diff --git a/.env.sample b/.env.sample
index e8d6d82c..1ba95367 100644
--- a/.env.sample
+++ b/.env.sample
@@ -26,4 +26,10 @@ KAFKA_URL = "172.31.0.4:9092"
 KAFKA_GROUP_ID = "projects"                                                     // Kafka group id                                
 
 # SUBMISSION TOPIC
-SUBMISSION_TOPIC = "dev.sl.projects.submissions"                                // Kafka topic name for pushing projects submissions
\ No newline at end of file
+SUBMISSION_TOPIC = "dev.sl.projects.submissions"                                // Kafka topic name for pushing projects submissions
+
+# Replica set name required for mongodb replicaSets 
+REPLICA_SET_NAME = "rs0"
+
+# Replica set read preference
+REPLICA_SET_READ_PREFERENCE = "primary"
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/config/db/mongodb.js b/config/db/mongodb.js
index 1ba8f648..f2253813 100644
--- a/config/db/mongodb.js
+++ b/config/db/mongodb.js
@@ -23,12 +23,19 @@ const DB = function() {
   mongoose.set('useCreateIndex', true)
   mongoose.set('useFindAndModify', false)
   mongoose.set('useUnifiedTopology', true)
+
+  let options = {useNewUrlParser: true};
+
+  if (process.env.REPLICA_SET_NAME && process.env.REPLICA_SET_NAME !== "") {
+    options["replset"] = {rs_name: process.env.REPLICA_SET_NAME };
+
+    if (process.env.REPLICA_SET_READ_PREFERENCE && process.env.REPLICA_SET_READ_PREFERENCE !== "") {
+      options["replset"]["readPreference"] = process.env.readPreference;
+    }
+  }
   
   const db = mongoose.createConnection(
-    process.env.MONGODB_URL,
-    {
-      useNewUrlParser: true
-    }
+    process.env.MONGODB_URL,options
   );
   
   db.on("error", console.error.bind(console, "connection error:"));