diff --git a/packages/server/src/db/client.js b/packages/server/src/db/client.js
index 3e3a4f50fe..fbc25986d5 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/db/client.js
+++ b/packages/server/src/db/client.js
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@ PouchDB.adapter("writableStream", replicationStream.adapters.writableStream)
 
 let POUCH_DB_DEFAULTS = {
   prefix: COUCH_DB_URL,
-  skip_setup: env.isProd(),
 }
 
 if (env.isTest()) {
diff --git a/packages/worker/src/db/index.js b/packages/worker/src/db/index.js
index 046293a01b..1ade1cd6db 100644
--- a/packages/worker/src/db/index.js
+++ b/packages/worker/src/db/index.js
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ const COUCH_DB_URL = env.COUCH_DB_URL || "http://localhost:10000/db/"
 
 let POUCH_DB_DEFAULTS = {
   prefix: COUCH_DB_URL,
-  skip_setup: env.isProd(),
 }
 
 if (env.isTest()) {