diff --git a/config/environment.rb b/config/environment.rb
index 74e6118848..5b23741ecd 100644
--- a/config/environment.rb
+++ b/config/environment.rb
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ module Rails
 
       def database_configuration
         require 'erb'
-        db_config_file
+        db_config
       end
     end
   end
diff --git a/config/initializers/sequel.rb b/config/initializers/sequel.rb
index f7103d9074..3d5e22adfb 100644
--- a/config/initializers/sequel.rb
+++ b/config/initializers/sequel.rb
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ require_dependency 'carto/configuration'
 
 ::Sequel::DATABASES.each{|d| d.sql_log_level = :debug }
 
-@dbconfig = Carto::Conf.new.db_config_file
+@dbconfig = Carto::Conf.new.db_config
 
 # INFO: our current database.yml sets Sequel PostgreSQL adapter, which is called 'postgres'. Rails' is 'postgresql'
 @dbconfig[Rails.env]['adapter'] = 'postgresql'
diff --git a/lib/carto/configuration.rb b/lib/carto/configuration.rb
index b8d400a2fa..7a5014009f 100644
--- a/lib/carto/configuration.rb
+++ b/lib/carto/configuration.rb
@@ -1,16 +1,24 @@
 module Carto::Configuration
-  def db_config_file
-    if ENV['RAILS_DATABASE_FILE']
-      db_config = YAML.load(File.read(File.join(config_files_root, 'config/' + ENV['RAILS_DATABASE_FILE'])))
-    else
-      db_config = YAML.load(File.read(File.join(config_files_root, 'config/database.yml')))
-    end
+  def db_config
+    YAML.load(File.read(db_config_file))
   end
 
   private
 
   def config_files_root
-    Rails.root
+    if ENV['RAILS_CONFIG_BASE_PATH']
+      Pathname.new(ENV['RAILS_CONFIG_BASE_PATH'])
+    else
+      Rails.root
+    end
+  end
+
+  def db_config_file
+    if ENV['RAILS_DATABASE_FILE']
+      File.join(config_files_root, 'config/' + ENV['RAILS_DATABASE_FILE'])
+    else
+      File.join(config_files_root, 'config/database.yml')
+    end
   end
 end
 
diff --git a/script/compare_metadata.rb b/script/compare_metadata.rb
index 88d85dbf03..706723dfa6 100644
--- a/script/compare_metadata.rb
+++ b/script/compare_metadata.rb
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ if data.length > 0
 end
 
 config = YAML.load(File.read('../config/app_config.yml'))
-database = Carto::Conf.new.db_config_file
+database = Carto::Conf.new.db_config
 
 
 RAILS_ENV = ENV['RAILS_ENV'] || 'production'
diff --git a/services/user-mover/config.rb b/services/user-mover/config.rb
index 1c2170e4cc..18e7363b4a 100644
--- a/services/user-mover/config.rb
+++ b/services/user-mover/config.rb
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ module CartoDB
       def self.load_config
         root = File.expand_path(File.dirname(__FILE__))
         config = YAML.load(File.read(File.join(root, '../../config/app_config.yml')))
-        database = Carto::Conf.new.db_config_file
+        database = Carto::Conf.new.db_config
         rails_env = ENV['RAILS_ENV'] || Rails.env || 'production'
         @config = {
           rails_env: rails_env,