diff --git a/server/datastore/database/database.go b/server/datastore/database/database.go
index ce9de04b2..164639320 100644
--- a/server/datastore/database/database.go
+++ b/server/datastore/database/database.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package database
 
 import (
 	"database/sql"
+	"os"
 
 	"github.com/drone/drone/server/datastore"
 	"github.com/drone/drone/server/datastore/database/migrate"
@@ -41,7 +42,7 @@ func Connect(driver, datasource string) (*sql.DB, error) {
 }
 
 // MustConnect is a helper function that creates a
-// new database commention and auto-generates the
+// new database connection and auto-generates the
 // database schema. An error causes a panic.
 func MustConnect(driver, datasource string) *sql.DB {
 	db, err := Connect(driver, datasource)
@@ -51,6 +52,26 @@ func MustConnect(driver, datasource string) *sql.DB {
 	return db
 }
 
+// mustConnectTest is a helper function that creates a
+// new database connection using environment variables.
+// If not environment varaibles are found, the default
+// in-memory SQLite database is used.
+func mustConnectTest() *sql.DB {
+	var (
+		driver     = os.Getenv("TEST_DRIVER")
+		datasource = os.Getenv("TEST_DATASOURCE")
+	)
+	if len(driver) == 0 {
+		driver = driverSqlite
+		datasource = ":memory:"
+	}
+	db, err := Connect(driver, datasource)
+	if err != nil {
+		panic(err)
+	}
+	return db
+}
+
 // New returns a new DataStore
 func New(db *sql.DB) datastore.Datastore {
 	return struct {
diff --git a/server/datastore/database/repo_test.go b/server/datastore/database/repo_test.go
index c4252b2fc..af9f4ba63 100644
--- a/server/datastore/database/repo_test.go
+++ b/server/datastore/database/repo_test.go
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ import (
 )
 
 func TestRepostore(t *testing.T) {
-	db := MustConnect("sqlite3", ":memory:")
+	db := mustConnectTest()
 	rs := NewRepostore(db)
 	ps := NewPermstore(db)
 	defer db.Close()
diff --git a/server/datastore/database/user_test.go b/server/datastore/database/user_test.go
index e0518b75e..11205def8 100644
--- a/server/datastore/database/user_test.go
+++ b/server/datastore/database/user_test.go
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ import (
 )
 
 func TestUserstore(t *testing.T) {
-	db := MustConnect("sqlite3", ":memory:")
+	db := mustConnectTest()
 	us := NewUserstore(db)
 	defer db.Close()