diff --git a/backend/mempool-config.sample.json b/backend/mempool-config.sample.json
index 5c45838ee..b5c4b8d53 100644
--- a/backend/mempool-config.sample.json
+++ b/backend/mempool-config.sample.json
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@
     "ENABLED": true,
     "HOST": "127.0.0.1",
     "PORT": 3306,
+    "SOCKET": "/var/run/mysql/mysql.sock",
     "DATABASE": "mempool",
     "USERNAME": "mempool",
     "PASSWORD": "mempool"
diff --git a/backend/src/config.ts b/backend/src/config.ts
index 97c3bb32a..9ceb66e59 100644
--- a/backend/src/config.ts
+++ b/backend/src/config.ts
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ interface IConfig {
   DATABASE: {
     ENABLED: boolean;
     HOST: string,
+    SOCKET: string,
     PORT: number;
     DATABASE: string;
     USERNAME: string;
@@ -121,6 +122,7 @@ const defaults: IConfig = {
   'DATABASE': {
     'ENABLED': true,
     'HOST': '127.0.0.1',
+    'SOCKET': '',
     'PORT': 3306,
     'DATABASE': 'mempool',
     'USERNAME': 'mempool',
diff --git a/backend/src/database.ts b/backend/src/database.ts
index 596ce2364..55be0ffc3 100644
--- a/backend/src/database.ts
+++ b/backend/src/database.ts
@@ -1,17 +1,30 @@
 import config from './config';
 import { createPool, PoolConnection } from 'mysql2/promise';
 import logger from './logger';
+import { PoolOptions } from 'mysql2/typings/mysql';
 
 export class DB {
-  static pool = createPool({
-    host: config.DATABASE.HOST,
-    port: config.DATABASE.PORT,
-    database: config.DATABASE.DATABASE,
-    user: config.DATABASE.USERNAME,
-    password: config.DATABASE.PASSWORD,
-    connectionLimit: 10,
-    supportBigNumbers: true,
-  });
+  static poolConfig = ():PoolOptions => {
+    let poolConfig:PoolOptions = {
+      port: config.DATABASE.PORT,
+      database: config.DATABASE.DATABASE,
+      user: config.DATABASE.USERNAME,
+      password: config.DATABASE.PASSWORD,
+      connectionLimit: 10,
+      supportBigNumbers: true,
+      timezone: '+00:00',
+    }
+
+    if (config.DATABASE.SOCKET !== "") {
+      poolConfig.socketPath = config.DATABASE.SOCKET;
+    } else {
+      poolConfig.host = config.DATABASE.HOST;
+    }
+
+    return poolConfig;
+  }
+  
+  static pool = createPool(DB.poolConfig());
 
   static connectionsReady: number[] = [];
 
diff --git a/contributors/dsbaars.txt b/contributors/dsbaars.txt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..8e4dcbb9a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/contributors/dsbaars.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+I hereby accept the terms of the Contributor License Agreement in the CONTRIBUTING.md file of the mempool/mempool git repository as of January 25, 2022.
+
+Signed: dsbaars
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/docker/backend/mempool-config.json b/docker/backend/mempool-config.json
index 6b2319a59..39d0e5fad 100644
--- a/docker/backend/mempool-config.json
+++ b/docker/backend/mempool-config.json
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@
   "DATABASE": {
     "ENABLED": __DATABASE_ENABLED__,
     "HOST": "__DATABASE_HOST__",
+    "SOCKET": "__DATABASE_SOCKET__",
     "PORT": __DATABASE_PORT__,
     "DATABASE": "__DATABASE_DATABASE__",
     "USERNAME": "__DATABASE_USERNAME__",
diff --git a/docker/backend/start.sh b/docker/backend/start.sh
index d26a93b08..1d8c0d1fc 100644
--- a/docker/backend/start.sh
+++ b/docker/backend/start.sh
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ __SECOND_CORE_RPC_PASSWORD__=${SECOND_CORE_RPC_PASSWORD:=mempool}
 # DATABASE
 __DATABASE_ENABLED__=${DATABASE_ENABLED:=true}
 __DATABASE_HOST__=${DATABASE_HOST:=127.0.0.1}
+__DATABASE_SOCKET__=${DATABASE_SOCKET:=""}
 __DATABASE_PORT__=${DATABASE_PORT:=3306}
 __DATABASE_DATABASE__=${DATABASE_DATABASE:=mempool}
 __DATABASE_USERNAME__=${DATABASE_USERNAME:=mempool}
@@ -111,6 +112,8 @@ sed -i "s/__SECOND_CORE_RPC_PASSWORD__/${__SECOND_CORE_RPC_PASSWORD__}/g" mempoo
 
 sed -i "s/__DATABASE_ENABLED__/${__DATABASE_ENABLED__}/g" mempool-config.json
 sed -i "s/__DATABASE_HOST__/${__DATABASE_HOST__}/g" mempool-config.json
+sed -i "s!__DATABASE_SOCKET__!${__DATABASE_SOCKET__}!g" mempool-config.json
+
 sed -i "s/__DATABASE_PORT__/${__DATABASE_PORT__}/g" mempool-config.json
 sed -i "s/__DATABASE_DATABASE__/${__DATABASE_DATABASE__}/g" mempool-config.json
 sed -i "s/__DATABASE_USERNAME__/${__DATABASE_USERNAME__}/g" mempool-config.json