diff --git a/mautrix_telegram/db/base.py b/mautrix_telegram/db/base.py
index a91cc82c..bbca82a7 100644
--- a/mautrix_telegram/db/base.py
+++ b/mautrix_telegram/db/base.py
@@ -20,11 +20,10 @@ from sqlalchemy import Table
 from sqlalchemy.engine.base import Engine
 from sqlalchemy.engine.result import RowProxy
 from sqlalchemy.sql.base import ImmutableColumnCollection
-from sqlalchemy.ext.declarative import as_declarative
+from sqlalchemy.ext.declarative import declarative_base
 
 
-@as_declarative()
-class Base:
+class BaseBase:
     db = None  # type: Engine
     t = None  # type: Table
     __table__ = None  # type: Table
@@ -55,3 +54,5 @@ class Base:
     def delete(self) -> None:
         with self.db.begin() as conn:
             conn.execute(self.t.delete().where(self._edit_identity))
+
+Base = declarative_base(cls=BaseBase)
diff --git a/mautrix_telegram/scripts/dbms_migrate/__main__.py b/mautrix_telegram/scripts/dbms_migrate/__main__.py
index 72dc1ce6..e9edfffd 100644
--- a/mautrix_telegram/scripts/dbms_migrate/__main__.py
+++ b/mautrix_telegram/scripts/dbms_migrate/__main__.py
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ def log(message, end="\n"):
 
 def connect(to):
     import mautrix_telegram.db.base as base
+    base.Base = declarative_base(cls=base.BaseBase)
     from mautrix_telegram.db import (Portal, Message, UserPortal, User, RoomState, UserProfile,
                                      Contact, Puppet, BotChat, TelegramFile)
     db_engine = sql.create_engine(to)