diff --git a/cmd/africastalking/main.go b/cmd/africastalking/main.go
index 3f1c723..56a6c81 100644
--- a/cmd/africastalking/main.go
+++ b/cmd/africastalking/main.go
@@ -77,11 +77,13 @@ func main() {
 	var dbDir string
 	var resourceDir string
 	var size uint
+	var database string
 	var engineDebug bool
 	var host string
 	var port uint
 	flag.StringVar(&dbDir, "dbdir", ".state", "database dir to read from")
 	flag.StringVar(&resourceDir, "resourcedir", path.Join("services", "registration"), "resource dir")
+	flag.StringVar(&database, "db", "gdbm", "database to be used")
 	flag.BoolVar(&engineDebug, "d", false, "use engine debug output")
 	flag.UintVar(&size, "s", 160, "max size of output")
 	flag.StringVar(&host, "h", initializers.GetEnv("HOST", "127.0.0.1"), "http host")
@@ -91,6 +93,7 @@ func main() {
 	logg.Infof("start command", "dbdir", dbDir, "resourcedir", resourceDir, "outputsize", size)
 
 	ctx := context.Background()
+	ctx = context.WithValue(ctx, "Database", database)
 	pfp := path.Join(scriptDir, "pp.csv")
 
 	cfg := engine.Config{
diff --git a/cmd/async/main.go b/cmd/async/main.go
index db58857..e815c96 100644
--- a/cmd/async/main.go
+++ b/cmd/async/main.go
@@ -48,12 +48,14 @@ func main() {
 	var dbDir string
 	var resourceDir string
 	var size uint
+	var database string
 	var engineDebug bool
 	var host string
 	var port uint
 	flag.StringVar(&sessionId, "session-id", "075xx2123", "session id")
 	flag.StringVar(&dbDir, "dbdir", ".state", "database dir to read from")
 	flag.StringVar(&resourceDir, "resourcedir", path.Join("services", "registration"), "resource dir")
+	flag.StringVar(&database, "db", "gdbm", "database to be used")
 	flag.BoolVar(&engineDebug, "d", false, "use engine debug output")
 	flag.UintVar(&size, "s", 160, "max size of output")
 	flag.StringVar(&host, "h", initializers.GetEnv("HOST", "127.0.0.1"), "http host")
@@ -63,6 +65,7 @@ func main() {
 	logg.Infof("start command", "dbdir", dbDir, "resourcedir", resourceDir, "outputsize", size, "sessionId", sessionId)
 
 	ctx := context.Background()
+	ctx = context.WithValue(ctx, "Database", database)
 	pfp := path.Join(scriptDir, "pp.csv")
 
 	cfg := engine.Config{
diff --git a/cmd/http/main.go b/cmd/http/main.go
index 166ab75..774eb87 100644
--- a/cmd/http/main.go
+++ b/cmd/http/main.go
@@ -37,11 +37,13 @@ func main() {
 	var dbDir string
 	var resourceDir string
 	var size uint
+	var database string
 	var engineDebug bool
 	var host string
 	var port uint
 	flag.StringVar(&dbDir, "dbdir", ".state", "database dir to read from")
 	flag.StringVar(&resourceDir, "resourcedir", path.Join("services", "registration"), "resource dir")
+	flag.StringVar(&database, "db", "gdbm", "database to be used")
 	flag.BoolVar(&engineDebug, "d", false, "use engine debug output")
 	flag.UintVar(&size, "s", 160, "max size of output")
 	flag.StringVar(&host, "h", initializers.GetEnv("HOST", "127.0.0.1"), "http host")
@@ -51,6 +53,7 @@ func main() {
 	logg.Infof("start command", "dbdir", dbDir, "resourcedir", resourceDir, "outputsize", size)
 
 	ctx := context.Background()
+	ctx = context.WithValue(ctx, "Database", database)
 	pfp := path.Join(scriptDir, "pp.csv")
 
 	cfg := engine.Config{
diff --git a/cmd/main.go b/cmd/main.go
index e42306a..be2bea3 100644
--- a/cmd/main.go
+++ b/cmd/main.go
@@ -31,8 +31,10 @@ func main() {
 	var dbDir string
 	var size uint
 	var sessionId string
+	var database string
 	var engineDebug bool
 	flag.StringVar(&sessionId, "session-id", "075xx2123", "session id")
+	flag.StringVar(&database, "db", "gdbm", "database to be used")
 	flag.StringVar(&dbDir, "dbdir", ".state", "database dir to read from")
 	flag.BoolVar(&engineDebug, "d", false, "use engine debug output")
 	flag.UintVar(&size, "s", 160, "max size of output")
@@ -42,6 +44,7 @@ func main() {
 
 	ctx := context.Background()
 	ctx = context.WithValue(ctx, "SessionId", sessionId)
+	ctx = context.WithValue(ctx, "Database", database)
 	pfp := path.Join(scriptDir, "pp.csv")
 
 	cfg := engine.Config{