diff --git a/tools/update-prod-static b/tools/update-prod-static
index 6d7816853f..b967084c34 100755
--- a/tools/update-prod-static
+++ b/tools/update-prod-static
@@ -11,18 +11,20 @@ from scripts.lib.setup_path import setup_path
 setup_path()
 
 # check for the venv
+from scripts.lib.zulip_tools import assert_not_running_as_root, run
 from tools.lib import sanity_check
 
 sanity_check.check_venv(__file__)
+assert_not_running_as_root()
+
+import django
 
 os.environ["DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE"] = "zproject.settings"
+django.setup()
+
 from django.conf import settings
 
 from scripts.lib.node_cache import setup_node_modules
-from scripts.lib.zulip_tools import assert_not_running_as_root, run
-
-assert_not_running_as_root()
-
 
 os.chdir(settings.DEPLOY_ROOT)