diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 54f7bb4..358297a 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -71,6 +71,16 @@ MySQL server, use that.)
 
 Ensure a user in your database is granted SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE, and DELETE privileges to all tables in your new database.
 
-The database URL for this database can be specified on the Amsterdam command line with the `-d` or `--database` parameters,
-or with the `AMSTERDAM_DATABASE_URL` environment variable.  The URL is specified as `mysql:dsn`, where "dsn" is the complete
-datasource name (`user:password@tcp(hostname)/amsterdam?parseTime=true&loc=UTC`).
+The database may be specified to Amsterdam with the following command line options or environment variables:
+
+* Host name: Command line options `-t` or `--database-host`, or environment variable `AMSTERDAM_DATABASE_HOST`
+* User name: Command line options `-u` or `--database-user`, or environment variable `AMSTERDAM_DATABASE_USER`
+* Password: Command line options `-p` or `--database-password`, or environment variable `AMSTERDAM_DATABASE_PASSWORD`
+* Database name: Command line options `-d` or `--database-name`, or environment variable `AMSTERDAM_DATABASE_NAME`
+
+All these options may also be specified via the configuration file (see below).
+
+Amsterdam also requires access to a local SMTP server, as it sends out E-mail messages such as account verification,
+password reminders, subscribed posts, and messages from conference or community hosts.  It may be specified to Amsterdam
+with the following command line options or environment variables:
+
diff --git a/config/config.go b/config/config.go
index 48cadd6..4e20245 100644
--- a/config/config.go
+++ b/config/config.go
@@ -19,8 +19,8 @@ import (
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"reflect"
-	"strings"
 
+	"git.erbosoft.com/amy/amsterdam/util"
 	argparse "github.com/alexflint/go-arg"
 	"github.com/dustin/go-humanize"
 	log "github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
@@ -45,8 +45,11 @@ type AmCLI struct {
 	Debug            bool   `arg:"-D,--debug,env:AMSTERDAM_DEBUG" help:"Force Amsterdam to run in debug mode."`
 	LogLevel         string `arg:"-L,--level,--loglevel,env:AMSTERDAM_LOG_LEVEL" help:"Set the log level for the server."`
 	Production       bool   `arg:"-P,--production,env:AMSTERDAM_PROD" help:"Force Amsterdam to run in production mode."`
-	DatabaseURL      string `arg:"-d,--database,env:AMSTERDAM_DATABASE_URL" help:"Database URL for Amsterdam to connect to."`
-	Listen           string `arg:"-l,--listen,env:AMSTERDAM_LISTEN" help:"Specifies the local address and port for Amsterdam to listen on."`
+	DatabaseName     string `arg:"-d,--database-name,env:AMSTERDAM_DATABASE_NAME" help:"Database name to use on the database server."`
+	Listen           string `arg:"-l,--listen,env:AMSTERDAM_LISTEN" help:"The local address and port for Amsterdam to listen on."`
+	DatabasePassword string `arg:"-p,--database-password,env:AMSTERDAM_DATABASE_PASSWORD" help:"Password for the database server."`
+	DatabaseHost     string `arg:"-t,--database-host,env:AMSTERDAM_DATABASE_HOST" help:"Hostname for the database server."`
+	DatabaseUser     string `arg:"-u,--database-user,env:AMSTERDAM_DATABASE_USER" help:"User name for the database server."`
 	DebugPanic       bool   `arg:"--debug-panic" help:"Development Only - disable Echo panic recovery"`
 	BuggyAttachments bool   `arg:"--buggy-attachments" help:"Some attachments may be buggy - truncate data if necessary"`
 }
@@ -101,8 +104,11 @@ type AmConfig struct {
 		} `yaml:"rateLimit"`
 	} `yaml:"site"`
 	Database struct {
-		Driver string `yaml:"driver"`
-		Dsn    string `yaml:"dsn"`
+		Driver       string `yaml:"driver"`
+		HostName     string `yaml:"hostName"`
+		User         string `yaml:"user"`
+		Password     string `yaml:"password"`
+		DatabaseName string `yaml:"databaseName"`
 	} `yaml:"database"`
 	Defaults struct {
 		Language string `yaml:"language"`
@@ -191,7 +197,10 @@ type AmConfigComputed struct {
 	LogLevel         string          // the logging level
 	Listen           string          // listen address
 	DatabaseDriver   string          // name of database driver
-	DatabaseDSN      string          // DSN for the database
+	DatabaseHost     string          // hostname for database
+	DatabaseUser     string          // user name for database
+	DatabasePassword string          // password for database
+	DatabaseName     string          // database name
 	UploadMaxSize    int32           // maximum upload size in bytes
 	UploadNoCompress map[string]bool // which upload types are not compressed?
 }
@@ -361,27 +370,13 @@ func SetupConfig() {
 	} else {
 		GlobalComputedConfig.DebugMode = !GlobalConfig.Site.Production
 	}
-	if CommandLine.LogLevel != "" {
-		GlobalComputedConfig.LogLevel = CommandLine.LogLevel
-	} else {
-		GlobalComputedConfig.LogLevel = GlobalConfig.Logging.LogLevel
-	}
-	if CommandLine.Listen != "" {
-		GlobalComputedConfig.Listen = CommandLine.Listen
-	} else {
-		GlobalComputedConfig.Listen = GlobalConfig.Site.Listen
-	}
-	if CommandLine.DatabaseURL != "" {
-		p := strings.Index(CommandLine.DatabaseURL, ":")
-		if p < 0 {
-			panic("Invalid database URL on command line")
-		}
-		GlobalComputedConfig.DatabaseDriver = CommandLine.DatabaseURL[:p]
-		GlobalComputedConfig.DatabaseDSN = CommandLine.DatabaseURL[p+1:]
-	} else {
-		GlobalComputedConfig.DatabaseDriver = GlobalConfig.Database.Driver
-		GlobalComputedConfig.DatabaseDSN = GlobalConfig.Database.Dsn
-	}
+	GlobalComputedConfig.LogLevel = util.IIF(CommandLine.LogLevel != "", CommandLine.LogLevel, GlobalConfig.Logging.LogLevel)
+	GlobalComputedConfig.Listen = util.IIF(CommandLine.Listen != "", CommandLine.Listen, GlobalConfig.Site.Listen)
+	GlobalComputedConfig.DatabaseDriver = GlobalConfig.Database.Driver // FUTURE: allow configuration
+	GlobalComputedConfig.DatabaseHost = util.IIF(CommandLine.DatabaseHost != "", CommandLine.DatabaseHost, GlobalConfig.Database.HostName)
+	GlobalComputedConfig.DatabaseUser = util.IIF(CommandLine.DatabaseUser != "", CommandLine.DatabaseUser, GlobalConfig.Database.User)
+	GlobalComputedConfig.DatabasePassword = util.IIF(CommandLine.DatabasePassword != "", CommandLine.DatabasePassword, GlobalConfig.Database.Password)
+	GlobalComputedConfig.DatabaseName = util.IIF(CommandLine.DatabaseName != "", CommandLine.DatabaseName, GlobalConfig.Database.DatabaseName)
 	tmp, err := humanize.ParseBytes(GlobalConfig.Posting.Uploads.MaxSize)
 	if err != nil {
 		panic(err.Error())
diff --git a/config/default.yaml b/config/default.yaml
index 7ff2112..32d1a65 100644
--- a/config/default.yaml
+++ b/config/default.yaml
@@ -36,7 +36,10 @@ site:
     expireMinutes: 3
 database:
   driver: "mysql"
-  dsn: "amsdb:x00yes2k@tcp(localhost)/amsterdam?parseTime=true&loc=UTC"
+  hostName: "localhost"
+  user: "amsdb"
+  password: "x00yes2k"
+  databaseName: "amsterdam"
 defaults:
   language: "en-US"
   timezone: "America/Denver"
diff --git a/database/base.go b/database/base.go
index 69944b1..20c4ce0 100644
--- a/database/base.go
+++ b/database/base.go
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ package database
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"fmt"
 	"slices"
 
 	"git.erbosoft.com/amy/amsterdam/config"
@@ -22,10 +23,19 @@ import (
 // amdb is the reference to the Amsterdam database.
 var amdb *sqlx.DB
 
+// buildMysqlDSN builds the MySQL DSN for the driver.
+func buildMysqlDSN() string {
+	return fmt.Sprintf("%s:%s@tcp(%s)/%s?parseTime=true&loc=UTC",
+		config.GlobalComputedConfig.DatabaseUser,
+		config.GlobalComputedConfig.DatabasePassword,
+		config.GlobalComputedConfig.DatabaseHost,
+		config.GlobalComputedConfig.DatabaseName)
+}
+
 // SetupDb sets up the database and associated items.
 func SetupDb() (func(), error) {
 	exitfns := make([]func(), 0, 2)
-	db, err := sqlx.Connect(config.GlobalComputedConfig.DatabaseDriver, config.GlobalComputedConfig.DatabaseDSN)
+	db, err := sqlx.Connect(config.GlobalComputedConfig.DatabaseDriver, buildMysqlDSN())
 	if err == nil {
 		amdb = db
 		g, err := AmGlobals(context.Background())
diff --git a/ui/templates.go b/ui/templates.go
index 2c39ce8..70298f4 100644
--- a/ui/templates.go
+++ b/ui/templates.go
@@ -321,7 +321,7 @@ func setupTemplates() {
 	views.AddGlobalFunc("DisplayExpandCat", displayExpandCat)
 
 	views.AddGlobalFunc("GetCountryList", func(jet.Arguments) reflect.Value {
-		return reflect.ValueOf(util.AmCountryList())
+		return reflect.ValueOf(util.AmCountryList(config.GlobalConfig.Rendering.CountryList.Prioritize))
 	})
 	views.AddGlobalFunc("GetLanguageList", func(jet.Arguments) reflect.Value {
 		return reflect.ValueOf(util.AmLanguageList())
diff --git a/util/countrylist.go b/util/countrylist.go
index 01dbd0d..a473be8 100644
--- a/util/countrylist.go
+++ b/util/countrylist.go
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 	"sync"
 
-	"git.erbosoft.com/amy/amsterdam/config"
 	"github.com/biter777/countries"
 )
 
@@ -26,7 +25,7 @@ var cachedCountryList []countries.CountryCode = nil
 var countryListMutex sync.Mutex
 
 // AmCountryList is a wrapper around countries.All() that sorts it by country name.
-func AmCountryList() []countries.CountryCode {
+func AmCountryList(prioritize string) []countries.CountryCode {
 	countryListMutex.Lock()
 	defer countryListMutex.Unlock()
 	if cachedCountryList == nil {
@@ -34,9 +33,9 @@ func AmCountryList() []countries.CountryCode {
 		slices.SortFunc(countryList, func(a countries.CountryCode, b countries.CountryCode) int {
 			return strings.Compare(a.Info().Name, b.Info().Name)
 		})
-		if config.GlobalConfig.Rendering.CountryList.Prioritize != "" {
+		if prioritize != "" {
 			for i, c := range countryList {
-				if c.Info().Alpha2 == config.GlobalConfig.Rendering.CountryList.Prioritize {
+				if c.Info().Alpha2 == prioritize {
 					newList := make([]countries.CountryCode, len(countryList))
 					newList[0] = c
 					copy(newList[1:], countryList[:i])
@@ -49,8 +48,3 @@ func AmCountryList() []countries.CountryCode {
 	}
 	return cachedCountryList
 }
-
-// init preloads the country list.
-func init() {
-	go AmCountryList()
-}