diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index ef9bbfff..fac934dc 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -30,13 +30,14 @@ RUN buildDeps='libmagic-dev' && \
     bundle exec whenever >crontab
 
 # compile assets with temporary mysql server
-RUN export DATABASE_URL=mysql2://localhost/temp && \
+RUN export DATABASE_URL=mysql2://localhost/temp?encoding=utf8 && \
     export SECRET_KEY_BASE=thisisnotimportantnow && \
     export DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive && \
     apt-get update && \
     apt-get install -y mariadb-server && \
     /etc/init.d/mysql start && \
     cp config/app_config.yml.SAMPLE config/app_config.yml && \
+    cp config/database.yml.MySQL_SAMPLE config/database.yml && \
     bundle exec rake db:setup assets:precompile && \
     rm -Rf config/app_config.yml tmp/* && \
     /etc/init.d/mysql stop && \
diff --git a/config/database.yml.MySQL_SAMPLE b/config/database.yml.MySQL_SAMPLE
index 66f5fff3..b31b1006 100644
--- a/config/database.yml.MySQL_SAMPLE
+++ b/config/database.yml.MySQL_SAMPLE
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 #
 #
 # MySQL versions 4.1 and 5.0 are recommended.
-# 
+#
 # Install the MYSQL driver
 #   gem install mysql2
 #
@@ -15,32 +15,32 @@
 #   http://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/5.0/en/old-client.html
 development:
   adapter: mysql2
-  encoding: utf8
+  encoding: utf8mb4
   reconnect: false
   database: foodsoft_development
   pool: 5
   host: localhost
 # socket: /tmp/mysql.sock
- 
+
 # Warning: The database defined as "test" will be erased and
 # re-generated from your development database when you run "rake".
 # Do not set this db to the same as development or production.
 test:
   adapter: mysql2
-  encoding: utf8
+  encoding: utf8mb4
   reconnect: false
   database: foodsoft_test
   pool: 5
   host: localhost
 # socket: /tmp/mysql.sock
- 
+
 production:
   adapter: mysql2
-  encoding: utf8
+  encoding: utf8mb4
   reconnect: false
-  database: foodsoft_production
   pool: 5
-  host: localhost
-  username: root
-  password: password
+  host: <%= ENV['FOODSOFT_DB_HOST'] %>
+  database: <%= ENV['FOODSOFT_DB_NAME'] %>
+  username: <%= ENV['FOODSOFT_DB_USER'] %>
+  password: <%= ENV['FOODSOFT_DB_PASSWORD'] %>
 # socket: /tmp/mysql.sock