diff --git a/doc/source/contributor/database_architecture.rst b/doc/source/contributor/database_architecture.rst
index f71063c5ca..c9dab9ff5f 100644
--- a/doc/source/contributor/database_architecture.rst
+++ b/doc/source/contributor/database_architecture.rst
@@ -250,12 +250,6 @@ of an *Image* object.
 Glance Database Backends
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
-Migration Backends
-------------------
-
-.. list-plugins:: glance.database.migration_backend
-   :detailed:
-
 Metadata Backends
 -----------------
 
diff --git a/glance/db/migration.py b/glance/db/migration.py
index 48f3b71f58..9b2151bbb9 100644
--- a/glance/db/migration.py
+++ b/glance/db/migration.py
@@ -19,30 +19,13 @@
 
 """Database setup and migration commands."""
 
-import threading
-
 from oslo_config import cfg
 from oslo_db import options as db_options
-from stevedore import driver
 
 
-_IMPL = None
-_LOCK = threading.Lock()
-
 db_options.set_defaults(cfg.CONF)
 
 
-def get_backend():
-    global _IMPL
-    if _IMPL is None:
-        with _LOCK:
-            if _IMPL is None:
-                _IMPL = driver.DriverManager(
-                    "glance.database.migration_backend",
-                    cfg.CONF.database.backend).driver
-    return _IMPL
-
-
 # Migration-related constants
 EXPAND_BRANCH = 'expand'
 CONTRACT_BRANCH = 'contract'
diff --git a/setup.cfg b/setup.cfg
index 1e77e79e1d..5842114102 100644
--- a/setup.cfg
+++ b/setup.cfg
@@ -56,8 +56,6 @@ oslo.config.opts =
     glance = glance.opts:list_image_import_opts
 oslo.config.opts.defaults =
     glance.api = glance.common.config:set_config_defaults
-glance.database.migration_backend =
-    sqlalchemy = oslo_db.sqlalchemy.migration
 glance.database.metadata_backend =
     sqlalchemy = glance.db.sqlalchemy.metadata