diff --git a/inventory/group_vars/notifs-backend b/inventory/group_vars/notifs-backend
index 23dcaf5620..d21c71f969 100644
--- a/inventory/group_vars/notifs-backend
+++ b/inventory/group_vars/notifs-backend
@@ -20,6 +20,13 @@ fedmsg_certs:
 - service: shell
   owner: root
   group: sysadmin
+  # The shell cert needs to be allowed to send these too so it can do alembic
+  # upgrades that trigger messages.
+  can_send:
+  - fmn.filter.update
+  - fmn.preference.update
+  - fmn.rule.update
+  - fmn.confirmation.update
 - service: fmn
   owner: root
   group: fedmsg
diff --git a/inventory/group_vars/notifs-backend-stg b/inventory/group_vars/notifs-backend-stg
index 0ff8e0a515..fd1079858a 100644
--- a/inventory/group_vars/notifs-backend-stg
+++ b/inventory/group_vars/notifs-backend-stg
@@ -16,6 +16,13 @@ fedmsg_certs:
 - service: shell
   owner: root
   group: sysadmin
+  # The shell cert needs to be allowed to send these too so it can do alembic
+  # upgrades that trigger messages.
+  can_send:
+  - fmn.filter.update
+  - fmn.preference.update
+  - fmn.rule.update
+  - fmn.confirmation.update
 - service: fmn
   owner: root
   group: fedmsg