diff --git a/changelog.d/opt-init.d-migrations.change b/changelog.d/opt-init.d-migrations.change
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c53f2baa0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/opt-init.d-migrations.change
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+- OpenRC: Automatically run migrations before starting pleroma
diff --git a/installation/init.d/pleroma b/installation/init.d/pleroma
index cb6635a0b..2cd366140 100755
--- a/installation/init.d/pleroma
+++ b/installation/init.d/pleroma
@@ -37,6 +37,12 @@ depend() {
 	need nginx postgresql
 }
 
+start_pre() {
+	ebegin "running migrations if any"
+	su -s /bin/sh -c '/usr/bin/mix ecto.migrate' -l "${command_user}"
+	eend "$?"
+}
+
 healthcheck() {
 	# put pleroma_health=YES in /etc/conf.d/pleroma if you want healthchecking
 	# and make sure you have curl installed
diff --git a/rel/files/installation/init.d/pleroma b/rel/files/installation/init.d/pleroma
index 4e3c20575..0e117e9b8 100755
--- a/rel/files/installation/init.d/pleroma
+++ b/rel/files/installation/init.d/pleroma
@@ -24,3 +24,9 @@ depend() {
 	want nginx
 	need postgresql
 }
+
+start_pre() {
+	ebegin "running migrations if any"
+	su -s /bin/sh -c '/opt/pleroma/bin/pleroma_ctl migrate' -l "${command_user}"
+	eend "$?"
+}