diff --git a/app.rb b/app.rb
index e47039f6fb..0156f78ce6 100644
--- a/app.rb
+++ b/app.rb
@@ -8,12 +8,10 @@
 def configure_database
   if ENV['RACK_ENV']=="production"
     while !self.connect_to_database_prod
-      puts "Connecting to production database (#{ENV['DATABASE_SERVICE_HOST']})...\n"
       sleep 0.1
     end
   else
     while !self.connect_to_database_test
-      puts "Connecting to test database...\n"
       sleep 0.1
     end
   end
diff --git a/config/database.rb b/config/database.rb
index 793d0db248..bc1356d49e 100644
--- a/config/database.rb
+++ b/config/database.rb
@@ -2,34 +2,56 @@
 
 def self.connect_to_database_prod
   begin
-    ActiveRecord::Base.establish_connection(
+    config = {
       :adapter  => "mysql2",
       :host     => "#{ENV["DATABASE_SERVICE_HOST"]}",
       :port     => "#{ENV["DATABASE_SERVICE_PORT"]}",
-      :database => "#{ENV["MYSQL_DATABASE"]}",
-      :password => "#{ENV["MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD"]}"
-    )
+      :database => "#{ENV["MYSQL_DATABASE"]}"
+    }
+    if ENV.key?("MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD")
+      config[:password] = "#{ENV["MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD"]}"
+    else
+      config[:username] = "#{ENV["MYSQL_USER"]}"
+      config[:password] = "#{ENV["MYSQL_PASSWORD"]}"
+    end
+
+    puts "Connecting to production database (#{config[:username]}@#{config[:host]}:#{config[:port]})..."
+    ActiveRecord::Base.establish_connection(config)
 
     ActiveRecord::Base.connection.active?
 
-  rescue Exception
+  rescue Exception => e
+    if not /Can't connect to MySQL server/ =~ e.message
+      puts e.message
+    end
     return false
   end
 end
 
 def self.connect_to_database_test
   begin
-    ActiveRecord::Base.establish_connection(
+    config = {
       :adapter  => "mysql2",
       :host     => "#{ENV["DATABASE_TEST_SERVICE_HOST"]}",
       :port     => "#{ENV["DATABASE_TEST_SERVICE_PORT"]}",
-      :database => "#{ENV["MYSQL_DATABASE"]}",
-      :password => "#{ENV["MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD"]}"
-    )
+      :database => "#{ENV["MYSQL_DATABASE"]}"
+    }
+    if ENV.key?("MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD")
+      config[:password] = ENV["MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD"]
+    else
+      config[:username] = ENV["MYSQL_USER"]
+      config[:password] = ENV["MYSQL_PASSWORD"]
+    end
+
+    puts "Connecting to test database (#{config[:username]}@#{config[:host]}:#{config[:port]})..."
+    ActiveRecord::Base.establish_connection(config)
 
     ActiveRecord::Base.connection.active?
 
-  rescue Exception
+  rescue Exception => e
+    if not /Can't connect to MySQL server/ =~ e.message
+      puts e.message
+    end
     return false
   end
 end
diff --git a/config/database.yml b/config/database.yml
index b2e5fe4d63..a096530beb 100644
--- a/config/database.yml
+++ b/config/database.yml
@@ -1,23 +1,26 @@
+<% # Handle old behaviour of official mysql image %>
+<% user = ENV.key?("MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD") ? "root" : ENV["MYSQL_USER"] %>
+<% password = ENV.key?("MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD") ? ENV["MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD"] : ENV["MYSQL_PASSWORD"] %>
 development:
   adapter: mysql2
   database: <%= ENV["MYSQL_DATABASE"] %>
-  username: root
-  password: <%= ENV['MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD'] %>
+  username: <%= user %>
+  password: <%= password %>
   host: <%= ENV["DATABASE_SERVICE_HOST"] %>
   port: <%= ENV["DATABASE_SERVICE_PORT"] %>
 
 test:
   adapter: mysql2
   database: <%= ENV["MYSQL_DATABASE"] %>
-  username: root
-  password: <%= ENV['MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD'] %>
+  username: <%= user %>
+  password: <%= password %>
   host: <%= ENV["DATABASE_TEST_SERVICE_HOST"] %>
   port: <%= ENV["DATABASE_TEST_SERVICE_PORT"] %>
 
 production:
   adapter: mysql2
   database: <%= ENV["MYSQL_DATABASE"] %>
-  username: root
-  password: <%= ENV['MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD'] %>
+  username: <%= user %>
+  password: <%= password %>
   host: <%= ENV["DATABASE_SERVICE_HOST"] %>
   port: <%= ENV["DATABASE_SERVICE_PORT"] %>
diff --git a/run.sh b/run.sh
index 8d5d200784..83b4fdeff6 100755
--- a/run.sh
+++ b/run.sh
@@ -6,7 +6,8 @@ if [ -z "${MYSQL_DATABASE}" ]; then
   export DATABASE_SERVICE_HOST=localhost
   export DATABASE_SERVICE_PORT=3306
   export MYSQL_DATABASE=test
-  export MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD=root
+  export MYSQL_USER=root
+  export MYSQL_PASSWORD=root
 fi
 
 bundle exec ruby app.rb