diff --git a/tools/scripts/seed-exams/create-exams.js b/tools/scripts/seed-exams/create-exams.js
index 4dcd79366f6..47262aea754 100755
--- a/tools/scripts/seed-exams/create-exams.js
+++ b/tools/scripts/seed-exams/create-exams.js
@@ -24,11 +24,6 @@ const examFilenames = [
 
 const client = new MongoClient(MONGOHQ_URL, { useUnifiedTopology: true });
 
-log('Connected successfully to mongo');
-
-const db = client.db('freecodecamp');
-const exams = db.collection('Exam');
-
 function handleError(err, client) {
   if (err) {
     console.error('Oh noes!! Error seeding exams.');
@@ -45,6 +40,11 @@ function handleError(err, client) {
 }
 
 const seed = async () => {
+  await client.db('admin').command({ ping: 1 });
+  log('Connected successfully to mongo');
+
+  const db = client.db('freecodecamp');
+  const exams = db.collection('Exam');
   for (const filename of examFilenames) {
     try {
       const examPath = join(__dirname, 'exams', filename);
diff --git a/tools/scripts/seed/seed-demo-user.js b/tools/scripts/seed/seed-demo-user.js
index ffa2df98ee5..3be7d938073 100644
--- a/tools/scripts/seed/seed-demo-user.js
+++ b/tools/scripts/seed/seed-demo-user.js
@@ -243,7 +243,7 @@ const dropUsers = async function () {
 };
 
 const run = async () => {
-  await client.connect();
+  await client.db('admin').command({ ping: 1 });
   log('Connected successfully to mongo');
 
   await dropUserTokens();
diff --git a/tools/scripts/seed/seed-ms-username.js b/tools/scripts/seed/seed-ms-username.js
index 8b989234d30..cd871ae5252 100644
--- a/tools/scripts/seed/seed-ms-username.js
+++ b/tools/scripts/seed/seed-ms-username.js
@@ -44,12 +44,12 @@ const certifiedUserAccount = {
 
 const client = new MongoClient(MONGOHQ_URL, { useNewUrlParser: true });
 
-log('Connected successfully to mongo');
-
-const db = client.db('freecodecamp');
-const msUsername = db.collection('MsUsername');
-
 const run = async () => {
+  await client.db('admin').command({ ping: 1 });
+  log('Connected successfully to mongo');
+
+  const db = client.db('freecodecamp');
+  const msUsername = db.collection('MsUsername');
   if (args.includes('--delete-only')) {
     await msUsername.deleteOne({
       _id: { $eq: msAccountId }
diff --git a/tools/scripts/seed/seed-surveys.js b/tools/scripts/seed/seed-surveys.js
index 2afdc581abc..730a3df0a12 100644
--- a/tools/scripts/seed/seed-surveys.js
+++ b/tools/scripts/seed/seed-surveys.js
@@ -74,12 +74,13 @@ const certifiedUserSurvey = {
 
 const client = new MongoClient(MONGOHQ_URL, { useNewUrlParser: true });
 
-log('Connected successfully to mongo');
-
-const db = client.db('freecodecamp');
-const survey = db.collection('Survey');
-
 const run = async () => {
+  await client.db('admin').command({ ping: 1 });
+  log('Connected successfully to mongo');
+
+  const db = client.db('freecodecamp');
+  const survey = db.collection('Survey');
+
   await survey.deleteMany({
     _id: {
       $in: surveyIds