diff --git a/archivebox/index/__init__.py b/archivebox/index/__init__.py
index 53ce3f26..4f4ac3d4 100644
--- a/archivebox/index/__init__.py
+++ b/archivebox/index/__init__.py
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@ from ..util import (
     ExtendedEncoder,
 )
 from ..config import (
-    setup_django,
     ARCHIVE_DIR_NAME,
     SQL_INDEX_FILENAME,
     JSON_INDEX_FILENAME,
@@ -246,7 +245,6 @@ def write_main_index(links: List[Link], out_dir: Path=OUTPUT_DIR) -> None:
 @enforce_types
 def load_main_index(out_dir: Path=OUTPUT_DIR, warn: bool=True) -> List[Link]:
     """parse and load existing index with any new links from import_path merged in"""
-    setup_django(out_dir, check_db=True)
     from core.models import Snapshot
     try:
         return Snapshot.objects.all()