diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 69f29bd..648554d 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1 +1 @@
-.env.production
+.env.mariadb
diff --git a/home-server/.env b/home-server/.env
index 82c548b..14a4a53 100644
--- a/home-server/.env
+++ b/home-server/.env
@@ -1,7 +1,10 @@
 # General settings
 INTERNAL_IP: localhost
 
-# Db settings
+# Db-Specific settings
+# Should be overridden with a .env.mariadb file.
 MARIADB_ROOT_PASSWORD=test
+MARIADB_USER=homeassistant
+MARIADB_PASSWORD=homeassistant
 
 
diff --git a/home-server/docker-compose.yml b/home-server/docker-compose.yml
index c8dd4f2..ad97501 100644
--- a/home-server/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/home-server/docker-compose.yml
@@ -5,6 +5,11 @@ services:
     restart: unless-stopped
     ports:
       - ${INTERNAL_IP}:3306:3306
+    env_file:
+      # Override the mariadb-specific settings in a .env.mariadb file.
+      # You should create the .env.mariadb file yourself.
+      - .env
+      - .env.mariadb
   homeassistant:
     image: "ghcr.io/home-assistant/home-assistant:stable"
     ports:
diff --git a/home-server/readme.md b/home-server/readme.md
index bc1d1bd..62234be 100644
--- a/home-server/readme.md
+++ b/home-server/readme.md
@@ -18,6 +18,11 @@ NOTE: on ubuntu, you need to add a symbolic link in order to enable the VPN ([so
 ln -s /usr/bin/resolvectl /usr/local/bin/resolvconf
 ```
 
+## Start docker-compose
+
+TODO add .sh script to start in production
+
+
 ## To Do
 
 - Start the VPN client automatically after reboot