diff --git a/src/Orchard.Tests/Data/Migrations/DatabaseMigrationManagerTests.cs b/src/Orchard.Tests/Data/Migrations/DatabaseMigrationManagerTests.cs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..25c7039dd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/Orchard.Tests/Data/Migrations/DatabaseMigrationManagerTests.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,136 @@
+using System;
+using System.Data.SqlClient;
+using System.IO;
+using System.Threading;
+using NUnit.Framework;
+using Orchard.Data.Migrations;
+using Orchard.Environment;
+using Orchard.Tests.Records;
+
+namespace Orchard.Tests.Data.Migrations {
+    [TestFixture]
+    public class DatabaseMigrationManagerTests {
+        private string _tempDataFolder;
+
+        [SetUp]
+        public void Init() {
+            var tempFilePath = Path.GetTempFileName();
+            File.Delete(tempFilePath);
+            Directory.CreateDirectory(tempFilePath);
+            _tempDataFolder = tempFilePath;
+        }
+
+        [TearDown]
+        public void Term() {
+            try { Directory.Delete(_tempDataFolder, true); }
+            catch (IOException) { }
+        }
+
+        private static void CreateSqlServerDatabase(string databasePath) {
+            var databaseName = Path.GetFileNameWithoutExtension(databasePath);
+            using (var connection = new SqlConnection(
+                "Data Source=.\\SQLEXPRESS;Initial Catalog=tempdb;Integrated Security=true;User Instance=True;")) {
+                connection.Open();
+                using (var command = connection.CreateCommand()) {
+                    command.CommandText =
+                        "CREATE DATABASE " + databaseName +
+                        " ON PRIMARY (NAME=" + databaseName +
+                        ", FILENAME='" + databasePath.Replace("'", "''") + "')";
+                    command.ExecuteNonQuery();
+
+                    command.CommandText =
+                        "EXEC sp_detach_db '" + databaseName + "', 'true'";
+                    command.ExecuteNonQuery();
+                }
+            }
+        }
+
+        [Test]
+        public void MigrationManagerShouldCreateEmptySQLiteDatabaseAtGivenLocation() {
+            var manager = (IDatabaseMigrationManager)new DatabaseMigrationManager();
+            var coordinator = manager.CreateCoordinator("SQLite", _tempDataFolder, "");
+
+            coordinator.CreateDatabase();
+
+            Assert.That(File.Exists(Path.Combine(_tempDataFolder, "Orchard.db")), Is.True);
+        }
+
+        [Test, ExpectedException(typeof(NotImplementedException))]
+        public void MigrationManagerShouldNotImplementTheCreationOfSqlServer() {
+            var manager = (IDatabaseMigrationManager)new DatabaseMigrationManager();
+            var coordinator = manager.CreateCoordinator("SqlServer", _tempDataFolder, "");
+
+            coordinator.CreateDatabase();
+
+        }
+
+        [Test]
+        public void CanConnectShouldBeFalseWhenSqlServerIsInvalid() {
+            var manager = (IDatabaseMigrationManager)new DatabaseMigrationManager();
+            var coordinator = manager.CreateCoordinator("SqlServer", _tempDataFolder, "Data Source=.\\SQLEXPRESS;Initial Catalog=Hello");
+            Assert.That(coordinator.CanConnect(), Is.False);
+        }
+
+        [Test]
+        public void CanConnectShouldBeTrueWhenValidSqlServerMdfIsTargetted() {
+            var databasePath = Path.Combine(_tempDataFolder, "Orchard.mdf");
+            CreateSqlServerDatabase(databasePath);
+
+            var manager = (IDatabaseMigrationManager)new DatabaseMigrationManager();
+            var coordinator = manager.CreateCoordinator("SqlServer", _tempDataFolder, "Data Source=.\\SQLEXPRESS;AttachDbFileName=" + databasePath + ";Integrated Security=True;User Instance=True;");
+            Assert.That(coordinator.CanConnect(), Is.True);
+        }
+
+        [Test]
+        public void SQLiteSchemaShouldBeGeneratedAndUsable() {
+            var manager = (IDatabaseMigrationManager) new DatabaseMigrationManager();
+            var coordinator = manager.CreateCoordinator("SQLite", _tempDataFolder, "");
+
+            var recordDescriptors = new[] {
+                new RecordDescriptor {Prefix = "Hello", Type = typeof (Foo)}
+            };
+
+            coordinator.UpdateSchema(recordDescriptors);
+
+            var sessionFactory = coordinator.BuildSessionFactory(recordDescriptors);
+
+            var session = sessionFactory.OpenSession();
+            var foo = new Foo {Name = "hi there"};
+            session.Save(foo);
+            session.Flush();
+            session.Close();
+
+            Assert.That(foo, Is.Not.EqualTo(0));
+
+            sessionFactory.Close();
+
+        }
+
+        [Test]
+        public void SqlServerSchemaShouldBeGeneratedAndUsable() {
+            var databasePath = Path.Combine(_tempDataFolder, "Orchard.mdf");
+            CreateSqlServerDatabase(databasePath);
+
+            var manager = (IDatabaseMigrationManager)new DatabaseMigrationManager();
+            var coordinator = manager.CreateCoordinator("SqlServer", _tempDataFolder, "Data Source=.\\SQLEXPRESS;AttachDbFileName=" + databasePath + ";Integrated Security=True;User Instance=True;");
+
+            var recordDescriptors = new[] {
+                new RecordDescriptor {Prefix = "Hello", Type = typeof (Foo)}
+            };
+
+            coordinator.UpdateSchema(recordDescriptors);
+
+            var sessionFactory = coordinator.BuildSessionFactory(recordDescriptors);
+
+            var session = sessionFactory.OpenSession();
+            var foo = new Foo { Name = "hi there" };
+            session.Save(foo);
+            session.Flush();
+            session.Close();
+
+            Assert.That(foo, Is.Not.EqualTo(0));
+
+            sessionFactory.Close();
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/Orchard.Tests/Orchard.Tests.csproj b/src/Orchard.Tests/Orchard.Tests.csproj
index bb5c16483..fddacf379 100644
--- a/src/Orchard.Tests/Orchard.Tests.csproj
+++ b/src/Orchard.Tests/Orchard.Tests.csproj
@@ -135,6 +135,7 @@
       <SubType>Code</SubType>
     </Compile>
     <Compile Include="DataUtility.cs" />
+    <Compile Include="Data\Migrations\DatabaseMigrationManagerTests.cs" />
     <Compile Include="Data\RepositoryTests.cs" />
     <Compile Include="Data\StubLocator.cs" />
     <Compile Include="Environment\DefaultCompositionStrategyTests.cs" />
diff --git a/src/Orchard/Data/Migrations/DatabaseCoordinatorBase.cs b/src/Orchard/Data/Migrations/DatabaseCoordinatorBase.cs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0d1d3bf66
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/Orchard/Data/Migrations/DatabaseCoordinatorBase.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,88 @@
+using System;
+using System.Collections.Generic;
+using System.Linq;
+using FluentNHibernate.Automapping;
+using FluentNHibernate.Automapping.Alterations;
+using FluentNHibernate.Cfg;
+using FluentNHibernate.Cfg.Db;
+using FluentNHibernate.Conventions.Helpers;
+using NHibernate;
+using NHibernate.Tool.hbm2ddl;
+using Orchard.ContentManagement.Records;
+using Orchard.Data.Conventions;
+using Orchard.Environment;
+
+namespace Orchard.Data.Migrations {
+    public abstract class DatabaseCoordinatorBase : IDatabaseCoordinator {
+        protected abstract IPersistenceConfigurer GetPersistenceConfigurer();
+
+        public virtual bool CanConnect() {
+            try {
+                var sessionFactory = Fluently.Configure()
+                    .Database(GetPersistenceConfigurer())
+                    .BuildSessionFactory();
+                try {
+                    // attempting to open a session validates a connection can be made
+                    var session = sessionFactory.OpenSession();
+                    session.Close();
+                }
+                finally {
+                    sessionFactory.Close();
+                }
+                return true;
+            }
+            catch {
+                return false;
+            }
+        }
+
+        public virtual void CreateDatabase() {
+            // creating a session factory appears to be sufficient for causing a database file to be created for inplace providers
+            var sessionFactory = Fluently.Configure()
+                .Database(GetPersistenceConfigurer())
+                .BuildSessionFactory();
+            sessionFactory.Close();
+        }
+
+        public void UpdateSchema(IEnumerable<RecordDescriptor> recordDescriptors) {
+            var configuration = Fluently.Configure()
+                .Database(GetPersistenceConfigurer())
+                .Mappings(m => m.AutoMappings.Add(CreatePersistenceModel(recordDescriptors)))
+                .BuildConfiguration();
+
+            var updater = new SchemaUpdate(configuration);
+            updater.Execute(true /*script*/, true /*doUpdate*/);
+        }
+
+        public ISessionFactory BuildSessionFactory(IEnumerable<RecordDescriptor> recordDescriptors) {
+            return Fluently.Configure()
+                .Database(GetPersistenceConfigurer())
+                .Mappings(m => m.AutoMappings.Add(CreatePersistenceModel(recordDescriptors)))
+                .BuildSessionFactory();
+        }
+
+        static AutoPersistenceModel CreatePersistenceModel(IEnumerable<RecordDescriptor> recordDescriptors) {
+            return AutoMap.Source(new TypeSource(recordDescriptors))
+                // Ensure that namespaces of types are never auto-imported, so that 
+                // identical type names from different namespaces can be mapped without ambiguity
+                .Conventions.Setup(x => x.Add(AutoImport.Never()))
+                .Conventions.Add(new RecordTableNameConvention(recordDescriptors))
+                .Alterations(alt => {
+                    foreach (var recordAssembly in recordDescriptors.Select(x => x.Type.Assembly).Distinct()) {
+                        alt.Add(new AutoMappingOverrideAlteration(recordAssembly));
+                    }
+                    alt.AddFromAssemblyOf<DataModule>();
+                    alt.Add(new ContentItemAlteration(recordDescriptors));
+                })
+                .Conventions.AddFromAssemblyOf<DataModule>();
+        }
+
+        class TypeSource : ITypeSource {
+            private readonly IEnumerable<RecordDescriptor> _recordDescriptors;
+
+            public TypeSource(IEnumerable<RecordDescriptor> recordDescriptors) { _recordDescriptors = recordDescriptors; }
+
+            public IEnumerable<Type> GetTypes() { return _recordDescriptors.Select(descriptor => descriptor.Type); }
+        }
+    }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/Orchard/Data/Migrations/DatabaseMigrationManager.cs b/src/Orchard/Data/Migrations/DatabaseMigrationManager.cs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..bde875b95
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/Orchard/Data/Migrations/DatabaseMigrationManager.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+using System;
+
+namespace Orchard.Data.Migrations {
+    public class DatabaseMigrationManager : IDatabaseMigrationManager {
+        public IDatabaseCoordinator CreateCoordinator(string provider, string dataFolder, string connectionString) {
+            if (string.Equals(provider, "SQLite", StringComparison.InvariantCultureIgnoreCase))
+                return new SQLiteDatabaseCoordinator(dataFolder, connectionString);
+            return new SqlServerDatabaseCoordinator(dataFolder, connectionString);
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/Orchard/Data/Migrations/IDatabaseCoordinator.cs b/src/Orchard/Data/Migrations/IDatabaseCoordinator.cs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..38239f75f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/Orchard/Data/Migrations/IDatabaseCoordinator.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+using System.Collections.Generic;
+using NHibernate;
+using Orchard.Environment;
+
+namespace Orchard.Data.Migrations {
+    public interface IDatabaseCoordinator {
+        bool CanConnect();
+        void CreateDatabase();
+        
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Should only be called in a development or evaluation environment. Automatic schema migration
+        /// not a really safe practice on production data sources.
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <param name="recordDescriptors">Set of known records to be applied</param>
+        void UpdateSchema(IEnumerable<RecordDescriptor> recordDescriptors);
+
+        ISessionFactory BuildSessionFactory(IEnumerable<RecordDescriptor> recordDescriptors);
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/Orchard/Data/Migrations/IDatabaseMigrationManager.cs b/src/Orchard/Data/Migrations/IDatabaseMigrationManager.cs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..921d7e1fb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/Orchard/Data/Migrations/IDatabaseMigrationManager.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+namespace Orchard.Data.Migrations {
+    public interface IDatabaseMigrationManager {
+        IDatabaseCoordinator CreateCoordinator(string provider, string dataFolder, string connectionString);
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/Orchard/Data/Migrations/SQLiteDatabaseCoordinator.cs b/src/Orchard/Data/Migrations/SQLiteDatabaseCoordinator.cs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..2c90f231c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/Orchard/Data/Migrations/SQLiteDatabaseCoordinator.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+using System.IO;
+using FluentNHibernate.Cfg.Db;
+
+namespace Orchard.Data.Migrations {
+    public class SQLiteDatabaseCoordinator : DatabaseCoordinatorBase {
+        private readonly string _dataFolder;
+        private readonly string _connectionString;
+
+        public SQLiteDatabaseCoordinator(string dataFolder, string connectionString) {
+            _dataFolder = dataFolder;
+            _connectionString = connectionString;
+        }
+
+        protected override IPersistenceConfigurer GetPersistenceConfigurer() {
+            var persistence = SQLiteConfiguration.Standard;
+            if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(_connectionString)) {
+                persistence = persistence.UsingFile(Path.Combine(_dataFolder, "Orchard.db"));
+            }
+            else {
+                persistence = persistence.ConnectionString(_connectionString);
+            }
+            return persistence;
+        }
+
+    }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/Orchard/Data/Migrations/SqlServerDatabaseCoordinator.cs b/src/Orchard/Data/Migrations/SqlServerDatabaseCoordinator.cs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0df8cb0bd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/Orchard/Data/Migrations/SqlServerDatabaseCoordinator.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+using System;
+using FluentNHibernate.Cfg.Db;
+
+namespace Orchard.Data.Migrations {
+    public class SqlServerDatabaseCoordinator : DatabaseCoordinatorBase {
+        private readonly string _dataFolder;
+        private readonly string _connectionString;
+
+        public SqlServerDatabaseCoordinator(string dataFolder, string connectionString) {
+            _dataFolder = dataFolder;
+            _connectionString = connectionString;
+        }
+
+
+        protected override IPersistenceConfigurer GetPersistenceConfigurer() {
+            var persistence = MsSqlConfiguration.MsSql2008;
+            if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(_connectionString)) {
+                throw new NotImplementedException();
+            }
+            else {
+                persistence = persistence.ConnectionString(_connectionString);
+            }
+            return persistence;
+        }
+    }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/Orchard/Orchard.csproj b/src/Orchard/Orchard.csproj
index 5a29de59b..f5d0b0b99 100644
--- a/src/Orchard/Orchard.csproj
+++ b/src/Orchard/Orchard.csproj
@@ -133,6 +133,12 @@
     <Compile Include="ContentManagement\Handlers\RemoveContentContext.cs" />
     <Compile Include="ContentManagement\Handlers\VersionContentContext.cs" />
     <Compile Include="Data\Conventions\RecordTableNameConvention.cs" />
+    <Compile Include="Data\Migrations\DatabaseCoordinatorBase.cs" />
+    <Compile Include="Data\Migrations\DatabaseMigrationManager.cs" />
+    <Compile Include="Data\Migrations\IDatabaseCoordinator.cs" />
+    <Compile Include="Data\Migrations\IDatabaseMigrationManager.cs" />
+    <Compile Include="Data\Migrations\SQLiteDatabaseCoordinator.cs" />
+    <Compile Include="Data\Migrations\SqlServerDatabaseCoordinator.cs" />
     <Compile Include="Environment\Configuration\ShellSettingsLoader.cs" />
     <Compile Include="Environment\ExtensibleInterceptionModule.cs" />
     <Compile Include="Environment\ShellBuilders\DefaultShellContainerFactory.cs" />