diff --git a/pillar/application/__init__.py b/pillar/application/__init__.py
index 58467059..bc76d834 100644
--- a/pillar/application/__init__.py
+++ b/pillar/application/__init__.py
@@ -207,6 +207,41 @@ app.on_fetched_item_notifications += before_returning_item_notifications
 app.on_fetched_resource_notifications += before_returning_resource_notifications
 
 
+@app.before_first_request
+def setup_db_indices():
+    """Adds missing database indices.
+
+    This does NOT drop and recreate existing indices,
+    nor does it reconfigure existing indices.
+    If you want that, drop them manually first.
+    """
+
+    log.debug('Adding missing database indices.')
+
+    import pymongo
+
+    db = app.data.driver.db
+
+    coll = db['tokens']
+    coll.create_index([('user', pymongo.ASCENDING)])
+    coll.create_index([('token', pymongo.ASCENDING)])
+
+    coll = db['notifications']
+    coll.create_index([('user', pymongo.ASCENDING)])
+
+    coll = db['activities-subscriptions']
+    coll.create_index([('context_object', pymongo.ASCENDING)])
+
+    coll = db['nodes']
+    # This index is used for queries on project, and for queries on
+    # the combination (project, node type).
+    coll.create_index([('project', pymongo.ASCENDING),
+                       ('node_type', pymongo.ASCENDING)])
+    coll.create_index([('parent', pymongo.ASCENDING)])
+    coll.create_index([('short_codes', pymongo.ASCENDING)],
+                      sparse=True, unique=True)
+
+
 # The encoding module (receive notification and report progress)
 from modules.encoding import encoding
 from modules.blender_id import blender_id
diff --git a/pillar/manage.py b/pillar/manage.py
index d211a9b6..ccaaf2f3 100755
--- a/pillar/manage.py
+++ b/pillar/manage.py
@@ -146,29 +146,16 @@ def setup_db(admin_email):
 def setup_db_indices():
     """Adds missing database indices."""
 
+    from application import setup_db_indices
+
     import pymongo
 
     log.info('Adding missing database indices.')
     log.warning('This does NOT drop and recreate existing indices, '
                 'nor does it reconfigure existing indices. '
                 'If you want that, drop them manually first.')
-    db = app.data.driver.db
-    coll = db['tokens']
-    coll.create_index([('user', pymongo.ASCENDING)])
-    coll.create_index([('token', pymongo.ASCENDING)])
 
-    coll = db['notifications']
-    coll.create_index([('user', pymongo.ASCENDING)])
-
-    coll = db['activities-subscriptions']
-    coll.create_index([('context_object', pymongo.ASCENDING)])
-
-    coll = db['nodes']
-    # This index is used for queries on project, and for queries on
-    # the combination (project, node type).
-    coll.create_index([('project', pymongo.ASCENDING),
-                       ('node_type', pymongo.ASCENDING)])
-    coll.create_index([('parent', pymongo.ASCENDING)])
+    setup_db_indices()
 
     coll_names = db.collection_names(include_system_collections=False)
     for coll_name in sorted(coll_names):