diff --git a/src/database/index.js b/src/database/index.js
index 21484c5492..818efb4fe0 100644
--- a/src/database/index.js
+++ b/src/database/index.js
@@ -19,4 +19,24 @@ primaryDB.parseIntFields = function (data, intFields, requestedFields) {
 	});
 };
 
+primaryDB.initSessionStore = function (callback) {
+	const sessionStoreConfig = nconf.get('session_store') || nconf.get('redis') || nconf.get(databaseName);
+	let sessionStoreDB = primaryDB;
+
+	if (nconf.get('session_store')) {
+		sessionStoreDB = require('./' + sessionStoreConfig.name);
+	} else if (nconf.get('redis')) {
+		// if redis is specified, use it as session store over others
+		sessionStoreDB = require('./redis');
+	}
+
+	sessionStoreDB.createSessionStore(sessionStoreConfig, function (err, sessionStore) {
+		if (err) {
+			return callback(err);
+		}
+		primaryDB.sessionStore = sessionStore;
+		callback();
+	});
+};
+
 module.exports = primaryDB;
diff --git a/src/database/mongo.js b/src/database/mongo.js
index 5970f53b94..f7a9438593 100644
--- a/src/database/mongo.js
+++ b/src/database/mongo.js
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@ var session = require('express-session');
 var _ = require('lodash');
 var semver = require('semver');
 var prompt = require('prompt');
-var db;
 var client;
 
 var mongoModule = module.exports;
@@ -62,40 +61,42 @@ mongoModule.questions = [
 mongoModule.helpers = mongoModule.helpers || {};
 mongoModule.helpers.mongo = require('./mongo/helpers');
 
-mongoModule.getConnectionString = function () {
+mongoModule.getConnectionString = function (mongo) {
+	mongo = mongo || nconf.get('mongo');
 	var usernamePassword = '';
-	var uri = nconf.get('mongo:uri') || '';
-	if (nconf.get('mongo:username') && nconf.get('mongo:password')) {
+	var uri = mongo.uri || '';
+	if (mongo.username && mongo.password) {
 		usernamePassword = nconf.get('mongo:username') + ':' + encodeURIComponent(nconf.get('mongo:password')) + '@';
 	} else if (!uri.includes('@') || !uri.slice(uri.indexOf('://') + 3, uri.indexOf('@'))) {
 		winston.warn('You have no mongo username/password setup!');
 	}
 
 	// Sensible defaults for Mongo, if not set
-	if (!nconf.get('mongo:host')) {
-		nconf.set('mongo:host', '127.0.0.1');
+	if (!mongo.host) {
+		mongo.host = '127.0.0.1';
 	}
-	if (!nconf.get('mongo:port')) {
-		nconf.set('mongo:port', 27017);
+	if (!mongo.port) {
+		mongo.port = 27017;
 	}
-	const dbName = nconf.get('mongo:database');
+	const dbName = mongo.database;
 	if (dbName === undefined || dbName === '') {
 		winston.warn('You have no database name, using "nodebb"');
-		nconf.set('mongo:database', 'nodebb');
+		mongo.database = 'nodebb';
 	}
 
-	var hosts = nconf.get('mongo:host').split(',');
-	var ports = nconf.get('mongo:port').toString().split(',');
+	var hosts = mongo.host.split(',');
+	var ports = mongo.port.toString().split(',');
 	var servers = [];
 
 	for (var i = 0; i < hosts.length; i += 1) {
 		servers.push(hosts[i] + ':' + ports[i]);
 	}
 
-	return nconf.get('mongo:uri') || 'mongodb://' + usernamePassword + servers.join() + '/' + nconf.get('mongo:database');
+	return uri || 'mongodb://' + usernamePassword + servers.join() + '/' + mongo.database;
 };
 
-mongoModule.getConnectionOptions = function () {
+mongoModule.getConnectionOptions = function (mongo) {
+	mongo = mongo || nconf.get('mongo');
 	var connOptions = {
 		poolSize: 10,
 		reconnectTries: 3600,
@@ -105,24 +106,19 @@ mongoModule.getConnectionOptions = function () {
 		useNewUrlParser: true,
 	};
 
-	return _.merge(connOptions, nconf.get('mongo:options') || {});
+	return _.merge(connOptions, mongo.options || {});
 };
 
 mongoModule.init = function (callback) {
 	callback = callback || function () { };
 
-	var mongoClient = require('mongodb').MongoClient;
-
-	var connString = mongoModule.getConnectionString();
-	var connOptions = mongoModule.getConnectionOptions();
-
-	mongoClient.connect(connString, connOptions, function (err, _client) {
+	mongoModule.connect(nconf.get('mongo'), function (err, _client) {
 		if (err) {
 			winston.error('NodeBB could not connect to your Mongo database. Mongo returned the following error', err);
 			return callback(err);
 		}
 		client = _client;
-		db = client.db();
+		var db = client.db();
 		mongoModule.client = db;
 
 		require('./mongo/main')(db, mongoModule);
@@ -138,30 +134,31 @@ mongoModule.init = function (callback) {
 	});
 };
 
-mongoModule.initSessionStore = function (callback) {
-	var meta = require('../meta');
-	var sessionStore;
+mongoModule.connect = function (options, callback) {
+	callback = callback || function () { };
 
-	var ttl = meta.getSessionTTLSeconds();
+	var mongoClient = require('mongodb').MongoClient;
 
-	if (nconf.get('redis')) {
-		sessionStore = require('connect-redis')(session);
-		var rdb = require('./redis');
-		rdb.client = rdb.connect();
+	var connString = mongoModule.getConnectionString(options);
+	var connOptions = mongoModule.getConnectionOptions(options);
 
-		mongoModule.sessionStore = new sessionStore({
-			client: rdb.client,
-			ttl: ttl,
-		});
-	} else if (nconf.get('mongo')) {
-		sessionStore = require('connect-mongo')(session);
-		mongoModule.sessionStore = new sessionStore({
-			db: db,
-			ttl: ttl,
+	mongoClient.connect(connString, connOptions, callback);
+};
+
+mongoModule.createSessionStore = function (options, callback) {
+	mongoModule.connect(options, function (err, client) {
+		if (err) {
+			return callback(err);
+		}
+		const meta = require('../meta');
+		const sessionStore = require('connect-mongo')(session);
+		const store = new sessionStore({
+			db: client.db(),
+			ttl: meta.getSessionTTLSeconds(),
 		});
-	}
 
-	callback();
+		callback(null, store);
+	});
 };
 
 mongoModule.createIndices = function (callback) {
diff --git a/src/database/postgres.js b/src/database/postgres.js
index 463a493ab5..5284e76b68 100644
--- a/src/database/postgres.js
+++ b/src/database/postgres.js
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ var session = require('express-session');
 var _ = require('lodash');
 var semver = require('semver');
 var dbNamespace = require('continuation-local-storage').createNamespace('postgres');
-var db;
+
 
 var postgresModule = module.exports;
 
@@ -44,29 +44,30 @@ postgresModule.questions = [
 postgresModule.helpers = postgresModule.helpers || {};
 postgresModule.helpers.postgres = require('./postgres/helpers');
 
-postgresModule.getConnectionOptions = function () {
+postgresModule.getConnectionOptions = function (postgres) {
+	postgres = postgres || nconf.get('postgres');
 	// Sensible defaults for PostgreSQL, if not set
-	if (!nconf.get('postgres:host')) {
-		nconf.set('postgres:host', '127.0.0.1');
+	if (!postgres.host) {
+		postgres.host = '127.0.0.1';
 	}
-	if (!nconf.get('postgres:port')) {
-		nconf.set('postgres:port', 5432);
+	if (!postgres.port) {
+		postgres.port = 5432;
 	}
-	const dbName = nconf.get('postgres:database');
+	const dbName = postgres.database;
 	if (dbName === undefined || dbName === '') {
 		winston.warn('You have no database name, using "nodebb"');
-		nconf.set('postgres:database', 'nodebb');
+		postgres.database = 'nodebb';
 	}
 
 	var connOptions = {
-		host: nconf.get('postgres:host'),
-		port: nconf.get('postgres:port'),
-		user: nconf.get('postgres:username'),
-		password: nconf.get('postgres:password'),
-		database: nconf.get('postgres:database'),
+		host: postgres.host,
+		port: postgres.port,
+		user: postgres.username,
+		password: postgres.password,
+		database: postgres.database,
 	};
 
-	return _.merge(connOptions, nconf.get('postgres:options') || {});
+	return _.merge(connOptions, postgres.options || {});
 };
 
 postgresModule.init = function (callback) {
@@ -76,7 +77,7 @@ postgresModule.init = function (callback) {
 
 	var connOptions = postgresModule.getConnectionOptions();
 
-	db = new Pool(connOptions);
+	const db = new Pool(connOptions);
 
 	db.on('connect', function (client) {
 		var realQuery = client.query;
@@ -132,6 +133,29 @@ postgresModule.init = function (callback) {
 	});
 };
 
+postgresModule.connect = function (options, callback) {
+	var Pool = require('pg').Pool;
+
+	var connOptions = postgresModule.getConnectionOptions(options);
+
+	const db = new Pool(connOptions);
+
+	db.on('connect', function (client) {
+		var realQuery = client.query;
+		client.query = function () {
+			var args = Array.prototype.slice.call(arguments, 0);
+			if (dbNamespace.active && typeof args[args.length - 1] === 'function') {
+				args[args.length - 1] = dbNamespace.bind(args[args.length - 1]);
+			}
+			return realQuery.apply(client, args);
+		};
+	});
+
+	db.connect(function (err) {
+		callback(err, db);
+	});
+};
+
 function checkUpgrade(client, callback) {
 	client.query(`
 SELECT EXISTS(SELECT *
@@ -347,41 +371,27 @@ SELECT "_key", "type"
 	});
 }
 
-postgresModule.initSessionStore = function (callback) {
+postgresModule.createSessionStore = function (options, callback) {
 	var meta = require('../meta');
-	var sessionStore;
-
-	var ttl = meta.getSessionTTLSeconds();
-
-	if (nconf.get('redis')) {
-		sessionStore = require('connect-redis')(session);
-		var rdb = require('./redis');
-		rdb.client = rdb.connect();
 
-		postgresModule.sessionStore = new sessionStore({
-			client: rdb.client,
-			ttl: ttl,
-		});
-
-		return callback();
-	}
-
-	function done() {
-		sessionStore = require('connect-pg-simple')(session);
-		postgresModule.sessionStore = new sessionStore({
+	function done(db) {
+		const sessionStore = require('connect-pg-simple')(session);
+		const store = new sessionStore({
 			pool: db,
-			ttl: ttl,
+			ttl: meta.getSessionTTLSeconds(),
 			pruneSessionInterval: nconf.get('isPrimary') === 'true' ? 60 : false,
 		});
-
-		callback();
-	}
-
-	if (nconf.get('isPrimary') !== 'true') {
-		return done();
+		callback(null, store);
 	}
 
-	db.query(`
+	postgresModule.connect(options, function (err, db) {
+		if (err) {
+			return callback(err);
+		}
+		if (nconf.get('isPrimary') !== 'true') {
+			return done(db);
+		}
+		db.query(`
 CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS "session" (
 	"sid" CHAR(32) NOT NULL
 		COLLATE "C"
@@ -395,11 +405,12 @@ CREATE INDEX IF NOT EXISTS "session_expire_idx" ON "session"("expire");
 ALTER TABLE "session"
 	ALTER "sid" SET STORAGE MAIN,
 	CLUSTER ON "session_expire_idx";`, function (err) {
-		if (err) {
-			return callback(err);
-		}
+			if (err) {
+				return callback(err);
+			}
 
-		done();
+			done(db);
+		});
 	});
 };
 
@@ -456,7 +467,7 @@ SELECT true "postgres",
 
 postgresModule.close = function (callback) {
 	callback = callback || function () {};
-	db.end(callback);
+	postgresModule.pool.end(callback);
 };
 
 postgresModule.socketAdapter = function () {
diff --git a/src/database/redis.js b/src/database/redis.js
index 6d780d0853..cbd66c1abf 100644
--- a/src/database/redis.js
+++ b/src/database/redis.js
@@ -36,9 +36,20 @@ redisModule.questions = [
 	},
 ];
 
+redisModule.getConnectionOptions = function (redis) {
+	redis = redis || nconf.get('redis');
+	let connOptions = {};
+	if (redis.password) {
+		connOptions.auth_pass = redis.password;
+	}
+
+	connOptions = _.merge(connOptions, redis.options || {});
+	return connOptions;
+};
+
 redisModule.init = function (callback) {
 	callback = callback || function () { };
-	redisClient = redisModule.connect({}, function (err) {
+	redisClient = redisModule.connect(nconf.get('redis'), function (err) {
 		if (err) {
 			winston.error('NodeBB could not connect to your Redis database. Redis returned the following error', err);
 			return callback(err);
@@ -58,39 +69,22 @@ redisModule.init = function (callback) {
 	});
 };
 
-redisModule.initSessionStore = function (callback) {
-	var meta = require('../meta');
-	var sessionStore = require('connect-redis')(session);
-
-	redisModule.sessionStore = new sessionStore({
-		client: redisModule.client,
-		ttl: meta.getSessionTTLSeconds(),
-	});
-
-	if (typeof callback === 'function') {
-		callback();
-	}
-};
 
 redisModule.connect = function (options, callback) {
 	callback = callback || function () {};
-	var redis_socket_or_host = nconf.get('redis:host');
+	options = options || nconf.get('redis');
+	var redis_socket_or_host = options.host;
 	var cxn;
 	var callbackCalled = false;
-	options = options || {};
-
-	if (nconf.get('redis:password')) {
-		options.auth_pass = nconf.get('redis:password');
-	}
 
-	options = _.merge(options, nconf.get('redis:options') || {});
+	const connOptions = redisModule.getConnectionOptions(options);
 
 	if (redis_socket_or_host && redis_socket_or_host.indexOf('/') >= 0) {
 		/* If redis.host contains a path name character, use the unix dom sock connection. ie, /tmp/redis.sock */
-		cxn = redis.createClient(nconf.get('redis:host'), options);
+		cxn = redis.createClient(options.host, connOptions);
 	} else {
 		/* Else, connect over tcp/ip */
-		cxn = redis.createClient(nconf.get('redis:port'), nconf.get('redis:host'), options);
+		cxn = redis.createClient(options.port, options.host, connOptions);
 	}
 
 	cxn.on('error', function (err) {
@@ -108,11 +102,11 @@ redisModule.connect = function (options, callback) {
 		}
 	});
 
-	if (nconf.get('redis:password')) {
-		cxn.auth(nconf.get('redis:password'));
+	if (options.password) {
+		cxn.auth(options.password);
 	}
 
-	var dbIdx = parseInt(nconf.get('redis:database'), 10);
+	var dbIdx = parseInt(options.database, 10);
 	if (dbIdx >= 0) {
 		cxn.select(dbIdx, function (err) {
 			if (err) {
@@ -125,6 +119,20 @@ redisModule.connect = function (options, callback) {
 	return cxn;
 };
 
+redisModule.createSessionStore = function (options, callback) {
+	const meta = require('../meta');
+	const sessionStore = require('connect-redis')(session);
+	const client = redisModule.connect(options);
+	const store = new sessionStore({
+		client: client,
+		ttl: meta.getSessionTTLSeconds(),
+	});
+
+	if (typeof callback === 'function') {
+		callback(null, store);
+	}
+};
+
 redisModule.createIndices = function (callback) {
 	setImmediate(callback);
 };
@@ -182,8 +190,8 @@ redisModule.info = function (cxn, callback) {
 
 redisModule.socketAdapter = function () {
 	var redisAdapter = require('socket.io-redis');
-	var pub = redisModule.connect();
-	var sub = redisModule.connect();
+	var pub = redisModule.connect(nconf.get('redis'));
+	var sub = redisModule.connect(nconf.get('redis'));
 	return redisAdapter({
 		key: 'db:' + nconf.get('redis:database') + ':adapter_key',
 		pubClient: pub,