diff --git a/scripts/upgrade_appservice_db.py b/scripts/upgrade_appservice_db.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..acdee56d9f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/upgrade_appservice_db.py
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+import argparse
+import json
+import sqlite3
+
+
+def main(dbname):
+    con = sqlite3.connect(dbname)
+    cur = con.cursor()
+    cur.execute("SELECT id, regex FROM application_services_regex")
+    for row in cur.fetchall():
+        try:
+            print "checking %s..." % row[0]
+            json.loads(row[1])
+            print "Already in new format"
+        except ValueError:
+            # row isn't in json, make it so.
+            string_regex = row[1]
+            new_regex = json.dumps({
+                "regex": string_regex,
+                "exclusive": True
+            })
+            cur.execute(
+                "UPDATE application_services_regex SET regex=? WHERE id=?",
+                (new_regex, row[0])
+            )
+    cur.close()
+    con.commit()
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser()
+
+    parser.add_argument("database")
+    args = parser.parse_args()
+
+    main(args.database)