diff --git a/README.rst b/README.rst
index ee1001d..29ef3df 100644
--- a/README.rst
+++ b/README.rst
@@ -50,16 +50,22 @@ Installation
    to specify something like ``.mydomain.com``.  See `Google's
    documentation <http://code.google.com/apis/analytics/docs/gaJS/gaJSApiDomainDirectory.html#_gat.GA_Tracker_._setDomainName>`_ for more info.
 
-3. Wait a day or so for some stats to be recorded in Google
+3. Run the following command from ``src/ckanext-googleanalytics`` to
+   set up the required database tables (of course, altering the
+   ``--config`` option to point to your site config file)::
 
-4. Import Google stats by running the following command from 
+       paster initdb --config=../ckan/development.ini
+
+4. Wait a while for some stats to be recorded in Google
+
+5. Import Google stats by running the following command from 
    ``src/ckanext-googleanalytics``::
 
 	paster loadanalytics --config=../ckan/development.ini
 
    (Of course, pointing config at your specific site config)
 
-5. Look at some stats within CKAN
+6. Look at some stats within CKAN
 
    Once your GA account has gathered some data, you can see some basic
    information about the most popular packages at:
@@ -69,8 +75,8 @@ Installation
    website is on the package page, where number of downloads are
    displayed next to each resource.
 
-6. Consider putting the import command as a daily cron job, or
-   remember to run it by hand!
+7. Consider running the import command reguarly as a cron job, or
+   remember to run it by hand, or your statistics won't get updated.
 
 Testing
 ======= 
diff --git a/ckanext/googleanalytics/commands.py b/ckanext/googleanalytics/commands.py
index 0954f60..e200c3c 100644
--- a/ckanext/googleanalytics/commands.py
+++ b/ckanext/googleanalytics/commands.py
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@ from pylons import config as pylonsconfig
 from ckan.lib.cli import CkanCommand
 from gdata.analytics import client
 import ckan.model as model
-from sqlalchemy.orm import sessionmaker
 
 import dbutil
 
@@ -13,6 +12,24 @@ PACKAGE_URL = '/package/'  # XXX get from routes...
 DEFAULT_RESOURCE_URL_TAG = '/downloads/'
 
 
+class InitDB(CkanCommand):
+    """Initialise the local stats database tables
+    """
+    summary = __doc__.split('\n')[0]
+    usage = __doc__
+    max_args = 0
+    min_args = 0
+
+    def command(self):
+        self._load_config()
+        # funny dance we need to do to make sure we've got a
+        # configured session
+        model.Session.remove()
+        model.Session.configure(bind=model.meta.engine)
+        dbutil.init_tables()
+        log.info("Set up statistics tables in main database")
+
+
 class LoadAnalytics(CkanCommand):
     """Parse data from Google Analytics API and store it in a local
     database
@@ -47,7 +64,6 @@ class LoadAnalytics(CkanCommand):
     def save_ga_data(self, packages_data):
         """Save tuples of packages_data to the database
         """
-        dbutil.init_tables()
         for identifier, visits in packages_data.items():
             recently = visits.get('recent', 0)
             ever = visits.get('ever', 0)
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 53dd9f7..6764221 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -30,5 +30,6 @@ setup(
 
         [paste.paster_command]
         loadanalytics = ckanext.googleanalytics.commands:LoadAnalytics
+        initdb = ckanext.googleanalytics.commands:InitDB
 	""",
 )
diff --git a/tests/test_general.py b/tests/test_general.py
index a3b9fad..1913a60 100644
--- a/tests/test_general.py
+++ b/tests/test_general.py
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ from ckan.tests import conf_dir, url_for, CreateTestData
 
 from mockgoogleanalytics import runmockserver
 from ckanext.googleanalytics.commands import LoadAnalytics
+from ckanext.googleanalytics.commands import InitDB
 from ckanext.googleanalytics import dbutil
 from ckanext.googleanalytics.gasnippet import gacode
 
@@ -73,6 +74,7 @@ class xTestLoadCommand(TestCase):
         assert code in response.body
 
     def test_top_packages(self):
+        InitDB("initdb").run([]) # set up database tables
         command = LoadAnalytics("loadanalytics")
         command.TEST_HOST = MockClient('localhost', 6969)
         command.CONFIG = self.config
@@ -83,6 +85,7 @@ class xTestLoadCommand(TestCase):
         self.assertEquals(resources[0][1], 4)
 
     def test_download_count_inserted(self):
+        InitDB("initdb").run([]) # set up database tables
         command = LoadAnalytics("loadanalytics")
         command.TEST_HOST = MockClient('localhost', 6969)
         command.CONFIG = self.config