebox/index/json.py b/archivebox/index/json.py
index ed4c255d..2527944d 100644
--- a/archivebox/index/json.py
+++ b/archivebox/index/json.py
@@ -92,20 +92,7 @@ def write_json_snapshot_details(snapshot: Model, out_dir: Optional[str]=None) ->
 
 
 @enforce_types
-def parse_json_link_details(out_dir: Union[Path, str], guess: Optional[bool]=False) -> Optional[Model]:
-    """load the json link index from a given directory"""
-    existing_index = Path(out_dir) / JSON_INDEX_FILENAME
-    if existing_index.exists():
-        with open(existing_index, 'r', encoding='utf-8') as f:
-            try:
-                link_json = pyjson.load(f)
-                return Link.from_json(link_json, guess)
-            except pyjson.JSONDecodeError:
-                pass
-    return None
-
-@enforce_types
-def load_snapshot_details(snapshot: Model, out_dir: Path):
+def load_snapshot_details(out_Dir: Path) -> Optional[Model]:
     """
     Loads the detail from the local json index
     """
@@ -119,20 +106,19 @@ def load_snapshot_details(snapshot: Model, out_dir: Path):
     return None
 
 
-
 @enforce_types
-def parse_json_snapshot_details(out_dir: Union[Path, str]) -> Iterator[Link]:
+def parse_json_snapshot_details(out_dir: Union[Path, str]) -> Iterator[dict]:
     """read through all the archive data folders and return the parsed links"""
 
     for entry in os.scandir(Path(out_dir) / ARCHIVE_DIR_NAME):
         if entry.is_dir(follow_symlinks=True):
             if (Path(entry.path) / 'index.json').exists():
                 try:
-                    link = parse_json_snapshot_details(entry.path)
+                    snapshot_details = load_snapshot_details(entry.path)
                 except KeyError:
-                    link = None
-                if link:
-                    yield link
+                    snapshot_details = None
+                if snapshot_details:
+                    yield snapshot_details
 
 
 
diff --git a/archivebox/main.py b/archivebox/main.py
index 71147f59..f7dafb5d 100644
--- a/archivebox/main.py
+++ b/archivebox/main.py
@@ -29,7 +29,6 @@ from .util import enforce_types                         # type: ignore
 from .system import get_dir_size, dedupe_cron_jobs, CRON_COMMENT
 from .index import (
     load_main_index,
-    get_empty_snapshot_queryset,
     parse_snapshots_from_source,
     filter_new_urls,
     write_main_index,
@@ -340,8 +339,8 @@ def init(force: bool=False, out_dir: Path=OUTPUT_DIR) -> None:
     pending_links: Dict[str, Link] = {}
 
     if existing_index:
-        all_links = load_main_index(out_dir=out_dir, warn=False)
-        print('    √ Loaded {} links from existing main index.'.format(all_links.count()))
+        all_snapshots = load_main_index(out_dir=out_dir, warn=False)
+        print('    √ Loaded {} snapshots from existing main index.'.format(all_snapshots.count()))
 
     # Links in data folders that dont match their timestamp
     fixed, cant_fix = fix_invalid_folder_locations(out_dir=out_dir)
@@ -361,22 +360,22 @@ def init(force: bool=False, out_dir: Path=OUTPUT_DIR) -> None:
         print('    {lightyellow}√ Added {} orphaned links from existing JSON index...{reset}'.format(len(orphaned_json_links), **ANSI))
 
     # Links in data dir indexes but not in main index
-    orphaned_data_dir_links = {
-        link.url: link
-        for link in parse_json_links_details(out_dir)
-        if not all_links.filter(url=link.url).exists()
+    orphaned_data_dir_snapshots = {
+        snapshot.url: snapshot
+        for snapshot in parse_json_snapshot_details(out_dir)
+        if not all_snapshots.filter(url=link.url).exists()
     }
-    if orphaned_data_dir_links:
-        pending_links.update(orphaned_data_dir_links)
-        print('    {lightyellow}√ Added {} orphaned links from existing archive directories.{reset}'.format(len(orphaned_data_dir_links), **ANSI))
+    if orphaned_data_dir_snapshots:
+        pending_snapshots.update(orphaned_data_dir_links)
+        print('    {lightyellow}√ Added {} orphaned snapshots from existing archive directories.{reset}'.format(len(orphaned_data_dir_snapshots), **ANSI))
 
     # Links in invalid/duplicate data dirs
     invalid_folders = {
-        folder: link
-        for folder, link in get_invalid_folders(all_links, out_dir=out_dir).items()
+        folder: snapshot
+        for folder, snapshot in get_invalid_folders(all_snapshots, out_dir=out_dir).items()
     }
     if invalid_folders:
-        print('    {lightyellow}! Skipped adding {} invalid link data directories.{reset}'.format(len(invalid_folders), **ANSI))
+        print('    {lightyellow}! Skipped adding {} invalid snapshot data directories.{reset}'.format(len(invalid_folders), **ANSI))
         print('        X ' + '\n        X '.join(f'{folder} {link}' for folder, link in invalid_folders.items()))
         print()
         print('    {lightred}Hint:{reset} For more information about the link data directories that were skipped, run:'.format(**ANSI))