diff --git a/app/models/mixins/miq_web_server_worker_mixin.rb b/app/models/mixins/miq_web_server_worker_mixin.rb
index da0eefe20b1..82c50d49a44 100644
--- a/app/models/mixins/miq_web_server_worker_mixin.rb
+++ b/app/models/mixins/miq_web_server_worker_mixin.rb
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ def preload_for_console
     end
 
     def preload_for_worker_role
+      raise "Expected database to be seeded via `rake db:seed`." unless EvmDatabase.seeded_primordially?
       configure_secret_token
     end
 
diff --git a/lib/evm_database.rb b/lib/evm_database.rb
index b07c60bac7e..0b364837d2b 100644
--- a/lib/evm_database.rb
+++ b/lib/evm_database.rb
@@ -78,8 +78,26 @@ def self.seed_rest
     seed(OTHER_SEEDABLE_CLASSES)
   end
 
+  # Returns whether or not a primordial seed has completed.
+  def self.seeded_primordially?
+    # While not technically accurate, as someone could just insert a record
+    # directly, this is the simplest check at the moment to guess whether or not
+    # a primordial seed has completed.
+    MiqDatabase.any? && MiqRegion.in_my_region.any?
+  end
+
+  # Returns whether or not a full seed has completed.
+  def self.seeded?
+    # While not technically accurate, as someone could just insert a record
+    # directly, this is the simplest check at the moment to guess whether or not
+    # a full seed has completed.
+    #
+    # MiqAction was chosen because it cannot be added by a user directly.
+    seeded_primordially? && MiqAction.in_my_region.any?
+  end
+
   def self.skip_seeding?
-    ENV['SKIP_SEEDING'] && MiqDatabase.any?
+    ENV['SKIP_SEEDING'] && seeded_primordially?
   end
   private_class_method :skip_seeding?
 
diff --git a/lib/vmdb/initializer.rb b/lib/vmdb/initializer.rb
index 1f1e7c08faa..4556bd98ea8 100644
--- a/lib/vmdb/initializer.rb
+++ b/lib/vmdb/initializer.rb
@@ -7,9 +7,6 @@ def self.init
       #   * command line(rails server)
       #   * debugger
       if defined?(Rails::Server)
-        # preload_for_worker_role depends on seeding, principally MiqDatabase
-        EvmDatabase.seed_primordial
-
         MiqUiWorker.preload_for_worker_role
         MiqServer.my_server.starting_server_record
         MiqServer.my_server.update(:status => "started")
diff --git a/spec/lib/evm_database_spec.rb b/spec/lib/evm_database_spec.rb
index d8e305e6441..c5aa95e3328 100644
--- a/spec/lib/evm_database_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/evm_database_spec.rb
@@ -73,6 +73,46 @@
     end
   end
 
+  def simulate_primordial_seed
+    described_class.seed(["MiqDatabase", "MiqRegion"])
+  end
+
+  def simulate_full_seed
+    described_class.seed(["MiqDatabase", "MiqRegion", "MiqAction"])
+  end
+
+  describe ".seeded_primordially?" do
+    it "when not seeded" do
+      expect(EvmDatabase.seeded_primordially?).to be false
+    end
+
+    it "when seeded primordially" do
+      simulate_primordial_seed
+      expect(EvmDatabase.seeded_primordially?).to be true
+    end
+
+    it "when fully seeded" do
+      simulate_full_seed
+      expect(EvmDatabase.seeded_primordially?).to be true
+    end
+  end
+
+  describe ".seeded?" do
+    it "when not seeded" do
+      expect(EvmDatabase.seeded?).to be false
+    end
+
+    it "when seeded primordially" do
+      simulate_primordial_seed
+      expect(EvmDatabase.seeded?).to be false
+    end
+
+    it "when fully seeded" do
+      simulate_full_seed
+      expect(EvmDatabase.seeded?).to be true
+    end
+  end
+
   describe ".skip_seeding? (private)" do
     it "will not skip when SKIP_SEEDING is not set" do
       expect(ENV).to receive(:[]).with("SKIP_SEEDING").and_return(nil)
@@ -85,7 +125,7 @@
     end
 
     it "will skip when SKIP_SEEDING is set and the database is seeded" do
-      MiqDatabase.seed
+      simulate_primordial_seed
       expect(ENV).to receive(:[]).with("SKIP_SEEDING").and_return("true")
       expect(described_class.send(:skip_seeding?)).to be_truthy
     end