diff --git a/rippled-example.cfg b/rippled-example.cfg
index c37cd9c0ec..43bd2944c1 100644
--- a/rippled-example.cfg
+++ b/rippled-example.cfg
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@
 #
 # [websocket_ssl]:
 #   0 or 1.
-#   Enable websocket SSL
+#   Enable websocket SSL.
 #
 # [websocket_ssl_key]:
 #   Specify the filename holding the SSL key in PEM format.
@@ -128,7 +128,11 @@
 #   past ledgers to acquire on server startup and the minimum to maintain while
 #   running. Servers that don't need to serve clients can set this to "none".
 #   Servers that want complete history can set this to "full".
-#   The default is 256 ledgers
+#   The default is 256 ledgers.
+#
+# [database_path]:
+#   Full path of database directory.
+#
 
 [peer_ip]
 0.0.0.0
diff --git a/src/cpp/ripple/Config.cpp b/src/cpp/ripple/Config.cpp
index ff9c161a2d..a13e1e0e73 100644
--- a/src/cpp/ripple/Config.cpp
+++ b/src/cpp/ripple/Config.cpp
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 #include <algorithm>
 
 #define SECTION_ACCOUNT_PROBE_MAX		"account_probe_max"
+#define SECTION_DATABASE_PATH			"database_path"
 #define SECTION_DEBUG_LOGFILE			"debug_logfile"
 #define SECTION_FEE_DEFAULT				"fee_default"
 #define SECTION_FEE_NICKNAME_CREATE		"fee_nickname_create"
@@ -142,17 +143,17 @@ void Config::setup(const std::string& strConf, bool bTestNet, bool bQuiet)
 		}
 	}
 
-	boost::filesystem::create_directories(DATA_DIR, ec);
-
-	if (ec)
-		throw std::runtime_error(str(boost::format("Can not create %s") % DATA_DIR));
+	// Update default values
+	load();
 
 	// std::cerr << "CONFIG FILE: " << CONFIG_FILE << std::endl;
 	// std::cerr << "CONFIG DIR: " << CONFIG_DIR << std::endl;
 	// std::cerr << "DATA DIR: " << DATA_DIR << std::endl;
 
-	// Update default values
-	load();
+	boost::filesystem::create_directories(DATA_DIR, ec);
+
+	if (ec)
+		throw std::runtime_error(str(boost::format("Can not create %s") % DATA_DIR));
 }
 
 Config::Config()
@@ -259,6 +260,9 @@ void Config::load()
 				SNTP_SERVERS = *smtTmp;
 			}
 
+			if (sectionSingleB(secConfig, SECTION_DATABASE_PATH, DATABASE_PATH))
+				DATA_DIR	= DATABASE_PATH;
+
 			(void) sectionSingleB(secConfig, SECTION_VALIDATORS_SITE, VALIDATORS_SITE);
 
 			(void) sectionSingleB(secConfig, SECTION_PEER_IP, PEER_IP);
diff --git a/src/cpp/ripple/Config.h b/src/cpp/ripple/Config.h
index d43de2a6c3..849d188524 100644
--- a/src/cpp/ripple/Config.h
+++ b/src/cpp/ripple/Config.h
@@ -65,6 +65,9 @@ public:
 	enum StartUpType { FRESH, NORMAL, LOAD, NETWORK };
 	StartUpType					START_UP;
 
+	// Database
+	std::string					DATABASE_PATH;
+
 	// Network parameters
 	int							NETWORK_START_TIME;		// The Unix time we start ledger 0.
 	int							TRANSACTION_FEE_BASE;	// The number of fee units a reference transaction costs