diff --git a/scripts/create_db.py b/scripts/create_db.py
index 0d73b2986eb..6b06f199ab8 100755
--- a/scripts/create_db.py
+++ b/scripts/create_db.py
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ database will be constructed.
 .. seealso: galaxy.ini, specifically the settings: database_connection and
 database file
 """
+import logging
 import os.path
 import sys
 
@@ -25,6 +26,9 @@ from galaxy.model.orm.scripts import get_config
 from galaxy.model.tool_shed_install.migrate.check import create_or_verify_database as create_install_db
 from galaxy.webapps.tool_shed.model.migrate.check import create_or_verify_database as create_tool_shed_db
 
+logging.basicConfig(level=logging.DEBUG)
+log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
 
 def invoke_create():
     config = get_config(sys.argv)
diff --git a/scripts/manage_db.py b/scripts/manage_db.py
index d0211bc1ef6..e55d3a13daa 100644
--- a/scripts/manage_db.py
+++ b/scripts/manage_db.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 """ This script parses Galaxy or Tool Shed config file for database connection
 and then delegates to sqlalchemy_migrate shell main function in
 migrate.versioning.shell. """
+import logging
 import os.path
 import sys
 
@@ -10,6 +11,9 @@ sys.path.insert(1, os.path.abspath(os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), os.pa
 
 from galaxy.model.orm.scripts import get_config
 
+logging.basicConfig(level=logging.DEBUG)
+log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
 
 def invoke_migrate_main():
     # Migrate has its own args, so cannot use argparse