diff --git a/tracks/db/migrate/013_convert_preferences.rb b/tracks/db/migrate/013_convert_preferences.rb
index b23a9f5f..df76aeb6 100644
--- a/tracks/db/migrate/013_convert_preferences.rb
+++ b/tracks/db/migrate/013_convert_preferences.rb
@@ -3,47 +3,43 @@ class ConvertPreferences < ActiveRecord::Migration
   class User < ActiveRecord::Base; has_one :preference; serialize :preferences; end
 
   def self.up
-    ActiveRecord::Base.transaction do
-      @users = User.find(:all)
-      @users.each do |user|
-        user.create_preference
-        user.preference.date_format = user.preferences['date_format']
-        user.preference.week_starts = user.preferences['week_starts']
-        user.preference.show_number_completed = user.preferences['no_completed']
-        user.preference.staleness_starts = user.preferences['staleness_starts']
-        user.preference.show_completed_projects_in_sidebar = user.preferences['show_completed_projects_in_sidebar']
-        user.preference.show_hidden_contexts_in_sidebar = user.preferences['show_hidden_contexts_in_sidebar']
-        user.preference.due_style = user.preferences['due_style']
-        user.preference.admin_email = user.preferences['admin_email']
-        user.preference.refresh = user.preferences['refresh']
-        
-        if user.preference.refresh.blank?
-          user.preference.refresh = 0
-        end
-        
-        user.preference.save!
+    @users = User.find(:all)
+    @users.each do |user|
+      user.create_preference
+      user.preference.date_format = user.preferences['date_format']
+      user.preference.week_starts = user.preferences['week_starts']
+      user.preference.show_number_completed = user.preferences['no_completed']
+      user.preference.staleness_starts = user.preferences['staleness_starts']
+      user.preference.show_completed_projects_in_sidebar = user.preferences['show_completed_projects_in_sidebar']
+      user.preference.show_hidden_contexts_in_sidebar = user.preferences['show_hidden_contexts_in_sidebar']
+      user.preference.due_style = user.preferences['due_style']
+      user.preference.admin_email = user.preferences['admin_email']
+      user.preference.refresh = user.preferences['refresh']
+      
+      if user.preference.refresh.blank?
+        user.preference.refresh = 0
       end
-      remove_column :users, :preferences
+      
+      user.preference.save!
     end
+    remove_column :users, :preferences
   end
 
   def self.down
-    ActiveRecord::Base.transaction do
-      add_column :users, :preferences, :text
-      @users = User.find(:all)
-      @users.each do |user|
-        user.preferences = { "date_format" => "#{user.preference.date_format}",
-                              "week_starts" => "#{user.preference.week_starts}",
-                              "no_completed" => "#{user.preference.show_number_completed}",
-                              "staleness_starts" => "#{user.preference.staleness_starts}",
-                              "show_completed_projects_in_sidebar" => "#{user.preference.show_completed_projects_in_sidebar}",
-                              "show_hidden_contexts_in_sidebar" => "#{user.preference.show_hidden_contexts_in_sidebar}",
-                              "due_style" => "#{user.preference.due_style}",
-                              "admin_email" => "#{user.preference.admin_email}",
-                              "refresh" => "#{user.preference.refresh}"
-                              }
-        user.save
-      end
+    add_column :users, :preferences, :text
+    @users = User.find(:all)
+    @users.each do |user|
+      user.preferences = { "date_format" => "#{user.preference.date_format}",
+                            "week_starts" => "#{user.preference.week_starts}",
+                            "no_completed" => "#{user.preference.show_number_completed}",
+                            "staleness_starts" => "#{user.preference.staleness_starts}",
+                            "show_completed_projects_in_sidebar" => "#{user.preference.show_completed_projects_in_sidebar}",
+                            "show_hidden_contexts_in_sidebar" => "#{user.preference.show_hidden_contexts_in_sidebar}",
+                            "due_style" => "#{user.preference.due_style}",
+                            "admin_email" => "#{user.preference.admin_email}",
+                            "refresh" => "#{user.preference.refresh}"
+                            }
+      user.save
     end
   end
 end
diff --git a/tracks/db/migrate/014_convert_project_to_state_machine.rb b/tracks/db/migrate/014_convert_project_to_state_machine.rb
index cf7aa6be..48b5c21d 100644
--- a/tracks/db/migrate/014_convert_project_to_state_machine.rb
+++ b/tracks/db/migrate/014_convert_project_to_state_machine.rb
@@ -3,26 +3,22 @@ class ConvertProjectToStateMachine < ActiveRecord::Migration
   class Project < ActiveRecord::Base; end
 
   def self.up
-    ActiveRecord::Base.transaction do
-      add_column :projects, :state, :string, :limit => 20, :default => "active", :null => false
-      @projects = Project.find(:all)
-      @projects.each do |project|
-        project.state = project.done? ? 'completed' : 'active'
-        project.save
-      end
-      remove_column :projects, :done
+    add_column :projects, :state, :string, :limit => 20, :default => "active", :null => false
+    @projects = Project.find(:all)
+    @projects.each do |project|
+      project.state = project.done? ? 'completed' : 'active'
+      project.save
     end
+    remove_column :projects, :done
   end
 
   def self.down
-    ActiveRecord::Base.transaction do
-      add_column :projects, :done, :integer, :limit => 4, :default => 0, :null => false
-      @projects = Project.find(:all)
-      @projects.each do |project|
-        project.done = project.state == 'completed'
-        project.save
-      end
-      remove_column :projects, :state
+    add_column :projects, :done, :integer, :limit => 4, :default => 0, :null => false
+    @projects = Project.find(:all)
+    @projects.each do |project|
+      project.done = project.state == 'completed'
+      project.save
     end
+    remove_column :projects, :state
   end
 end
diff --git a/tracks/db/migrate/019_convert_todo_to_state_machine.rb b/tracks/db/migrate/019_convert_todo_to_state_machine.rb
index 597770e5..5bc50d61 100644
--- a/tracks/db/migrate/019_convert_todo_to_state_machine.rb
+++ b/tracks/db/migrate/019_convert_todo_to_state_machine.rb
@@ -6,39 +6,35 @@ class ConvertTodoToStateMachine < ActiveRecord::Migration
   class Project < ActiveRecord::Base; end
 
   def self.up
-    ActiveRecord::Base.transaction do
-      add_column :todos, :state, :string, :limit => 20, :default => "immediate", :null => false
-      @todos = Todo.find(:all)
-      @todos.each do |todo|
-        if todo.done?
-          todo.state = 'completed'
-        elsif todo.type == 'Deferred'
-          todo.state = 'deferred'
-        elsif !todo.project.nil? && todo.project.state == 'hidden'
-          todo.state = 'project_hidden'
-        else
-          todo.state = 'active'
-        end
-        todo.save
+    add_column :todos, :state, :string, :limit => 20, :default => "immediate", :null => false
+    @todos = Todo.find(:all)
+    @todos.each do |todo|
+      if todo.done?
+        todo.state = 'completed'
+      elsif todo.type == 'Deferred'
+        todo.state = 'deferred'
+      elsif !todo.project.nil? && todo.project.state == 'hidden'
+        todo.state = 'project_hidden'
+      else
+        todo.state = 'active'
       end
-      rename_column :todos, :completed, :completed_at
-      remove_column :todos, :done
-      remove_column :todos, :type
+      todo.save
     end
+    rename_column :todos, :completed, :completed_at
+    remove_column :todos, :done
+    remove_column :todos, :type
   end
 
   def self.down
-    ActiveRecord::Base.transaction do
-      add_column :todos, :done, :integer, :limit => 4, :default => 0, :null => false
-      add_column :todos, :type, :string, :default => "Immediate", :null => false
-      rename_column :todos, :completed_at, :completed
-      @todos = Todo.find(:all)
-      @todos.each do |todo|
-        todo.done = todo.state == 'completed'
-        todo.type = todo.type == 'deferred' ? 'Deferred' : 'Immediate'
-        todo.save
-      end
-      remove_column :todos, :state
+    add_column :todos, :done, :integer, :limit => 4, :default => 0, :null => false
+    add_column :todos, :type, :string, :default => "Immediate", :null => false
+    rename_column :todos, :completed_at, :completed
+    @todos = Todo.find(:all)
+    @todos.each do |todo|
+      todo.done = todo.state == 'completed'
+      todo.type = todo.type == 'deferred' ? 'Deferred' : 'Immediate'
+      todo.save
     end
+    remove_column :todos, :state
   end
 end