diff --git a/api/index.ts b/api/index.ts
index 40078d4..e212c32 100644
--- a/api/index.ts
+++ b/api/index.ts
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ import morgan from "morgan";
 
 const port = process.env.SERVER_PORT || 3080;
 const database = process.env.MONGO_URI || "mongodb://localhost:27017";
+const dbName = process.env.MONGO_DB || "lost_and_found_dev";
 
 // https://medium.com/bb-tutorials-and-thoughts/how-to-develop-and-build-react-app-with-nodejs-backend-typescript-version-27a6a283a7c5
 // https://github.com/bbachi/react-nodejs-typescript-example
@@ -35,6 +36,7 @@ mongoose
     useNewUrlParser: true,
     useUnifiedTopology: true,
     useCreateIndex: true,
+    dbName,
   })
   .then(() => console.log("Connected to " + database))
   .catch(() => console.log("Failed to connect to DB at: " + database));