diff --git a/Command/CreateDatabaseDoctrineCommand.php b/Command/CreateDatabaseDoctrineCommand.php
index d6be565ac..f48cc57f0 100644
--- a/Command/CreateDatabaseDoctrineCommand.php
+++ b/Command/CreateDatabaseDoctrineCommand.php
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ protected function execute(InputInterface $input, OutputInterface $output)
     {
         $connectionName = $input->getOption('connection');
         if (empty($connectionName)) {
-            $connectionName = $this->doctrine->getDefaultConnectionName();
+            $connectionName = $this->getDoctrine()->getDefaultConnectionName();
         }
         $connection = $this->getDoctrineConnection($connectionName);
 
diff --git a/Command/DoctrineCommand.php b/Command/DoctrineCommand.php
index 3a5ab97b4..e881d02a2 100644
--- a/Command/DoctrineCommand.php
+++ b/Command/DoctrineCommand.php
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 use Doctrine\ORM\Tools\EntityGenerator;
 use LogicException;
 use Symfony\Component\Console\Command\Command;
+use Symfony\Component\DependencyInjection\ContainerInterface;
 
 /**
  * Base class for Doctrine console commands to extend from.
@@ -17,16 +18,48 @@
  */
 abstract class DoctrineCommand extends Command
 {
-    /** @var ManagerRegistry */
-    protected $doctrine;
+    /** @var ManagerRegistry|null */
+    private $doctrine;
 
-    public function __construct(ManagerRegistry $doctrine)
+    /** @var ContainerInterface|null */
+    private $container;
+
+    public function __construct(ManagerRegistry $doctrine = null)
     {
         parent::__construct();
 
         $this->doctrine = $doctrine;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * @deprecated
+     */
+    public function setContainer(ContainerInterface $container = null)
+    {
+        $this->container = $container;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * @deprecated
+     *
+     * @return ContainerInterface
+     *
+     * @throws LogicException
+     */
+    protected function getContainer()
+    {
+        if ($this->container === null) {
+            $application = $this->getApplication();
+            if ($application === null) {
+                throw new LogicException('The container cannot be retrieved as the application instance is not yet set.');
+            }
+
+            $this->container = $application->getKernel()->getContainer();
+        }
+
+        return $this->container;
+    }
+
     /**
      * get a doctrine entity generator
      *
@@ -55,7 +88,7 @@ protected function getEntityGenerator()
      */
     protected function getEntityManager($name, $shardId = null)
     {
-        $manager = $this->doctrine->getManager($name);
+        $manager = $this->getDoctrine()->getManager($name);
 
         if ($shardId) {
             if (! $manager->getConnection() instanceof PoolingShardConnection) {
@@ -77,6 +110,14 @@ protected function getEntityManager($name, $shardId = null)
      */
     protected function getDoctrineConnection($name)
     {
-        return $this->doctrine->getConnection($name);
+        return $this->getDoctrine()->getConnection($name);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * @return ManagerRegistry
+     */
+    protected function getDoctrine()
+    {
+        return $this->doctrine ?: $this->doctrine = $this->getContainer()->get('doctrine');
     }
 }
diff --git a/Command/DropDatabaseDoctrineCommand.php b/Command/DropDatabaseDoctrineCommand.php
index eef7583e1..e34442e46 100644
--- a/Command/DropDatabaseDoctrineCommand.php
+++ b/Command/DropDatabaseDoctrineCommand.php
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ protected function execute(InputInterface $input, OutputInterface $output)
     {
         $connectionName = $input->getOption('connection');
         if (empty($connectionName)) {
-            $connectionName = $this->doctrine->getDefaultConnectionName();
+            $connectionName = $this->getDoctrine()->getDefaultConnectionName();
         }
         $connection = $this->getDoctrineConnection($connectionName);
 
diff --git a/Command/GenerateEntitiesDoctrineCommand.php b/Command/GenerateEntitiesDoctrineCommand.php
index 22cc5817b..2baeae297 100644
--- a/Command/GenerateEntitiesDoctrineCommand.php
+++ b/Command/GenerateEntitiesDoctrineCommand.php
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ protected function execute(InputInterface $input, OutputInterface $output)
             '       If you wish to generate your entities, use <info>make:entity --regenerate</info> from MakerBundle instead.',
         ]);
 
-        $manager = new DisconnectedMetadataFactory($this->doctrine);
+        $manager = new DisconnectedMetadataFactory($this->getDoctrine());
 
         try {
             $bundle = $this->getApplication()->getKernel()->getBundle($input->getArgument('name'));
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ protected function execute(InputInterface $input, OutputInterface $output)
             $pos  = strpos($name, ':');
 
             if ($pos !== false) {
-                $name = $this->doctrine->getAliasNamespace(substr($name, 0, $pos)) . '\\' . substr($name, $pos + 1);
+                $name = $this->getDoctrine()->getAliasNamespace(substr($name, 0, $pos)) . '\\' . substr($name, $pos + 1);
             }
 
             if (class_exists($name)) {