diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 3488cfe..3d6e5bb 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "koa-vue-notes-api",
-  "version": "1.2.4",
+  "version": "1.2.5",
   "description": "A SPA using Koa as the backend and Vue as the frontend.",
   "author": "John Datserakis",
   "private": false,
diff --git a/readme.md b/readme.md
index 6d8c883..3cec354 100644
--- a/readme.md
+++ b/readme.md
@@ -57,15 +57,18 @@ npm run pretty
 npm run test
 
 ## knex migrations ##
+## note - all knex migrate/rollback/seed calls must be prefaced
+## with the setting of NODE_ENV - also, seeds and rollbacks are
+## disabled in production
 
 # migrate latest
-knex migrate:latest
+NODE_ENV=development knex migrate:latest
 
 # rollback
-knex migrate:rollback
+NODE_ENV=developmentknex migrate:rollback
 
 # run all seeds
-knex seed:run
+NODE_ENV=development knex seed:run
 
 ## knex seed and migration make commands ##
 
diff --git a/src/controllers/UserActionController.js b/src/controllers/UserActionController.js
index be69deb..8287637 100644
--- a/src/controllers/UserActionController.js
+++ b/src/controllers/UserActionController.js
@@ -111,22 +111,24 @@ class UserController {
 
             //Let's send a welcome email.
             if (process.env.NODE_ENV !== 'testing') {
-                let email = await fse.readFile(
-                    './src/email/welcome.html',
-                    'utf8'
-                )
-                const emailData = {
-                    to: request.email,
-                    from: process.env.APP_EMAIL,
-                    subject: 'Welcome To Koa-Vue-Notes-Api',
-                    html: email,
-                    categories: ['koa-vue-notes-api-new-user'],
-                    substitutions: {
-                        appName: process.env.APP_NAME,
-                        appEmail: process.env.APP_EMAIL,
-                    },
-                }
-                await sgMail.send(emailData)
+                //Let's turn off welcome emails for the moment
+
+                // let email = await fse.readFile(
+                //     './src/email/welcome.html',
+                //     'utf8'
+                // )
+                // const emailData = {
+                //     to: request.email,
+                //     from: process.env.APP_EMAIL,
+                //     subject: 'Welcome To Koa-Vue-Notes-Api',
+                //     html: email,
+                //     categories: ['koa-vue-notes-api-new-user'],
+                //     substitutions: {
+                //         appName: process.env.APP_NAME,
+                //         appEmail: process.env.APP_EMAIL,
+                //     },
+                // }
+                // await sgMail.send(emailData)
             }
 
             //And return our response.
diff --git a/src/db/migrations/20170826111515_create_users_table.js b/src/db/migrations/20170826111515_create_users_table.js
index 22a571a..2e3c1dd 100644
--- a/src/db/migrations/20170826111515_create_users_table.js
+++ b/src/db/migrations/20170826111515_create_users_table.js
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+//I only want migrations, rollbacks, and seeds to run when the NODE_ENV is specified
+//in the knex seed/migrate command. Knex will error out if it is not specified.
+if (!process.env.NODE_ENV) { return; }
+
 exports.up = function(knex, Promise) {
     return knex.schema.createTable('users', function(table) {
         table.increments('id').primary()
@@ -35,5 +39,8 @@ exports.up = function(knex, Promise) {
 }
 
 exports.down = function(knex, Promise) {
-    return knex.schema.dropTableIfExists('users')
+    //We never want to drop tables in production
+    if (process.env.NODE_ENV !== 'production') {
+        return knex.schema.dropTableIfExists('users')
+    }
 }
diff --git a/src/db/migrations/20170826132549_create_refresh_token_table.js b/src/db/migrations/20170826132549_create_refresh_token_table.js
index bb3ef11..dd966ae 100644
--- a/src/db/migrations/20170826132549_create_refresh_token_table.js
+++ b/src/db/migrations/20170826132549_create_refresh_token_table.js
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+//I only want migrations, rollbacks, and seeds to run when the NODE_ENV is specified
+//in the knex seed/migrate command. Knex will error out if it is not specified.
+if (!process.env.NODE_ENV) { return; }
+
 exports.up = function(knex, Promise) {
     return knex.schema.createTable('refresh_tokens', function(table) {
         table.increments('id').primary()
@@ -16,5 +20,8 @@ exports.up = function(knex, Promise) {
 }
 
 exports.down = function(knex, Promise) {
-    return knex.schema.dropTableIfExists('refresh_tokens')
+    //We never want to drop tables in production
+    if (process.env.NODE_ENV !== 'production') {
+        return knex.schema.dropTableIfExists('refresh_tokens')
+    }
 }
diff --git a/src/db/migrations/20170826132806_create_notes_table.js b/src/db/migrations/20170826132806_create_notes_table.js
index 3c656e0..d8f5aee 100644
--- a/src/db/migrations/20170826132806_create_notes_table.js
+++ b/src/db/migrations/20170826132806_create_notes_table.js
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+//I only want migrations, rollbacks, and seeds to run when the NODE_ENV is specified
+//in the knex seed/migrate command. Knex will error out if it is not specified.
+if (!process.env.NODE_ENV) { return; }
+
 exports.up = function(knex, Promise) {
     return knex.schema.createTable('notes', function(table) {
         table.increments('id').primary()
@@ -11,5 +15,8 @@ exports.up = function(knex, Promise) {
 }
 
 exports.down = function(knex, Promise) {
-    return knex.schema.dropTableIfExists('notes')
+    //We never want to drop tables in production
+    if (process.env.NODE_ENV !== 'production') {
+        return knex.schema.dropTableIfExists('notes')
+    }
 }
diff --git a/src/db/seeds/dev/seed_notes.js b/src/db/seeds/dev/seed_notes.js
index 4446064..8d3b202 100644
--- a/src/db/seeds/dev/seed_notes.js
+++ b/src/db/seeds/dev/seed_notes.js
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+//I only want migrations, rollbacks, and seeds to run when the NODE_ENV is specified
+//in the knex seed/migrate command. Knex will error out if it is not specified.
+if (!process.env.NODE_ENV) { return; }
+
 const faker = require('faker')
 
 exports.seed = async function(knex, Promise) {
diff --git a/src/db/seeds/dev/seed_users.js b/src/db/seeds/dev/seed_users.js
index 5b63a9a..eda9a45 100644
--- a/src/db/seeds/dev/seed_users.js
+++ b/src/db/seeds/dev/seed_users.js
@@ -1,7 +1,15 @@
+//I only want migrations, rollbacks, and seeds to run when the NODE_ENV is specified
+//in the knex seed/migrate command. Knex will error out if it is not specified.
+if (!process.env.NODE_ENV) { return; }
+
 const faker = require('faker')
 const bcrypt = require('bcrypt')
 
 exports.seed = async function(knex, Promise) {
+    //I only want migrations, rollbacks, and seeds to run when the NODE_ENV is specified
+    //in the knex seed/migrate command
+    if (!process.env.NODE_ENV) { return; }
+
     //Make 10 users using faker. Note: we're also bcrypting
     //the passwords to make it exactly like the real app. All their
     //passwords will be 'secret'