diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index f0417f5e..9e1cab7c 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -51,9 +51,9 @@ Microservice to manage CRUD operations for all things Projects.
   ```bash
   NODE_ENV=development npm run sync:db
   ```
- This command will crate tables in `postgres` db.
+  This command will crate tables in `postgres` db.
 
- *NOTE: this will drop tables if they already exist.*
+  *NOTE: this will drop tables if they already exist.*
 
 * Sync ES indices
   ```bash
@@ -72,9 +72,11 @@ Microservice to manage CRUD operations for all things Projects.
 
 ### Import sample metadata
 ```bash
-node migrations/seedMetadata.js
+CONNECT_USER_TOKEN=<connect user token> node migrations/seedMetadata.js
 ```
-To create sample metadata entries (duplicate what is currently in development environment).
+This command will create sample metadata entries in the DB (duplicate what is currently in development environment).
+
+To retrieve data from DEV env we need to provide a valid user token. You may login to http://connect.topcoder-dev.com and find the Bearer token in the request headers using browser dev tools.
 
 ### Run Connect App with Project Service locally
 
diff --git a/migrations/seedMetadata.js b/migrations/seedMetadata.js
index 431daa8f..6309fe21 100644
--- a/migrations/seedMetadata.js
+++ b/migrations/seedMetadata.js
@@ -3,19 +3,31 @@ const _ = require('lodash')
 const axios = require('axios');
 const Promise = require('bluebird');
 
+if (!process.env.CONNECT_USER_TOKEN) {
+  console.error('This script requires environment variable CONNECT_USER_TOKEN to be defined. Login to http://connect.topcoder-dev.com and get your user token from the requests headers.')
+  exit(1);
+}
+
+// we need to know any logged in Connect user token to retrieve data from DEV
+const CONNECT_USER_TOKEN = process.env.CONNECT_USER_TOKEN;
 
 var url = 'https://api.topcoder-dev.com/v4/projects/metadata';
 var targetUrl = 'http://localhost:8001/v4/';
 var destUrl = targetUrl + 'projects/';
 var destTimelines = targetUrl;
 
-axios.get(url)
+axios.get(url, {
+  headers: {
+    'Content-Type': 'application/json',
+    'Authorization': `Bearer ${CONNECT_USER_TOKEN}`
+  }
+})
   .then(async function (response) {
     let data = response.data;
 
     var headers = {
       'Content-Type': 'application/json',
-      'Authorization': 'Bearer eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJyb2xlcyI6WyJUb3Bjb2RlciBVc2VyIiwiYWRtaW5pc3RyYXRvciJdLCJpc3MiOiJodHRwczovL2FwaS50b3Bjb2Rlci1kZXYuY29tIiwiaGFuZGxlIjoidGVzdDEiLCJleHAiOjI1NjMwNzY2ODksInVzZXJJZCI6IjQwMDUxMzMzIiwiaWF0IjoxNDYzMDc2MDg5LCJlbWFpbCI6InRlc3RAdG9wY29kZXIuY29tIiwianRpIjoiYjMzYjc3Y2QtYjUyZS00MGZlLTgzN2UtYmViOGUwYWU2YTRhIn0.wKWUe0-SaiFVN-VR_-GwgFlvWaDkSbc8H55ktb9LAVw' 
+      'Authorization': 'Bearer eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJyb2xlcyI6WyJUb3Bjb2RlciBVc2VyIiwiYWRtaW5pc3RyYXRvciJdLCJpc3MiOiJodHRwczovL2FwaS50b3Bjb2Rlci1kZXYuY29tIiwiaGFuZGxlIjoidGVzdDEiLCJleHAiOjI1NjMwNzY2ODksInVzZXJJZCI6IjQwMDUxMzMzIiwiaWF0IjoxNDYzMDc2MDg5LCJlbWFpbCI6InRlc3RAdG9wY29kZXIuY29tIiwianRpIjoiYjMzYjc3Y2QtYjUyZS00MGZlLTgzN2UtYmViOGUwYWU2YTRhIn0.wKWUe0-SaiFVN-VR_-GwgFlvWaDkSbc8H55ktb9LAVw'
     }
 
 
@@ -62,11 +74,9 @@ axios.get(url)
         .catch(e=>resolve()); //ignore the error
       })
     });
-    
-
 
     // handle success
     console.log('Done');
   }).catch(err=>{
-    console.log(err);
+    console.log(err && err.response ? err.response.data : err);
   });