diff --git a/gluon/console.py b/gluon/console.py
index 57604362..e3d519a2 100644
--- a/gluon/console.py
+++ b/gluon/console.py
@@ -259,6 +259,12 @@ web2py will attempt to run a GUI to ask for it when starting the web server
         '(default is %(default)s), see -S above. NOTE: when the APP_ENV '
         'argument of -S include a controller c automatic import of '
         'models is always enabled')
+    g.add_argument('--force_migrate',
+                   default=False,
+                   action='store_true',
+                   help=
+                   'force DAL to migrate all tables that should be migrated when enabled; '
+                   'monkeypatch in the DAL class to force _migrate_enabled=True')
     g.add_argument('-R', '--run',
                    type=existing_file,
                    metavar='PYTHON_FILE', help=
diff --git a/gluon/shell.py b/gluon/shell.py
index bb2c0d2c..a7a38148 100644
--- a/gluon/shell.py
+++ b/gluon/shell.py
@@ -216,7 +216,8 @@ def run(
     bpython=False,
     python_code=None,
     cron_job=False,
-    scheduler_job=False):
+    scheduler_job=False,
+    force_migrate=False):
     """
     Start interactive shell or run Python script (startfile) in web2py
     controller environment. appname is formatted like:
@@ -246,6 +247,19 @@ def run(
             os.mkdir(adir)
             fileutils.create_app(adir)
 
+    if force_migrate:
+        import_models = True
+        from gluon.dal import DAL
+        orig_init = DAL.__init__
+
+        def custom_init(*args, **kwargs):
+            kwargs['migrate_enabled'] = True
+            kwargs['migrate'] = True
+            logger.info('Forcing migrate_enabled=True')
+            orig_init(*args, **kwargs)
+
+        DAL.__init__ = custom_init
+
     if c:
         import_models = True
     extra_request = {}
@@ -298,6 +312,15 @@ def run(
             print(traceback.format_exc())
             if import_models:
                 BaseAdapter.close_all_instances('rollback')
+    elif force_migrate:
+        try:
+            execfile("scripts/migrator.py", _env)
+            if import_models:
+                BaseAdapter.close_all_instances('commit')
+        except:
+            print(traceback.format_exc())
+            if import_models:
+                BaseAdapter.close_all_instances('rollback')
     else:
         if not plain:
             if bpython:
diff --git a/gluon/widget.py b/gluon/widget.py
index c5944420..a3922b14 100644
--- a/gluon/widget.py
+++ b/gluon/widget.py
@@ -741,7 +741,7 @@ def start():
         sys.argv = [options.run or ''] + options.args
         run(options.shell, plain=options.plain, bpython=options.bpython,
             import_models=options.import_models, startfile=options.run,
-            cron_job=options.cron_job)
+            cron_job=options.cron_job, force_migrate=options.force_migrate)
         return
 
     if options.cron_run:
diff --git a/scripts/migrator.py b/scripts/migrator.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d94c5fa6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/migrator.py
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
+'''
+To use, e.g. python .\web2py.py -S APPNAME --force_migrate
+'''
+
+import logging
+
+logger = logging.getLogger("web2py")
+
+
+def get_databases(request):
+    dbs = {}
+    global_env = globals()
+    for (key, value) in global_env.items():
+        try:
+            cond = isinstance(value, GQLDB)
+        except:
+            cond = isinstance(value, SQLDB)
+        if cond:
+            dbs[key] = value
+    return dbs
+
+
+logger.debug('Getting all databases')
+databases = get_databases(None)
+logger.debug('databases = %s', databases)
+for db_name in databases:
+    logger.debug('Migrating %s', db_name)
+    db = databases[db_name]
+    tables = db.tables
+    for table_name in tables:
+        # Force migration of lazy tables
+        logger.debug("Ensuring migration of table '%s'", table_name)
+        db(db[table_name]).isempty()
+    db.commit()