diff --git a/internal/cmd/base/servers.go b/internal/cmd/base/servers.go
index 3d4e6cf4d6..df3b831549 100644
--- a/internal/cmd/base/servers.go
+++ b/internal/cmd/base/servers.go
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ type Server struct {
 
 	DefaultOrgId string
 
-	DevDatabaseUrl         string
+	DatabaseUrl            string
 	DevDatabaseCleanupFunc func() error
 
 	Database *gorm.DB
@@ -378,39 +378,35 @@ func (b *Server) RunShutdownFuncs() error {
 }
 
 func (b *Server) initDBInDocker(dialect string) error {
-
-	return nil
-}
-
-func (b *Server) initDB(dialect string) error {
-
-	return nil
-}
-
-// Add a string for discerning where the DB is created. Proposing: docker, basic.
-func (b *Server) CreateDevDatabase(dialect string) error {
-	// Move the following to initDBInDocker
 	c, url, container, err := db.InitDbInDocker(dialect)
 	if err != nil {
 		c()
 		return fmt.Errorf("unable to start dev database with dialect %s: %w", dialect, err)
 	}
-
-	b.DevDatabaseCleanupFunc = c
-	b.DevDatabaseUrl = url
-	// end moved code
-
-	// Add switch on DB creation type to choose initDB() for the basic type or
-	// initDBInDocker() for the docker type.
-
 	b.InfoKeys = append(b.InfoKeys, "dev database url")
-	b.Info["dev database url"] = b.DevDatabaseUrl
+	b.Info["dev database url"] = b.DatabaseUrl
 	if container != "" {
 		b.InfoKeys = append(b.InfoKeys, "dev database container")
 		b.Info["dev database container"] = strings.TrimPrefix(container, "/")
 	}
 
-	dbase, err := gorm.Open(dialect, url)
+	b.DevDatabaseCleanupFunc = c
+	b.DatabaseUrl = url
+
+	return nil
+}
+
+// Add a string for discerning where the DB is created. Proposing: docker, basic.
+func (b *Server) CreateDevDatabase(dialect string) error {
+	// if the database URL isn't pre-set, assume no config exists for it and init start
+	// PG in docker
+	if b.DatabaseUrl == "" {
+		if err := b.initDBInDocker(dialect); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+	}
+
+	dbase, err := gorm.Open(dialect, b.DatabaseUrl)
 	if err != nil {
 		c()
 		return fmt.Errorf("unable to create db object with dialect %s: %w", dialect, err)
diff --git a/internal/cmd/config/config.go b/internal/cmd/config/config.go
index 01d9152935..be7c25fcfe 100644
--- a/internal/cmd/config/config.go
+++ b/internal/cmd/config/config.go
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ type Config struct {
 	DevController        bool   `hcl:"-"`
 	DefaultOrgId         string `hcl:"default_org_id"`
 	PassthroughDirectory string `hcl:"-"`
+	DatabaseURL          string `hcl:"database_url"`
 }
 
 // DevWorker is a Config that is used for dev mode of Watchtower
diff --git a/testing/controller/controller.go b/testing/controller/controller.go
index d9a6442a98..f2d4449bb5 100644
--- a/testing/controller/controller.go
+++ b/testing/controller/controller.go
@@ -91,6 +91,7 @@ func WithDefaultOrgId(id string) Option {
 }
 
 // WithDatabaseURL sets the database URL if running externally
+// Should be passed with DisableDatabaseCreation().
 func WithDatabaseURL(url string) Option {
 	return func(c *option) error {
 		if c.setDatabaseURL {
@@ -98,6 +99,7 @@ func WithDatabaseURL(url string) Option {
 		}
 		c.setDatabaseURL = true
 		c.tcOptions.DatabaseURL = url
+
 		return nil
 	}
 }