diff --git a/manifests/api.pp b/manifests/api.pp
index 681ff0cb8..8401b596b 100644
--- a/manifests/api.pp
+++ b/manifests/api.pp
@@ -14,9 +14,6 @@ class nova::api(
 
   $auth_uri = "${auth_protocol}://${auth_host}:${auth_port}/v2.0"
 
-  # TODO what exactly is this for?
-  # This resource is adding a great deal of comlexity to the overall
-  # modules. Removing it would be great
   exec { 'initial-db-sync':
     command     => '/usr/bin/nova-manage db sync',
     refreshonly => true,
diff --git a/manifests/generic_service.pp b/manifests/generic_service.pp
index 3169b02e8..2a45e5f29 100644
--- a/manifests/generic_service.pp
+++ b/manifests/generic_service.pp
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ define nova::generic_service(
   Exec['post-nova_config'] ~> Service<| title == $nova_title |>
   # ensure that the service has only been started
   # after the initial db sync
+  Exec<| title == 'initial-db-sync' |> ~> Service<| title == $nova_title |>
   Exec['nova-db-sync'] ~> Service<| title == $nova_title |>
 
 
diff --git a/manifests/init.pp b/manifests/init.pp
index d31fa56c6..423486c7b 100644
--- a/manifests/init.pp
+++ b/manifests/init.pp
@@ -120,6 +120,7 @@ class nova(
   exec { "nova-db-sync":
     command     => "/usr/bin/nova-manage db sync",
     refreshonly => "true",
+    require     => [Package['nova-common'], Nova_config['sql_connection']],
   }
 
   # used by debian/ubuntu in nova::network_bridge to refresh