diff --git a/services/git-bridge/src/main/java/uk/ac/ic/wlgitbridge/application/GitBridgeApp.java b/services/git-bridge/src/main/java/uk/ac/ic/wlgitbridge/application/GitBridgeApp.java
index 5c909c3da3..f354ceb0f2 100644
--- a/services/git-bridge/src/main/java/uk/ac/ic/wlgitbridge/application/GitBridgeApp.java
+++ b/services/git-bridge/src/main/java/uk/ac/ic/wlgitbridge/application/GitBridgeApp.java
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ public class GitBridgeApp implements Runnable {
 
     public static final int EXIT_CODE_FAILED = 1;
     private static final String USAGE_MESSAGE =
-            "usage: writelatex-git-bridge config_file";
+            "usage: writelatex-git-bridge [config_file]";
 
     private String configFilePath;
     Config config;
diff --git a/services/git-bridge/src/main/java/uk/ac/ic/wlgitbridge/bridge/Bridge.java b/services/git-bridge/src/main/java/uk/ac/ic/wlgitbridge/bridge/Bridge.java
index e010ba274d..2e98d546ec 100644
--- a/services/git-bridge/src/main/java/uk/ac/ic/wlgitbridge/bridge/Bridge.java
+++ b/services/git-bridge/src/main/java/uk/ac/ic/wlgitbridge/bridge/Bridge.java
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ import uk.ac.ic.wlgitbridge.snapshot.push.PushResult;
 import uk.ac.ic.wlgitbridge.snapshot.push.exception.*;
 import uk.ac.ic.wlgitbridge.util.Log;
 
+import java.io.File;
 import java.io.IOException;
 import java.sql.Timestamp;
 import java.time.LocalDateTime;
@@ -114,6 +115,33 @@ public class Bridge {
         swapJob.start();
     }
 
+    public void checkDB() {
+        Log.info("Checking DB");
+        File rootDir = repoStore.getRootDirectory();
+        for (File f : rootDir.listFiles()) {
+            if (f.getName().equals(".wlgb")) {
+                continue;
+            }
+            String projName = f.getName();
+            try (LockGuard __ = lock.lockGuard(projName)) {
+                File dotGit = new File(f, ".git");
+                if (!dotGit.exists()) {
+                    Log.warn("Project: {} has no .git", projName);
+                    continue;
+                }
+                ProjectState state = dbStore.getProjectState(projName);
+                if (state != ProjectState.NOT_PRESENT) {
+                    continue;
+                }
+                Log.warn("Project: {} not in swap_store, adding", projName);
+                dbStore.setLastAccessedTime(
+                        projName,
+                        new Timestamp(dotGit.lastModified())
+                );
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
     public boolean projectExists(
             Credential oauth2,
             String projectName
diff --git a/services/git-bridge/src/main/java/uk/ac/ic/wlgitbridge/server/GitBridgeServer.java b/services/git-bridge/src/main/java/uk/ac/ic/wlgitbridge/server/GitBridgeServer.java
index 4458192afa..1a294443bd 100644
--- a/services/git-bridge/src/main/java/uk/ac/ic/wlgitbridge/server/GitBridgeServer.java
+++ b/services/git-bridge/src/main/java/uk/ac/ic/wlgitbridge/server/GitBridgeServer.java
@@ -82,6 +82,7 @@ public class GitBridgeServer {
      */
     public void start() {
         try {
+            bridge.checkDB();
             jettyServer.start();
             bridge.startSwapJob();
             Log.info(Util.getServiceName() + "-Git Bridge server started");