diff --git a/migrations/users/20181023_veteran_pet_ladder.js b/migrations/users/20181023_veteran_pet_ladder.js
index c70cd028c7..4f33820bba 100644
--- a/migrations/users/20181023_veteran_pet_ladder.js
+++ b/migrations/users/20181023_veteran_pet_ladder.js
@@ -8,23 +8,25 @@ let count = 0;
 async function updateUser (user) {
   count++;
 
-  user.migration = MIGRATION_NAME;
+  const set = {};
+
+  set.migration = MIGRATION_NAME;
 
   if (user.items.pets['Bear-Veteran']) {
-    user.items.pets['Fox-Veteran'] = 5;
+    set['items.pets.Fox-Veteran'] = 5;
   } else if (user.items.pets['Lion-Veteran']) {
-    user.items.pets['Bear-Veteran'] = 5;
+    set['items.pets.Bear-Veteran'] = 5;
   } else if (user.items.pets['Tiger-Veteran']) {
-    user.items.pets['Lion-Veteran'] = 5;
+    set['items.pets.Lion-Veteran'] = 5;
   } else if (user.items.pets['Wolf-Veteran']) {
-    user.items.pets['Tiger-Veteran'] = 5;
+    set['items.pets.Tiger-Veteran'] = 5;
   } else {
-    user.items.pets['Wolf-Veteran'] = 5;
+    set['items.pets.Wolf-Veteran'] = 5;
   }
 
   if (count % progressCount === 0) console.warn(`${count} ${user._id}`);
 
-  return await user.save();
+  return await User.update({_id: user._id}, {$set: set}).exec();
 }
 
 module.exports = async function processUsers () {
@@ -46,6 +48,7 @@ module.exports = async function processUsers () {
       .limit(250)
       .sort({_id: 1})
       .select(fields)
+      .lean()
       .exec();
 
     if (users.length === 0) {