diff --git a/modules/instrument_manager/php/instrument_manager.class.inc b/modules/instrument_manager/php/instrument_manager.class.inc
index fbdba12be12..0581271a843 100644
--- a/modules/instrument_manager/php/instrument_manager.class.inc
+++ b/modules/instrument_manager/php/instrument_manager.class.inc
@@ -75,7 +75,6 @@ class Instrument_Manager extends \DataFrameworkMenu
      */
     protected function handlePOST(ServerRequestInterface $request): ResponseInterface
     {
-        $loris = $request->getAttribute('loris');
         // Ensure the user is allowed to upload.
         if (! $request->getAttribute('user')->hasPermission(
             'instrument_manager_write'
@@ -94,7 +93,6 @@ class Instrument_Manager extends \DataFrameworkMenu
         $filename      = $uploaded_file->getClientFilename();
         $instrument    = pathinfo($filename)['filename'];
         $targetdir     = new \SplFileInfo($this->_path . 'project/instruments/');
-        $fullpath      = $targetdir->getPathname() . '/' . $filename;
 
         if ($this->instrumentExists($instrument)) {
             // An instrument with this name already exists in the test_names
@@ -128,37 +126,33 @@ class Instrument_Manager extends \DataFrameworkMenu
             return $response;
         }
 
-        // Scripts in tools/ often make relative imports, so we must change
-        // our effective directory in order to use them.
-        chdir($this->_path . "/tools");
-        // Use tools/ script to generate an SQL patch file based on the
-        // structure of the uploaded .linst file.
-        exec(
-            'php generate_tables_sql_and_testNames.php < '
-            . escapeshellarg($fullpath)
-        );
-
-        if (!$this->isAdminUserConfigured()) {
-            // If no adminUser is configured, automatic installation is not
-            // possible, so this is the last step.
-            return new \LORIS\Http\Response\JSON\OK(
-                ['success' => self::UPLOAD_NO_INSTALL]
-            );
-        }
-
-        // Install the instrument by directly sourcing the SQL file
-        // generated by `generate_tables_sql_and_testNames.php` using bash.
-        // If installation is successful, `exec` will complete
-        // silently. Otherwise, it will return the exit code and error
-        // messsage from MySQL. This will be stored in $result and
-        // logged via LorisException.
         try {
-            $table_name = \NDB_BVL_Instrument::factory(
+
+            $inst = \NDB_BVL_Instrument::factory(
                 $this->loris,
                 $instrument,
                 '',
                 '',
-            )->table;
+            );
+
+            $DB = $this->loris->getDatabaseConnection();
+            $DB->insert(
+                "test_names",
+                [
+                    'test_name' => $instrument,
+                    'Full_name' => $inst->getFullName(),
+                    'Sub_group' => 1,
+                ]
+            );
+            file_put_contents(
+                \Utility::pathJoin(
+                    $targetdir->getPath(),
+                    $targetdir->getFilename(),
+                    $instrument . ".meta"
+                ),
+                "jsondata{@}true\n"
+            );
+
         } catch (\NotFound $e) {
             return (new \LORIS\Http\Response\JSON\NotFound(
                 $e->getMessage()
@@ -168,34 +162,6 @@ class Instrument_Manager extends \DataFrameworkMenu
                 $e->getMessage()
             );
         }
-
-        $db_config = $loris->getConfiguration()->getSetting('database');
-        exec(
-            "mysql".
-            " -h" . escapeshellarg($db_config['host']).
-            " -u" . escapeshellarg($db_config['adminUser']).
-            " -p" . escapeshellarg($db_config['adminPassword']).
-            " " . escapeshellarg($db_config['database']).
-            " < " . $this->_path . "project/tables_sql/".
-            escapeshellarg($table_name . '.sql'),
-            $output, // $output and $status are created automatically
-            $status  // by `exec` and so need not be declared above.
-        );
-        // An exit code of 0 is a success and 1 means failure
-        if ($status) {
-            $this->logger->error(
-                "The installation of $instrument.sql failed. "
-                . "Either: the instrument table exists (but is not in the "
-                . "test_names table), or "
-                . "LORIS could not connect to the database using the "
-                . "credentials supplied in the config file. "
-                . "Exec output: `" . implode("\n", $output) . "`"
-            );
-            return new \LORIS\Http\Response\JSON\InternalServerError(
-                self::UPLOAD_INSTALL_FAILED
-            );
-        }
-
         return new \LORIS\Http\Response\JSON\Created(["ok"=>"ok"]);
     }
     /**
@@ -232,7 +198,6 @@ class Instrument_Manager extends \DataFrameworkMenu
         return [
             'allPermissionCodes' => $perms,
             'writable'           => $this->canWriteFiles(),
-            'caninstall'         => $this->isAdminUserConfigured()
         ];
 
     }
@@ -255,49 +220,10 @@ class Instrument_Manager extends \DataFrameworkMenu
     {
         $this->_path    =  $this->loris->getConfiguration()->getSetting('base');
         $instrument_dir = $this->_path . 'project/instruments';
-        $table_dir      = $this->_path . 'project/tables_sql';
 
-        return is_writable($instrument_dir) && is_writable($table_dir);
+        return is_writable($instrument_dir);
     }
-    /**
-     * Return whether the adminUser is properly configured, ie. credentials are
-     * set and are valid.
-     * The adminUser is a MySQL user with CREATE table permissions.
-     * `empty` is used instead of `isset` as blank values in the config file
-     * are still considered set.
-     *
-     * @return bool True if a adminUser is configured properly. False if not.
-     */
-    protected function isAdminUserConfigured() : bool
-    {
-        $db        = $this->loris->getDatabaseConnection();
-        $db_config = $this->loris->getConfiguration()->getSetting('database');
 
-        $credentials_set = !empty($db_config['adminUser'])
-            && !empty($db_config['adminPassword']);
-        if (!$credentials_set) {
-            return false;
-        }
-        // Check if supplied credentials are valid by making a DB connection.
-        // If the credentials are invalid, an error message will be logged to
-        // the backend.
-        try {
-            $dbname = $db_config['database'];
-            putenv("LORIS_{$dbname}_USERNAME=" . $db_config['adminUser']);
-            putenv("LORIS_{$dbname}_PASSWORD=" . $db_config['adminPassword']);
-            putenv("LORIS_{$dbname}_HOST=" . $db_config['host']);
-            $connected = $db->connect(
-                $dbname,
-                false
-            );
-            putenv("LORIS_{$dbname}_USERNAME=");
-            putenv("LORIS_{$dbname}_PASSWORD=");
-            putenv("LORIS_{$dbname}_HOST=");
-        } catch (\DatabaseException $e) {
-            $connected = false;
-        }
-        return $connected;
-    }
     /**
      * Checks the test_names table for the existence of the instrument
      *