diff --git a/packages/verrou/src/drivers/database.ts b/packages/verrou/src/drivers/database.ts
index e0ca977..ea69fa2 100644
--- a/packages/verrou/src/drivers/database.ts
+++ b/packages/verrou/src/drivers/database.ts
@@ -29,7 +29,11 @@ export class DatabaseStore implements LockStore {
   constructor(config: DatabaseStoreOptions) {
     this.#connection = this.#createConnection(config)
     this.#tableName = config.tableName || this.#tableName
-    this.#initialized = this.#createTableIfNotExists()
+    if (config.autoCreateTable !== false) {
+      this.#initialized = this.#createTableIfNotExists()
+    } else {
+      this.#initialized = Promise.resolve()
+    }
   }
 
   /**
diff --git a/packages/verrou/src/types/drivers.ts b/packages/verrou/src/types/drivers.ts
index 06a9976..fadf40c 100644
--- a/packages/verrou/src/types/drivers.ts
+++ b/packages/verrou/src/types/drivers.ts
@@ -17,9 +17,15 @@ export type DatabaseStoreOptions = {
 
   /**
    * The table name to use ( to store the locks )
-   * Table will be automatically created if it doesn't exist
    */
   tableName?: string
+
+  /**
+   * Set to true to automatically create the table if it doesn't exist
+   * 
+   * @default true
+   */
+  autoCreateTable?: boolean
 }
 
 export type RedisStoreOptions = {
diff --git a/packages/verrou/tests/drivers/database.spec.ts b/packages/verrou/tests/drivers/database.spec.ts
index af1ea55..6fed0be 100644
--- a/packages/verrou/tests/drivers/database.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/verrou/tests/drivers/database.spec.ts
@@ -25,6 +25,13 @@ test.group('Database Driver', (group) => {
     assert.lengthOf(locks, 1)
   })
 
+  test('doesnt create table if autoCreateTable is false', async ({ assert }) => {
+    new DatabaseStore({ connection: db, dialect: 'pg', autoCreateTable: false })
+
+    const hasTable = await db.schema.hasTable('verrou')
+    assert.isFalse(hasTable)
+  })
+
   test('null ttl', async ({ assert }) => {
     const store = new DatabaseStore({ connection: db, dialect: 'pg' })