diff --git a/files/gitlab-cookbooks/gitlab/libraries/helper.rb b/files/gitlab-cookbooks/gitlab/libraries/helper.rb
index a2eefe1..254652e 100644
--- a/files/gitlab-cookbooks/gitlab/libraries/helper.rb
+++ b/files/gitlab-cookbooks/gitlab/libraries/helper.rb
@@ -76,12 +76,22 @@ class OmnibusHelper
     File.symlink?("/opt/gitlab/service/#{service_name}") && service_up?(service_name)
   end
 
+  def self.not_listening?(service_name)
+    File.exists?("/opt/gitlab/service/#{service_name}/down") && service_down?(service_name)
+  end
+
   def self.service_up?(service_name)
     o = Mixlib::ShellOut.new("/opt/gitlab/bin/gitlab-ctl status #{service_name}")
     o.run_command
     o.exitstatus == 0
   end
 
+  def self.service_down?(service_name)
+    o = Mixlib::ShellOut.new("/opt/gitlab/bin/gitlab-ctl status #{service_name}")
+    o.run_command
+    o.exitstatus == 3
+  end
+
 end
 
 module SingleQuoteHelper
diff --git a/files/gitlab-cookbooks/gitlab/recipes/gitlab-rails.rb b/files/gitlab-cookbooks/gitlab/recipes/gitlab-rails.rb
index 66fa5c3..7f1bd46 100644
--- a/files/gitlab-cookbooks/gitlab/recipes/gitlab-rails.rb
+++ b/files/gitlab-cookbooks/gitlab/recipes/gitlab-rails.rb
@@ -44,6 +44,9 @@ dependent_services = []
 dependent_services << "service[unicorn]" if OmnibusHelper.should_notify?("unicorn")
 dependent_services << "service[sidekiq]" if OmnibusHelper.should_notify?("sidekiq")
 
+redis_not_listening = OmnibusHelper.not_listening("redis")
+postgresql_not_listening = OmnibusHelper.not_listening("postgresql")
+
 template_symlink File.join(gitlab_rails_etc_dir, "secret") do
   link_from File.join(gitlab_rails_source_dir, ".secret")
   source "secret_token.erb"
@@ -92,7 +95,9 @@ template_symlink File.join(gitlab_rails_etc_dir, "gitlab.yml") do
   mode "0644"
   variables(node['gitlab']['gitlab-rails'].to_hash)
   restarts dependent_services
-  notifies :run, 'execute[clear the gitlab-rails cache]'
+  unless redis_not_listening
+    notifies :run, 'execute[clear the gitlab-rails cache]'
+  end
 end
 
 template_symlink File.join(gitlab_rails_etc_dir, "rack_attack.rb") do
@@ -131,8 +136,8 @@ end
 # Only run `rake db:migrate` when the gitlab-rails version has changed
 remote_file File.join(gitlab_rails_dir, 'VERSION') do
   source "file:///opt/gitlab/embedded/service/gitlab-rails/VERSION"
-  notifies :run, 'execute[migrate database]'
-  notifies :run, 'execute[clear the gitlab-rails cache]'
+  notifies :run, 'execute[migrate database]' unless postgresql_not_listening
+  notifies :run, 'execute[clear the gitlab-rails cache]' unless redis_not_listening
 end
 
 execute "chown -R #{node['gitlab']['user']['username']} /opt/gitlab/embedded/service/gitlab-rails/public"
--
libgit2 0.21.2