diff --git a/db/seeds.rb b/db/seeds.rb
index 29a5191f4..a21966266 100644
--- a/db/seeds.rb
+++ b/db/seeds.rb
@@ -12,5 +12,5 @@
 #   cities = City.create([{ :name => 'Chicago' }, { :name => 'Copenhagen' }])
 #   Mayor.create(:name => 'Daley', :city => citie
 
-require 'config/environment'
+require File.dirname(__FILE__) + '/../../config/environment'
 
diff --git a/db/seeds/backer.rb b/db/seeds/backer.rb
index 20fe90fdf..b80fd794b 100644
--- a/db/seeds/backer.rb
+++ b/db/seeds/backer.rb
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
 #   cities = City.create([{ :name => 'Chicago' }, { :name => 'Copenhagen' }])
 #   Mayor.create(:name => 'Daley', :city => citie
 
-require 'config/environment'
+require File.dirname(__FILE__) + '/../../config/environment'
 
 def create
 
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ def create
   #set pod url
   username = backer_info[backer_number]['username'].gsub(/ /,'').downcase
   set_app_config username
-  require 'config/initializers/_load_app_config.rb'
+  require File.dirname(__FILE__) + '/../../config/initializers/_load_app_config.rb'
 
   # Create seed user
   user = User.instantiate!(:email => "#{username}@#{username}.joindiaspora.com",
diff --git a/db/seeds/dev.rb b/db/seeds/dev.rb
index e2d8a5495..dcbca72aa 100644
--- a/db/seeds/dev.rb
+++ b/db/seeds/dev.rb
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 
 
 
-require 'config/environment'
+require File.dirname(__FILE__) + '/../../config/environment'
 
 def set_app_config username
   current_config = YAML.load(File.read(Rails.root.join('config', 'app_config.yml.example')))
diff --git a/db/seeds/tom.rb b/db/seeds/tom.rb
index cc3000d0b..468667485 100644
--- a/db/seeds/tom.rb
+++ b/db/seeds/tom.rb
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 
 
 
-require 'config/environment'
+require File.dirname(__FILE__) + '/../../config/environment'
 
 def set_app_config username
   current_config = YAML.load(File.read(Rails.root.join('config', 'app_config.yml.example')))