diff --git a/src/dataregistry/db_basic.py b/src/dataregistry/db_basic.py
index 833dafb6..b1a4118b 100644
--- a/src/dataregistry/db_basic.py
+++ b/src/dataregistry/db_basic.py
@@ -182,7 +182,7 @@ def __init__(self, db_connection, get_db_version=True):
                 f"listed tables are {self._metadata.tables}"
                 )
 
-        if prov_name in self._metadata.tables and get_db_version:
+        if get_db_version:
             prov_table = self._metadata.tables[prov_name]
             stmt = select(column("associated_production")).select_from(prov_table)
             stmt = stmt.order_by(prov_table.c.provenance_id.desc())
@@ -206,6 +206,14 @@ def __init__(self, db_connection, get_db_version=True):
             self._db_major = None
             self._db_minor = None
             self._db_patch = None
+            self._prod_schema = None
+
+    @property
+    def is_production_schema(self):
+        if self._prod_schema == self._schema:
+            return True
+        else:
+            return False
 
     @property
     def db_version_major(self):
diff --git a/src/dataregistry/registrar/dataset.py b/src/dataregistry/registrar/dataset.py
index 9b5e8a4a..b10f6793 100644
--- a/src/dataregistry/registrar/dataset.py
+++ b/src/dataregistry/registrar/dataset.py
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@
 
 from dataregistry.db_basic import add_table_row
 from dataregistry.exceptions import DataRegistryRootDirBadState
-from dataregistry.schema import DEFAULT_SCHEMA_PRODUCTION
 from sqlalchemy import select, update
 from functools import wraps
 
@@ -108,7 +107,9 @@ def _validate_register_inputs(
                 raise ValueError("Cannot overwrite production entries")
             if kwargs_dict["version_suffix"] is not None:
                 raise ValueError("Production entries can't have version suffix")
-            if self._schema != DEFAULT_SCHEMA_PRODUCTION and not kwargs_dict["test_production"]:
+            if (not self._metadata_getter.is_production_schema) and (
+                not kwargs_dict["test_production"]
+            ):
                 raise ValueError(
                     "Only the production schema can handle owner_type='production'"
                 )
@@ -117,7 +118,10 @@ def _validate_register_inputs(
             if kwargs_dict["owner"] != "production":
                 raise ValueError("`owner` for production datasets must be 'production'")
         else:
-            if self._schema == DEFAULT_SCHEMA_PRODUCTION or kwargs_dict["test_production"]:
+            if (
+                self._metadata_getter.is_production_schema
+                or kwargs_dict["test_production"]
+            ):
                 raise ValueError(
                     "Only owner_type='production' can go in the production schema"
                 )