diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 4b3d7071..ace3c347 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -107,11 +107,11 @@ You can also force all defined rounds to be open by setting the environment vari
 To seed fund & round data to db
 
 ```
-docker exec -ti <fund_store_container_id> scripts/load_cof_r2.py
+docker exec -ti <fund_store_container_id> python -m scripts.load_cof_r2
 
 ```
 ```
-docker exec -ti <fund_store_container_id> scripts/load_cof_r3w1.py
+docker exec -ti <fund_store_container_id> python -m scripts.load_cof_r3w1
 
 ```
 To amend the round dates
diff --git a/scripts/load_cof_r2.py b/scripts/load_cof_r2.py
index 62dce226..792912c8 100644
--- a/scripts/load_cof_r2.py
+++ b/scripts/load_cof_r2.py
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env python3
 # flake8: noqa
-from app import app  # noqa: E402
 from config import Config  # noqa: E402
 from db.queries import insert_application_sections
 from db.queries import insert_assessment_sections
@@ -51,7 +50,7 @@ def create_sections(path_prefix, round_id, forms_config):
     # assessment_result = insert_assessment_sections(cof_form_config.COF_ROUND_2_ID, assessment_config)
 
 
-with app.app_context():
+def main() -> None:
 
     # -- load fund and rounds --
     fund_config = {
@@ -134,3 +133,10 @@ def create_sections(path_prefix, round_id, forms_config):
         cof_form_config.COF_R2_ORDERED_FORMS_CONFIG,
     )
     create_sections("1", cof_form_config.COF_ROUND_2_W3_ID, None)
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    from app import app
+
+    with app.app_context():
+        main()
diff --git a/scripts/load_cof_r3w1.py b/scripts/load_cof_r3w1.py
index 02ab528d..4ad1c5d4 100644
--- a/scripts/load_cof_r3w1.py
+++ b/scripts/load_cof_r3w1.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-from app import app  # noqa: E402
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
 from db.queries import insert_application_sections
 from db.queries import insert_fund_data
 from db.queries import insert_round_data
@@ -183,7 +183,8 @@
     }
 ]
 
-with app.app_context():
+
+def main() -> None:
     print("Inserting fund and round data.")
     insert_fund_data(fund_config)
     insert_round_data(round_config)
@@ -194,3 +195,10 @@
     insert_application_sections(
         COF_ROUND_3_WINDOW_1_ID, sorted_application_r3w1_sections
     )
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    from app import app
+
+    with app.app_context():
+        main()