diff --git a/nova/db/api/alembic.ini b/nova/db/api/alembic.ini
index dd668e67d5..b27c900014 100644
--- a/nova/db/api/alembic.ini
+++ b/nova/db/api/alembic.ini
@@ -11,6 +11,10 @@ script_location = %(here)s/migrations
 # defaults to the current working directory.
 prepend_sys_path = .
 
+# indicates what character is used to split lists of file paths, including
+# version_locations and prepend_sys_path
+path_separator = os
+
 # timezone to use when rendering the date
 # within the migration file as well as the filename.
 # string value is passed to dateutil.tz.gettz()
diff --git a/nova/db/main/alembic.ini b/nova/db/main/alembic.ini
index 3bb8b83c27..6588cc9230 100644
--- a/nova/db/main/alembic.ini
+++ b/nova/db/main/alembic.ini
@@ -11,6 +11,10 @@ script_location = %(here)s/migrations
 # defaults to the current working directory.
 prepend_sys_path = .
 
+# indicates what character is used to split lists of file paths, including
+# version_locations and prepend_sys_path
+path_separator = os
+
 # timezone to use when rendering the date
 # within the migration file as well as the filename.
 # string value is passed to dateutil.tz.gettz()