diff --git a/config/config.go b/config/config.go
index 3722234..8a1c942 100644
--- a/config/config.go
+++ b/config/config.go
@@ -26,13 +26,13 @@ var (
 )
 
 type Override struct {
-	DbConn           *string
+	DbConn           string
 	DbConnMode       storage.DbMode
-	StateConn        *string
+	StateConn        string
 	StateConnMode    storage.DbMode
-	ResourceConn     *string
+	ResourceConn     string
 	ResourceConnMode storage.DbMode
-	UserConn         *string
+	UserConn         string
 	UserConnMode     storage.DbMode
 }
 
@@ -63,18 +63,21 @@ func setConn() error {
 }
 
 func ApplyConn(override *Override) {
-	if override.DbConn != nil {
-		dbConn = *override.DbConn
+	if override.DbConn != "?" {
+		dbConn = override.DbConn
+		stateDbConn = override.StateConn
+		resourceDbConn = override.ResourceConn
+		userDbConn = override.UserConn
 	}
 	dbConnMode = override.DbConnMode
-	if override.StateConn != nil {
-		stateDbConn = *override.StateConn
+	if override.StateConn != "?" {
+		stateDbConn = override.StateConn
 	}
-	if override.ResourceConn != nil {
-		resourceDbConn = *override.ResourceConn
+	if override.ResourceConn != "?" {
+		resourceDbConn = override.ResourceConn
 	}
-	if override.UserConn != nil {
-		userDbConn = *override.UserConn
+	if override.UserConn != "?" {
+		userDbConn = override.UserConn
 	}
 
 	if dbConn == "?" {
@@ -94,6 +97,10 @@ func ApplyConn(override *Override) {
 		userDbConnMode = dbConnMode
 	}
 
+	logg.Debugf("conns", "conn", dbConn, "user", userDbConn)
+	if override.DbConnMode != storage.DBMODE_ANY {
+		dbConnMode = override.DbConnMode
+	}
 	if override.StateConnMode != storage.DBMODE_ANY {
 		stateDbConnMode = override.StateConnMode
 	}
diff --git a/storage/storage_service.go b/storage/storage_service.go
index ac113fe..4f18702 100644
--- a/storage/storage_service.go
+++ b/storage/storage_service.go
@@ -169,7 +169,9 @@ func ensureSchemaExists(ctx context.Context, conn ConnData) error {
 func applySession(ctx context.Context, store db.Db) error {
 	sessionId, ok := ctx.Value("SessionId").(string)
 	if !ok {
-		return fmt.Errorf("missing session to apply to store: %v", store)
+		logg.DebugCtxf(ctx, "missing session to apply", "store", store)
+		return nil
+		//return fmt.Errorf("missing session to apply to store: %v", store)
 	}
 	store.SetSession(sessionId)
 	return nil
@@ -184,7 +186,6 @@ func (ms *MenuStorageService) GetPersister(ctx context.Context) (*persist.Persis
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
-
 	pr := persist.NewPersister(stateStore)
 	logg.TraceCtxf(ctx, "menu storage service", "persist", pr, "store", stateStore)
 	return pr, nil
@@ -195,7 +196,6 @@ func (ms *MenuStorageService) GetUserdataDb(ctx context.Context) (db.Db, error)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
-
 	err = applySession(ctx, userStore)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err