diff --git a/cps/config_sql.py b/cps/config_sql.py
index 6e1ff54e..6e13489d 100644
--- a/cps/config_sql.py
+++ b/cps/config_sql.py
@@ -21,15 +21,16 @@ from __future__ import division, print_function, unicode_literals
 import os
 import sys
 
-from sqlalchemy import exc, Column, String, Integer, SmallInteger, Boolean, BLOB, JSON
+from sqlalchemy import Column, String, Integer, SmallInteger, Boolean, BLOB, JSON
 from sqlalchemy.exc import OperationalError
+from sqlalchemy.sql.expression import text
 try:
     # Compatibility with sqlalchemy 2.0
     from sqlalchemy.orm import declarative_base
 except ImportError:
     from sqlalchemy.ext.declarative import declarative_base
 
-from . import constants, cli, logger, ub
+from . import constants, cli, logger
 
 
 log = logger.create()
@@ -368,17 +369,17 @@ def _migrate_table(session, orm_class):
                     column_default = ""
                 else:
                     if isinstance(column.default.arg, bool):
-                        column_default = ("DEFAULT %r" % int(column.default.arg))
+                        column_default = "DEFAULT {}".format(int(column.default.arg))
                     else:
-                        column_default = ("DEFAULT '%r'" % column.default.arg)
+                        column_default = "DEFAULT `{}`".format(column.default.arg)
                 if isinstance(column.type, JSON):
                     column_type = "JSON"
                 else:
                     column_type = column.type
-                alter_table = "ALTER TABLE %s ADD COLUMN `%s` %s %s" % (orm_class.__tablename__,
+                alter_table = text("ALTER TABLE %s ADD COLUMN `%s` %s %s" % (orm_class.__tablename__,
                                                                         column_name,
                                                                         column_type,
-                                                                        column_default)
+                                                                        column_default))
                 log.debug(alter_table)
                 session.execute(alter_table)
                 changed = True