diff --git a/glance/api/v1/upload_utils.py b/glance/api/v1/upload_utils.py
index bfdd264f76..a4710ee76b 100644
--- a/glance/api/v1/upload_utils.py
+++ b/glance/api/v1/upload_utils.py
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ def upload_data_to_store(req, image_meta, image_data, store, notifier):
     """
     image_id = image_meta['id']
 
-    db_api = glance.db.get_api()
+    db_api = glance.db.get_api(v1_mode=True)
     image_size = image_meta.get('size')
 
     try:
diff --git a/glance/db/__init__.py b/glance/db/__init__.py
index 914fe2a3b0..238c163e13 100644
--- a/glance/db/__init__.py
+++ b/glance/db/__init__.py
@@ -36,10 +36,26 @@ CONF.import_opt('image_size_cap', 'glance.common.config')
 CONF.import_opt('metadata_encryption_key', 'glance.common.config')
 
 
-def get_api():
-    api = importutils.import_module(CONF.data_api)
+def get_api(v1_mode=False):
+    """
+    When using v2_registry with v2_api or alone, it is essential that the opt
+    'data_api' be set to 'glance.db.registry.api'. This requires us to
+    differentiate what this method returns as the db api. i.e., we do not want
+    to return 'glance.db.registry.api' for a call from v1 api.
+    Reference bug #1516706
+    """
+    if v1_mode:
+        # prevent v1_api from talking to v2_registry.
+        if CONF.data_api == 'glance.db.simple.api':
+            api = importutils.import_module(CONF.data_api)
+        else:
+            api = importutils.import_module('glance.db.sqlalchemy.api')
+    else:
+        api = importutils.import_module(CONF.data_api)
+
     if hasattr(api, 'configure'):
         api.configure()
+
     return api
 
 
diff --git a/glance/tests/unit/test_db.py b/glance/tests/unit/test_db.py
index 28c50afbc8..55ff0b1388 100644
--- a/glance/tests/unit/test_db.py
+++ b/glance/tests/unit/test_db.py
@@ -55,6 +55,11 @@ class TestDbUtilities(test_utils.BaseTestCase):
         import_module.assert_called_once_with('silly pants')
         self.assertFalse(hasattr(self.api, 'configure'))
 
+    def test_get_api_calls_for_v1_api(self, import_module):
+        api = glance.db.get_api(v1_mode=True)
+        self.assertNotEqual(api, self.api)
+        import_module.assert_called_once_with('glance.db.sqlalchemy.api')
+        api.configure.assert_called_once_with()
 
 UUID1 = 'c80a1a6c-bd1f-41c5-90ee-81afedb1d58d'
 UUID2 = 'a85abd86-55b3-4d5b-b0b4-5d0a6e6042fc'