diff --git a/mediagoblin/db/base.py b/mediagoblin/db/base.py
index 699a503..bd4738b 100644
--- a/mediagoblin/db/base.py
+++ b/mediagoblin/db/base.py
@@ -29,10 +29,6 @@ class GMGTableBase(object):
         return cls.query.filter_by(**query_dict)
 
     @classmethod
-    def find_one(cls, query_dict):
-        return cls.query.filter_by(**query_dict).first()
-
-    @classmethod
     def one(cls, query_dict):
         return cls.find(query_dict).one()
 
diff --git a/mediagoblin/decorators.py b/mediagoblin/decorators.py
index ece222f..ca7be53 100644
--- a/mediagoblin/decorators.py
+++ b/mediagoblin/decorators.py
@@ -87,8 +87,8 @@ def user_may_alter_collection(controller):
     """
     @wraps(controller)
     def wrapper(request, *args, **kwargs):
-        creator_id = request.db.User.find_one(
-            {'username': request.matchdict['user']}).id
+        creator_id = request.db.User.query.filter_by(
+            username=request.matchdict['user']).first().id
         if not (request.user.is_admin or
                 request.user.id == creator_id):
             raise Forbidden()
@@ -162,15 +162,15 @@ def get_user_collection(controller):
     """
     @wraps(controller)
     def wrapper(request, *args, **kwargs):
-        user = request.db.User.find_one(
-            {'username': request.matchdict['user']})
+        user = request.db.User.query.filter_by(
+            username=request.matchdict['user']).first()
 
         if not user:
             return render_404(request)
 
-        collection = request.db.Collection.find_one(
-            {'slug': request.matchdict['collection'],
-             'creator': user.id})
+        collection = request.db.Collection.query.filter_by(
+            slug=request.matchdict['collection'],
+            creator=user.id).first()
 
         # Still no collection?  Okay, 404.
         if not collection:
@@ -187,14 +187,14 @@ def get_user_collection_item(controller):
     """
     @wraps(controller)
     def wrapper(request, *args, **kwargs):
-        user = request.db.User.find_one(
-            {'username': request.matchdict['user']})
+        user = request.db.User.query.filter_by(
+            username=request.matchdict['user']).first()
 
         if not user:
             return render_404(request)
 
-        collection_item = request.db.CollectionItem.find_one(
-            {'id': request.matchdict['collection_item'] })
+        collection_item = request.db.CollectionItem.query.filter_by(
+            id=request.matchdict['collection_item']).first()
 
         # Still no collection item?  Okay, 404.
         if not collection_item:
diff --git a/mediagoblin/edit/views.py b/mediagoblin/edit/views.py
index 7a8d618..6aa2acd 100644
--- a/mediagoblin/edit/views.py
+++ b/mediagoblin/edit/views.py
@@ -305,9 +305,9 @@ def edit_collection(request, collection):
                 form.slug.data, collection.id)
 
         # Make sure there isn't already a Collection with this title
-        existing_collection = request.db.Collection.find_one({
-                'creator': request.user.id,
-                'title':form.title.data})
+        existing_collection = request.db.Collection.query.filter_by(
+                creator=request.user.id,
+                title=form.title.data).first()
 
         if existing_collection and existing_collection.id != collection.id:
             messages.add_message(
diff --git a/mediagoblin/submit/views.py b/mediagoblin/submit/views.py
index 64e6791..11d0d06 100644
--- a/mediagoblin/submit/views.py
+++ b/mediagoblin/submit/views.py
@@ -133,9 +133,9 @@ def add_collection(request, media=None):
         collection.generate_slug()
 
         # Make sure this user isn't duplicating an existing collection
-        existing_collection = request.db.Collection.find_one({
-                'creator': request.user.id,
-                'title':collection.title})
+        existing_collection = request.db.Collection.query.filter_by(
+                creator=request.user.id,
+                title=collection.title).first()
 
         if existing_collection:
             add_message(request, messages.ERROR,
diff --git a/mediagoblin/tests/test_auth.py b/mediagoblin/tests/test_auth.py
index 5bd8bf2..61503d3 100644
--- a/mediagoblin/tests/test_auth.py
+++ b/mediagoblin/tests/test_auth.py
@@ -93,8 +93,8 @@ def test_register_views(test_app):
     assert 'mediagoblin/user_pages/user.html' in template.TEMPLATE_TEST_CONTEXT
 
     ## Make sure user is in place
-    new_user = mg_globals.database.User.find_one(
-        {'username': u'happygirl'})
+    new_user = mg_globals.database.User.query.filter_by(
+        username=u'happygirl').first()
     assert new_user
     assert new_user.status == u'needs_email_verification'
     assert new_user.email_verified == False
@@ -128,8 +128,8 @@ def test_register_views(test_app):
 
     # assert context['verification_successful'] == True
     # TODO: Would be good to test messages here when we can do so...
-    new_user = mg_globals.database.User.find_one(
-        {'username': u'happygirl'})
+    new_user = mg_globals.database.User.query.filter_by(
+        username=u'happygirl').first()
     assert new_user
     assert new_user.status == u'needs_email_verification'
     assert new_user.email_verified == False
@@ -142,8 +142,8 @@ def test_register_views(test_app):
         'mediagoblin/user_pages/user.html']
     # assert context['verification_successful'] == True
     # TODO: Would be good to test messages here when we can do so...
-    new_user = mg_globals.database.User.find_one(
-        {'username': u'happygirl'})
+    new_user = mg_globals.database.User.query.filter_by(
+        username=u'happygirl').first()
     assert new_user
     assert new_user.status == u'active'
     assert new_user.email_verified == True
diff --git a/mediagoblin/tests/test_edit.py b/mediagoblin/tests/test_edit.py
index acc638d..d70d047 100644
--- a/mediagoblin/tests/test_edit.py
+++ b/mediagoblin/tests/test_edit.py
@@ -190,8 +190,8 @@ class TestUserEdit(object):
         assert urlparse.urlsplit(res.location)[2] == '/'
 
         # Email shouldn't be saved
-        email_in_db = mg_globals.database.User.find_one(
-            {'email': 'new@example.com'})
+        email_in_db = mg_globals.database.User.query.filter_by(
+            email='new@example.com').first()
         email = User.query.filter_by(username='chris').first().email
         assert email_in_db is None
         assert email == 'chris@example.com'
diff --git a/mediagoblin/tests/test_openid.py b/mediagoblin/tests/test_openid.py
index c85f631..bba46db 100644
--- a/mediagoblin/tests/test_openid.py
+++ b/mediagoblin/tests/test_openid.py
@@ -186,8 +186,8 @@ class TestOpenIDPlugin(object):
             openid_plugin_app.get('/auth/logout')
 
             # Get user and detach from session
-            test_user = mg_globals.database.User.find_one({
-                'username': u'chris'})
+            test_user = mg_globals.database.User.query.filter_by(
+                username=u'chris').first()
             Session.expunge(test_user)
 
             # Log back in
@@ -314,8 +314,8 @@ class TestOpenIDPlugin(object):
             assert 'mediagoblin/edit/edit_account.html' in template.TEMPLATE_TEST_CONTEXT
 
             # OpenID Added?
-            new_openid = mg_globals.database.OpenIDUserURL.find_one(
-                {'openid_url': u'http://add.myopenid.com'})
+            new_openid = mg_globals.database.OpenIDUserURL.query.filter_by(
+                openid_url=u'http://add.myopenid.com').first()
             assert new_openid
 
         _test_add()
@@ -365,8 +365,8 @@ class TestOpenIDPlugin(object):
             assert 'mediagoblin/edit/edit_account.html' in template.TEMPLATE_TEST_CONTEXT
 
             # OpenID deleted?
-            new_openid = mg_globals.database.OpenIDUserURL.find_one(
-                {'openid_url': u'http://add.myopenid.com'})
+            new_openid = mg_globals.database.OpenIDUserURL.query.filter_by(
+                openid_url=u'http://add.myopenid.com').first()
             assert not new_openid
 
         _test_delete(self, test_user)
diff --git a/mediagoblin/tests/test_submission.py b/mediagoblin/tests/test_submission.py
index 162b2d1..45678a4 100644
--- a/mediagoblin/tests/test_submission.py
+++ b/mediagoblin/tests/test_submission.py
@@ -240,8 +240,8 @@ class TestSubmission:
 
         request = context['request']
 
-        media = request.db.MediaEntry.find_one({
-            u'title': u'UNIQUE_TITLE_PLS_DONT_CREATE_OTHER_MEDIA_WITH_THIS_TITLE'})
+        media = request.db.MediaEntry.query.filter_by(
+            title=u'UNIQUE_TITLE_PLS_DONT_CREATE_OTHER_MEDIA_WITH_THIS_TITLE').first()
 
         assert media.media_type == 'mediagoblin.media_types.image'
 
@@ -252,7 +252,7 @@ class TestSubmission:
         response, context = self.do_post({'title': title}, do_follow=True,
                                          **self.upload_data(filename))
         self.check_url(response, '/u/{0}/'.format(self.test_user.username))
-        entry = mg_globals.database.MediaEntry.find_one({'title': title})
+        entry = mg_globals.database.MediaEntry.query.filter_by(title=title).first()
         assert entry.state == 'failed'
         assert entry.fail_error == u'mediagoblin.processing:BadMediaFail'
 
diff --git a/mediagoblin/tests/tools.py b/mediagoblin/tests/tools.py
index 2584c62..98361ad 100644
--- a/mediagoblin/tests/tools.py
+++ b/mediagoblin/tests/tools.py
@@ -164,7 +164,7 @@ def assert_db_meets_expected(db, expected):
     for collection_name, collection_data in expected.iteritems():
         collection = db[collection_name]
         for expected_document in collection_data:
-            document = collection.find_one({'id': expected_document['id']})
+            document = collection.query.filter_by(id=expected_document['id']).first()
             assert document is not None  # make sure it exists
             assert document == expected_document  # make sure it matches
 
