diff --git a/backend/src/xfd_django/xfd_api/tasks/run_syncdb.py b/backend/src/xfd_django/xfd_api/tasks/run_syncdb.py
index 88c4279b..79dae249 100644
--- a/backend/src/xfd_django/xfd_api/tasks/run_syncdb.py
+++ b/backend/src/xfd_django/xfd_api/tasks/run_syncdb.py
@@ -7,7 +7,13 @@
 from django.db import migrations, connection
 from django.db.migrations.executor import MigrationExecutor
 
-# Custom Utilities
+# Set the Django settings module
+os.environ.setdefault("DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE", "xfd_django.settings")
+os.environ["DJANGO_ALLOW_ASYNC_UNSAFE"] = "true"
+
+# Initialize Django
+django.setup()
+
 from xfd_api.tasks.syndb_helpers import manage_elasticsearch_indices, populate_sample_data
 
 
@@ -16,13 +22,6 @@ def handler(event, context):
     Lambda handler to trigger syncdb.
     """
 
-    # Set the Django settings module
-    os.environ.setdefault("DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE", "xfd_django.settings")
-    os.environ["DJANGO_ALLOW_ASYNC_UNSAFE"] = "true"
-
-    # Initialize Django
-    django.setup()
-
     # Parse arguments from the event
     dangerouslyforce = event.get("dangerouslyforce", False)
     populate = event.get("populate", False)