diff --git a/Dockerfile.migrate b/Dockerfile.migrate
index 7f2f789..2c65759 100644
--- a/Dockerfile.migrate
+++ b/Dockerfile.migrate
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 FROM alpine:3.18
 
 ENV PGSERVICEFILE=/tmp/pg_service.conf
+ENV PGSERVICE=qwc_configdb
 ENV ALEMBIC_VERSION=head
 
 RUN apk add --no-cache --update postgresql-client py3-alembic py3-psycopg2
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 5a73162..10f0c59 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -59,6 +59,8 @@ Migrations will be applied automatically, if necessary, whenever the Docker appl
 
 To upgrade to a migration different than `head`, set the `ALEMBIC_VERSION` ENV variable.
 
+By default, the DB specified by the `qwc_configdb` connection will be upgraded. You can specify a different connection by setting the `PGSERVICE` ENV variable.
+
 # Managing an external Config DB
 
 You can use an external DB instead of the `qwc-base-db` dockerized DB.
diff --git a/alembic.ini b/alembic.ini
index 0e04b0b..c8a2e9a 100644
--- a/alembic.ini
+++ b/alembic.ini
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ script_location = alembic
 # are written from script.py.mako
 # output_encoding = utf-8
 
-sqlalchemy.url = postgresql:///?service=qwc_configdb
+sqlalchemy.url = postgresql:///?service=%(PGSERVICE)s
 version_table_schema = qwc_config
 
 
diff --git a/alembic/env.py b/alembic/env.py
index 02c2959..89ebac3 100644
--- a/alembic/env.py
+++ b/alembic/env.py
@@ -2,11 +2,16 @@
 from alembic import context
 from sqlalchemy import engine_from_config, pool
 from logging.config import fileConfig
+import os
 
 # this is the Alembic Config object, which provides
 # access to the values within the .ini file in use.
 config = context.config
 
+# Set variables for config
+section = config.config_ini_section
+config.set_section_option(section, "PGSERVICE", os.environ.get("PGSERVICE"))
+
 # Interpret the config file for Python logging.
 # This line sets up loggers basically.
 fileConfig(config.config_file_name)
diff --git a/run-migrations.sh b/run-migrations.sh
index 0a14eda..059525c 100755
--- a/run-migrations.sh
+++ b/run-migrations.sh
@@ -5,4 +5,4 @@ until psql service=qwc_configdb -c "select 1" > /dev/null 2>&1; do
   sleep 1
 done
 
-PGSERVICE=qwc_configdb alembic upgrade ${ALEMBIC_VERSION}
+alembic upgrade ${ALEMBIC_VERSION}