diff --git a/jupyterhub/orm.py b/jupyterhub/orm.py
index fb7e656c..0966414f 100644
--- a/jupyterhub/orm.py
+++ b/jupyterhub/orm.py
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ class Server(Base):
                     if e.errno == errno.ECONNREFUSED:
                         return False
                     else:
-                       	raise
+                        raise
                 else:
                     return True
             elif e.errno == errno.ECONNREFUSED:
diff --git a/jupyterhub/user.py b/jupyterhub/user.py
index 071e0380..66b3a944 100644
--- a/jupyterhub/user.py
+++ b/jupyterhub/user.py
@@ -85,6 +85,7 @@ class User(HasTraits):
         if self.orm_user:
             id = self.orm_user.id
             self.orm_user = new.query(orm.User).filter(orm.User.id==id).first()
+        self.spawner.db = self.db
     
     orm_user = None
     spawner = None
@@ -177,6 +178,8 @@ class User(HasTraits):
         # wait for spawner.start to return
         try:
             f = spawner.start()
+            # commit any changes in spawner.start (always commit db changes before yield)
+            db.commit()
             yield gen.with_timeout(timedelta(seconds=spawner.start_timeout), f)
         except Exception as e:
             if isinstance(e, gen.TimeoutError):