diff --git a/db/up/define_environment_in_db.sql b/db/up/define_environment_in_db.sql
index d05c9ef74..a419e8c8a 100644
--- a/db/up/define_environment_in_db.sql
+++ b/db/up/define_environment_in_db.sql
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
 -- https://jamkazam.atlassian.net/browse/VRFS-1951
 -- we need to know the environment in the database for advanced behaviors
-ALTER TABLE generic_state ADD COLUMN environment VARCHAR(255) NOT NULL DEFAULT 'development';
\ No newline at end of file
+ALTER TABLE generic_state ADD COLUMN env VARCHAR(255) NOT NULL DEFAULT 'development';
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/ruby/lib/jam_ruby/models/generic_state.rb b/ruby/lib/jam_ruby/models/generic_state.rb
index 9390a58c2..546006794 100644
--- a/ruby/lib/jam_ruby/models/generic_state.rb
+++ b/ruby/lib/jam_ruby/models/generic_state.rb
@@ -4,11 +4,11 @@ module JamRuby
 
     self.table_name = 'generic_state'
 
-    validates :environment, :inclusion => {:in => ['development', 'staging', 'production', 'test']}
+    validates :env, :inclusion => {:in => ['development', 'staging', 'production', 'test']}
 
     def self.allow_emails?
 
-      database_environment = singleton.environment
+      database_environment = singleton.env
 
       # if the database says we are in production/staging, then the config has to also agree and say we are in production/staging to send emails
       # this is to protect against developers loading a staging or production environment and possibly sending emails to
diff --git a/ruby/spec/jam_ruby/models/generic_state_spec.rb b/ruby/spec/jam_ruby/models/generic_state_spec.rb
index 7fdb0137c..671daeaba 100644
--- a/ruby/spec/jam_ruby/models/generic_state_spec.rb
+++ b/ruby/spec/jam_ruby/models/generic_state_spec.rb
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ describe GenericState do
 
   def database_env (env)
     singleton = GenericState.singleton
-    singleton.environment = env
+    singleton.env = env
     singleton.save!
   end
 
diff --git a/web/spec/spec_helper.rb b/web/spec/spec_helper.rb
index f92c77a43..d02e69c97 100644
--- a/web/spec/spec_helper.rb
+++ b/web/spec/spec_helper.rb
@@ -28,7 +28,6 @@ bputs "before db_config load"
 db_config = YAML::load(File.open('config/database.yml'))["test"]
 # initialize ActiveRecord's db connection\
 
-
 bputs "before recreate db"
 SpecDb::recreate_database(db_config)