diff --git a/lib/tool_shed/webapp/controllers/admin.py b/lib/tool_shed/webapp/controllers/admin.py
index 73ddef54652..9b1681bafe2 100644
--- a/lib/tool_shed/webapp/controllers/admin.py
+++ b/lib/tool_shed/webapp/controllers/admin.py
@@ -324,7 +324,7 @@ class AdminController(BaseUIController, Admin):
         message = escape(kwd.get("message", ""))
         status = kwd.get("status", "done")
         if "regenerate_statistics_button" in kwd:
-            trans.app.shed_counter.generate_statistics()
+            trans.app.shed_counter.generate_statistics(trans.sa_session)
             message = "Successfully regenerated statistics"
         return trans.fill_template("/webapps/tool_shed/admin/statistics.mako", message=message, status=status)
 
diff --git a/lib/tool_shed/webapp/model/mapping.py b/lib/tool_shed/webapp/model/mapping.py
index 0ef27ff7f8b..94ff0317f3c 100644
--- a/lib/tool_shed/webapp/model/mapping.py
+++ b/lib/tool_shed/webapp/model/mapping.py
@@ -45,4 +45,9 @@ def init(
 
     result.security_agent = CommunityRBACAgent(result)
     result.shed_counter = shed_statistics.ShedCounter(result)
+
+    session = result.session()
+    with session.begin():
+        result.shed_counter.generate_statistics(session)
+
     return result
diff --git a/lib/tool_shed/webapp/util/shed_statistics.py b/lib/tool_shed/webapp/util/shed_statistics.py
index d864420ecb2..7e21673de19 100644
--- a/lib/tool_shed/webapp/util/shed_statistics.py
+++ b/lib/tool_shed/webapp/util/shed_statistics.py
@@ -23,14 +23,8 @@ class ShedCounter:
         self.unique_owners = 0
         self.unique_valid_tools = 0
         self.workflows = 0
-        self.generate_statistics()
 
-    @property
-    def sa_session(self):
-        """Returns a SQLAlchemy session"""
-        return self.model.context
-
-    def generate_statistics(self):
+    def generate_statistics(self, sa_session):
         self.custom_datatypes = 0
         self.deleted_repositories = 0
         self.deprecated_repositories = 0
@@ -42,7 +36,7 @@ class ShedCounter:
         self.unique_valid_tools = 0
         self.workflows = 0
         unique_user_ids = []
-        for repository in self.sa_session.scalars(select(Repository)):
+        for repository in sa_session.scalars(select(Repository)):
             self.repositories += 1
             self.total_clones += repository.times_downloaded
             is_deleted = repository.deleted