diff --git a/create_db.sh b/create_db.sh
index 2f3243420ec..976d279e09b 100755
--- a/create_db.sh
+++ b/create_db.sh
@@ -1,9 +1,11 @@
 #!/bin/sh
 
-if [ -d .venv ];
+: ${GALAXY_VIRTUAL_ENV:=.venv}
+
+if [ -d "$GALAXY_VIRTUAL_ENV" ];
 then
-    printf "Activating virtualenv at %s/.venv\n" $(pwd)
-    . .venv/bin/activate
+    printf "Activating virtualenv at $GALAXY_VIRTUAL_ENV\n"
+    . "$GALAXY_VIRTUAL_ENV/bin/activate"
 fi
 
 cd `dirname $0`
diff --git a/manage_db.sh b/manage_db.sh
index 7472c014899..6d4f3423d9b 100755
--- a/manage_db.sh
+++ b/manage_db.sh
@@ -5,10 +5,12 @@
 # sh manage_db.sh downgrade --version=3 <tool_shed if using that webapp - galaxy is the default>
 #######
 
-if [ -d .venv ];
+: ${GALAXY_VIRTUAL_ENV:=.venv}
+
+if [ -d "$GALAXY_VIRTUAL_ENV" ];
 then
-    printf "Activating virtualenv at %s/.venv\n" $(pwd)
-    . .venv/bin/activate
+    printf "Activating virtualenv at $GALAXY_VIRTUAL_ENV\n"
+    . "$GALAXY_VIRTUAL_ENV/bin/activate"
 fi
 
 cd `dirname $0`