diff --git a/ceilometer/alarm/storage/impl_sqlalchemy.py b/ceilometer/alarm/storage/impl_sqlalchemy.py
index e0cc6c9ce..059b41d5f 100644
--- a/ceilometer/alarm/storage/impl_sqlalchemy.py
+++ b/ceilometer/alarm/storage/impl_sqlalchemy.py
@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@ from __future__ import absolute_import
 import os
 
 from oslo.config import cfg
-from oslo.db.sqlalchemy import migration
 from oslo.db.sqlalchemy import session as db_session
 from sqlalchemy import desc
 
@@ -87,6 +86,8 @@ class Connection(base.Connection):
         )
 
     def upgrade(self):
+        # NOTE(gordc): to minimise memory, only import migration when needed
+        from oslo.db.sqlalchemy import migration
         path = os.path.join(os.path.abspath(os.path.dirname(__file__)),
                             '..', '..', 'storage', 'sqlalchemy',
                             'migrate_repo')
diff --git a/ceilometer/storage/impl_sqlalchemy.py b/ceilometer/storage/impl_sqlalchemy.py
index f4d7de023..d1f7671e1 100644
--- a/ceilometer/storage/impl_sqlalchemy.py
+++ b/ceilometer/storage/impl_sqlalchemy.py
@@ -24,7 +24,6 @@ import os
 
 from oslo.config import cfg
 from oslo.db import exception as dbexc
-from oslo.db.sqlalchemy import migration
 from oslo.db.sqlalchemy import session as db_session
 from oslo.utils import timeutils
 import six
@@ -227,6 +226,8 @@ class Connection(base.Connection):
         )
 
     def upgrade(self):
+        # NOTE(gordc): to minimise memory, only import migration when needed
+        from oslo.db.sqlalchemy import migration
         path = os.path.join(os.path.abspath(os.path.dirname(__file__)),
                             'sqlalchemy', 'migrate_repo')
         migration.db_sync(self._engine_facade.get_engine(), path)