diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index bbc0e22..9f7a271 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+[unreleased]
+### Fixed
+- Use a memory database as default database in demo instance
+
 [1.0.0]
 ### Added
 - Endpoint to Ensembl genes download
diff --git a/src/schug/config.py b/src/schug/config.py
index bb173c3..c656974 100644
--- a/src/schug/config.py
+++ b/src/schug/config.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 from pydantic import BaseSettings
 
+DEMO_DB: str = "sqlite://"
 SCHUG_PACKAGE = Path(__file__).parent
 PACKAGE_ROOT: Path = SCHUG_PACKAGE.parent
 ENV_FILE: Path = PACKAGE_ROOT / ".env"
@@ -10,8 +11,7 @@
 class Settings(BaseSettings):
     """Settings for serving the schug app"""
 
-    db_name: str = "database.db"
-    db_uri: str = "sqlite:///database.db"
+    db_uri: str = DEMO_DB
     host: str = "localhost"
     port: int = 8000
 
diff --git a/src/schug/database/__init__.py b/src/schug/database/__init__.py
index fb51a56..1d5fede 100644
--- a/src/schug/database/__init__.py
+++ b/src/schug/database/__init__.py
@@ -1,7 +1,11 @@
-from sqlmodel import create_engine, SQLModel
+from schug.config import DEMO_DB, settings
+from sqlmodel import SQLModel, create_engine
 
-from schug.config import settings
+DEMO_CONNECT_ARGS: dict = {"check_same_thread": False}
 
-engine = create_engine(settings.db_uri, echo=True)
+if settings.db_uri == DEMO_DB:
+    engine = create_engine(settings.db_uri, connect_args=DEMO_CONNECT_ARGS, echo=True)
+else:
+    engine = create_engine(settings.db_uri, echo=True)
 
 SQLModel.metadata.create_all(engine)