diff --git a/app/controllers/objects_controller.rb b/app/controllers/objects_controller.rb
index 47db1b93c..23e37540c 100644
--- a/app/controllers/objects_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/objects_controller.rb
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ def apo_workflows
                  "#{params[:wf_name]}WF"
                end
 
-    @item.initiate_apo_workflow(workflow)
+    Dor::CreateWorkflowService.create_workflow(@item, name: workflow)
 
     head :created
   end
diff --git a/spec/controllers/objects_controller_spec.rb b/spec/controllers/objects_controller_spec.rb
index ab3639031..f4ddca25c 100644
--- a/spec/controllers/objects_controller_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/controllers/objects_controller_spec.rb
@@ -138,13 +138,14 @@
   end
 
   describe 'apo-workflow intialization' do
-    it 'initiates accessionWF via obj.initiate_apo_workflow' do
-      expect(item).to receive(:initiate_apo_workflow).with('assemblyWF')
+    it 'initiates assemblyWF' do
+      expect(Dor::CreateWorkflowService).to receive(:create_workflow).with(item, name: 'assemblyWF')
+
       post 'apo_workflows', params: { id: item.pid, wf_name: 'assemblyWF' }
     end
 
     it "handles workflow names without 'WF' appended to the end" do
-      expect(item).to receive(:initiate_apo_workflow).with('accessionWF')
+      expect(Dor::CreateWorkflowService).to receive(:create_workflow).with(item, name: 'accessionWF')
       post 'apo_workflows', params: { id: item.pid, wf_name: 'accession' }
     end
   end