python - heroku django south does not appear to use migrations -

i'm having trouble django south migrations. may related how we've laid our project out working previously, , works fine locally.

i pushed new code last night contained migration in my_app app. in local environment...

$ ./manage.py migrate --list socialaccount (*) 0001_initial (*) 0002_genericmodels (*) 0003_auto__add_unique_socialaccount_uid_provider (*) 0004_add_sites (*) 0005_set_sites (*) 0006_auto__del_field_socialapp_site (*) 0007_auto__add_field_socialapp_client_id (*) 0008_client_id (*) 0009_auto__add_field_socialtoken_expires_at (*) 0010_auto__chg_field_socialtoken_token (*) 0011_auto__chg_field_socialtoken_token payments (*) 0001_initial users (*) 0001_initial my_app (*) 0001_initial (*) 0002_auto__add_organizerapplication 

in heroku, doesn't recognize my_app app migrations. when attempt migrate app....

$ heroku run my_app/manage.py migrate my_app --app=my_app  running my_app/manage.py migrate my_app attached terminal... up, run.5016 app 'my_app' not appear use migrations. ./manage.py migrate [appname] [migrationname|zero] [--all] [--list] [--skip] [--merge] [--no-initial-data] [--fake] [--db-dry-run] [--database=dbalias] 

if list migrations, you'll notice my_app isn't listed...

$ heroku run my_app/manage.py migrate --list --app=my_app  running my_app/manage.py migrate --list attached terminal... up, run.8264  socialaccount (*) 0001_initial (*) 0002_genericmodels (*) 0003_auto__add_unique_socialaccount_uid_provider (*) 0004_add_sites (*) 0005_set_sites (*) 0006_auto__del_field_socialapp_site (*) 0007_auto__add_field_socialapp_client_id (*) 0008_client_id (*) 0009_auto__add_field_socialtoken_expires_at (*) 0010_auto__chg_field_socialtoken_token (*) 0011_auto__chg_field_socialtoken_token payments (*) 0001_initial users (*) 0001_initial 

i'm not sure it's relevant my_app listed in installed_apps when check.

update

the issue particular migrations dir missing __init__.py. running commands convert_to_south through heroku don't impact local file changes don't stick. pushing repo again file got migrations recognized. had fake first migration , good.

make sure have init.py file in migrations folder of app want migrate. south work locally, not in production on heroku. copy init.py file 1 of apps, , put migrations folder app getting error for. push change production, , migrate.