diff --git a/release/obd-kardinal.yaml b/release/obd-kardinal.yaml
index 30fc303..937acee 100644
--- a/release/obd-kardinal.yaml
+++ b/release/obd-kardinal.yaml
@@ -48,6 +48,10 @@ spec:
             timeoutSeconds: 5
             failureThreshold: 3
           env:
+            # if POSTGRES is set, uses this to connect
+            # otherwise uses environment variables below
+            - name: POSTGRES
+              value: ""
             - name: PORT
               value: "8090"
             - name: DB_USERNAME
@@ -327,4 +331,4 @@ spec:
       port: 8070
       targetPort: 8070
       protocol: TCP
-      appProtocol: HTTP
+      appProtocol: HTTP
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/cartservice/Dockerfile b/src/cartservice/Dockerfile
index c887344..2e5c159 100644
--- a/src/cartservice/Dockerfile
+++ b/src/cartservice/Dockerfile
@@ -4,10 +4,6 @@ FROM golang:1.21.9-alpine AS builder
 ENV CGO_ENABLED=0 GOOS=linux
 WORKDIR /go/src/hipstershop
 
-# Install dependencies
-RUN apk --update --no-cache add ca-certificates make protoc
-
-
 # Build Go binary
 COPY Makefile go.mod go.sum ./
 RUN go env -w GOPROXY=https://goproxy.io,direct/
@@ -18,8 +14,20 @@ COPY . .
 ARG SKAFFOLD_GO_GCFLAGS
 RUN go build -gcflags="${SKAFFOLD_GO_GCFLAGS}" -o /go/src/hipstershop/cartservice .
 
-# Deployment container
-FROM scratch
+# # Deployment container
+FROM alpine:latest
+
+# Install dependencies
+RUN apk --update --no-cache add ca-certificates make protoc
+
+# These tools are for debuggin the containres
+RUN apk add --no-cache \
+    bash \
+    curl \
+    wget \
+    net-tools \
+    iputils \
+    postgresql-client
 
 # Definition of this variable is used by 'skaffold debug' to identify a golang binary.
 # Default behavior - a failure prints a stack trace for the current goroutine.
diff --git a/src/cartservice/cartstore/db.go b/src/cartservice/cartstore/db.go
index c32e0c3..0b9e53b 100644
--- a/src/cartservice/cartstore/db.go
+++ b/src/cartservice/cartstore/db.go
@@ -3,12 +3,14 @@ package cartstore
 import (
 	"context"
 	"fmt"
+	"net"
+	"time"
+
 	cartservice_rest_types "github.com/kurtosis-tech/new-obd/src/cartservice/api/http_rest/types"
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
 	"github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
 	"gorm.io/driver/postgres"
 	"gorm.io/gorm"
-	"time"
 )
 
 type Db struct {
@@ -16,13 +18,19 @@ type Db struct {
 }
 
 func NewDb(
+	uri string,
 	host string,
 	username string,
 	password string,
 	name string,
 	port string,
 ) (*Db, error) {
-	dsn := fmt.Sprintf("host=%s user=%s password=%s dbname=%s port=%s sslmode=disable", host, username, password, name, port)
+	var dsn string
+	if uri != "" {
+		dsn = uri
+	} else {
+		dsn = fmt.Sprintf("host=%s user=%s password=%s dbname=%s port=%s sslmode=require", host, username, password, name, port)
+	}
 	maxRetries := 5
 	initialBackoff := 1 * time.Second
 	backoffMultiplier := 2.0
@@ -32,6 +40,8 @@ func NewDb(
 		return nil, errors.Wrap(err, fmt.Sprintf("An error occurred opening the connection to the database with dsn %s", dsn))
 	}
 
+	logrus.Info("connected to database")
+
 	if err = db.AutoMigrate(&Item{}); err != nil {
 		return nil, errors.Wrap(err, "An error occurred migrating the database")
 	}
@@ -49,7 +59,17 @@ func retryConnect(dsn string, maxRetries int, initialBackoff time.Duration, back
 	backoff := initialBackoff
 
 	for i := 0; i < maxRetries; i++ {
-		// Attempt to execute the operation
+		// Need to change the resolver to resolve all addresses to use ipv4 instead of ipv6
+		net.DefaultResolver = &net.Resolver{
+			PreferGo: true,
+			Dial: func(ctx context.Context, network, address string) (net.Conn, error) {
+				d := net.Dialer{
+					Timeout: time.Millisecond * time.Duration(10000),
+				}
+				return d.DialContext(ctx, "tcp4", address)
+			},
+		}
+		logrus.Infof("Attempting to connecting to datbase with dsn: %v\n", dsn)
 		db, err = gorm.Open(postgres.Open(dsn), &gorm.Config{})
 		if err != nil {
 			logrus.Debugf("An error occurred opening the connection to the database with dsn %s", dsn)
diff --git a/src/cartservice/main.go b/src/cartservice/main.go
index dfa0c2f..0c11ad6 100644
--- a/src/cartservice/main.go
+++ b/src/cartservice/main.go
@@ -2,13 +2,14 @@ package main
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
+	"net"
+	"os"
+
 	cartservice_server_rest_server "github.com/kurtosis-tech/new-obd/src/cartservice/api/http_rest/server"
 	"github.com/kurtosis-tech/new-obd/src/cartservice/cartstore"
 	"github.com/labstack/echo/v4"
 	"github.com/labstack/echo/v4/middleware"
 	"github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
-	"net"
-	"os"
 )
 
 const (
@@ -36,13 +37,14 @@ func main() {
 		AllowHeaders: defaultCORSHeaders,
 	}))
 
+	uri := os.Getenv("POSTGRES")
 	dbHost := os.Getenv("DB_HOST")
 	dbUsername := os.Getenv("DB_USERNAME")
 	dbPassword := os.Getenv("DB_PASSWORD")
 	dbName := os.Getenv("DB_NAME")
 	dbPort := os.Getenv("DB_PORT")
 
-	db, err := cartstore.NewDb(dbHost, dbUsername, dbPassword, dbName, dbPort)
+	db, err := cartstore.NewDb(uri, dbHost, dbUsername, dbPassword, dbName, dbPort)
 	if err != nil {
 		logrus.Fatal(err)
 	}