diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index f4aba4d9a5..4d92a44e18 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -2,6 +2,14 @@
 
 Canonical reference for changes, improvements, and bugfixes for Boundary.
 
+## Next
+
+### Bug Fixes
+
+* db: Fix panic in `database init` when controller config block is missing 
+  ([Issue](https://github.com/hashicorp/boundary/issues/819)) 
+  ([PR](https://github.com/hashicorp/boundary/pull/851))
+
 ## 0.1.4 (2021/01/05)
 
 ### New and Improved
@@ -62,7 +70,7 @@ Canonical reference for changes, improvements, and bugfixes for Boundary.
   ([Issue](https://github.com/hashicorp/boundary/issues/794))
   ([PR](https://github.com/hashicorp/boundary/pull/839))
 
-## v0.1.2 (2020/11/17)
+## 0.1.2 (2020/11/17)
 
 ### New and Improved
 
@@ -92,7 +100,7 @@ Canonical reference for changes, improvements, and bugfixes for Boundary.
 * controller, cli: Fix mutual exclusivity bug with using -authz-token on `boundary connect`
   ([PR](https://github.com/hashicorp/boundary/pull/787))
 
-## v0.1.1 (2020/10/22)
+## 0.1.1 (2020/10/22)
 
 ### Changes/Deprecations
 
@@ -144,7 +152,7 @@ them to access targets).
   ([Issue](https://github.com/hashicorp/boundary/issues/727))
   ([PR](https://github.com/hashicorp/boundary/pull/705))
 
-## v0.1.0 (2020/10/14)
+## 0.1.0 (2020/10/14)
 
 v0.1.0 is the first release of Boundary. As a result there are no changes,
 improvements, or bugfixes from past versions.
diff --git a/internal/cmd/commands/database/init.go b/internal/cmd/commands/database/init.go
index eb994de100..7bb45cafc4 100644
--- a/internal/cmd/commands/database/init.go
+++ b/internal/cmd/commands/database/init.go
@@ -227,6 +227,11 @@ func (c *InitCommand) Run(args []string) (retCode int) {
 				"in a Docker container, provide the IPC_LOCK cap to the container."))
 	}
 
+	if c.Config.Controller == nil {
+		c.UI.Error(`"controller" config block not found`)
+		return 1
+	}
+
 	if c.Config.Controller.Database == nil {
 		c.UI.Error(`"controller.database" config block not found`)
 		return 1