diff --git a/.env.gitpod b/.env.gitpod
index a5670a77..f40bbe54 100644
--- a/.env.gitpod
+++ b/.env.gitpod
@@ -4,8 +4,8 @@ PORT=9000
 PYTHONDONTWRITEBYTECODE=1
 
 SECRET_KEY='some-key'
-DATABASE_URL=mysql://root@localhost:3306/greencheck
-DATABASE_URL_READ_ONLY=mysql://root@localhost:3306/greencheck
+DATABASE_URL=mysql://root:deploy@localhost:3306/greencheck
+DATABASE_URL_READ_ONLY=mysql://root:deploy@localhost:3306/greencheck
 EXPLORER_TOKEN="some-token"
 MAILGUN_API_KEY="50 characters long-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx"
 
diff --git a/.gitpod.yml b/.gitpod.yml
index 444b41b4..705fd76e 100644
--- a/.gitpod.yml
+++ b/.gitpod.yml
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@ tasks:
       cp ./.env.gitpod ./.env
       python -m venv .venv
       source .venv/bin/activate
-      mysqladmin create greencheck
       python -m pip install --upgrade pip uv
       uv pip install -r requirements/requirements.linux.generated.txt
       dotenv run -- ./manage.py migrate
@@ -31,6 +30,19 @@ tasks:
       --name green-rabbit 
       rabbitmq:3.11
 
+  - name: mariadb
+    command: >
+      docker run 
+      --rm
+      --hostname green-mariadb
+      -p 3306:3306
+      mariadb:10.11
+    env:
+      MARIADB_USER: deploy
+      MARIADB_PASSWORD: deploy
+      MARIADB_ROOT_PASSWORD: deploy
+      MARIADB_DATABASE: greencheck
+
   - name: mailhog
     command: >
       docker run