diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 153e001..4a82424 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 ### 0.4.2
 
 - Use `pathlib` for path resolving. (#89)
+- Fix upgrade in new db. (#96)
 
 ### 0.4.1
 
diff --git a/aerich/cli.py b/aerich/cli.py
index 3c41d2a..f348072 100644
--- a/aerich/cli.py
+++ b/aerich/cli.py
@@ -81,6 +81,8 @@ async def cli(ctx: Context, config, app, name):
         ctx.obj["app"] = app
         Migrate.app = app
         if invoked_subcommand != "init-db":
+            if not Path(location, app).exists():
+                raise UsageError("You must exec init-db first", ctx=ctx)
             await Migrate.init_with_old_models(tortoise_config, app, location)
 
 
@@ -123,7 +125,7 @@ async def upgrade(ctx: Context):
             click.secho(f"Success upgrade {version_file}", fg=Color.green)
             migrated = True
     if not migrated:
-        click.secho("No migrate items", fg=Color.yellow)
+        click.secho("No items to be migrated", fg=Color.yellow)
 
 
 @cli.command(help="Downgrade to specified version.")
diff --git a/aerich/utils.py b/aerich/utils.py
index b4bb636..b500ab9 100644
--- a/aerich/utils.py
+++ b/aerich/utils.py
@@ -65,10 +65,13 @@ def get_version_content_from_file(version_file: str) -> Dict:
     with open(version_file, "r", encoding="utf-8") as f:
         content = f.read()
         first = content.index(_UPGRADE)
-        second = content.index(_DOWNGRADE)
+        try:
+            second = content.index(_DOWNGRADE)
+        except ValueError:
+            second = len(content) - 1
         upgrade_content = content[first + len(_UPGRADE) : second].strip()  # noqa:E203
         downgrade_content = content[second + len(_DOWNGRADE) :].strip()  # noqa:E203
-        ret = {"upgrade": upgrade_content.split("\n"), "downgrade": downgrade_content.split("\n")}
+        ret = {"upgrade": upgrade_content.split(";\n"), "downgrade": downgrade_content.split(";\n")}
         return ret
 
 
@@ -85,7 +88,10 @@ def write_version_file(version_file: str, content: Dict):
         if len(upgrade) > 1:
             f.write(";\n".join(upgrade) + ";\n")
         else:
-            f.write(f"{upgrade[0]};\n")
+            f.write(f"{upgrade[0]}")
+            if not upgrade[0].endswith(";"):
+                f.write(";")
+            f.write("\n")
         downgrade = content.get("downgrade")
         if downgrade:
             f.write(_DOWNGRADE)