diff --git a/cmd/africastalking/main.go b/cmd/africastalking/main.go
index fd82a79..92be768 100644
--- a/cmd/africastalking/main.go
+++ b/cmd/africastalking/main.go
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ func main() {
 	var resourceDir string
 	var size uint
 	var database string
+	var dbSchema string
 	var engineDebug bool
 	var host string
 	var port uint
@@ -52,7 +53,8 @@ func main() {
 	var langs args.LangVar
 
 	flag.StringVar(&resourceDir, "resourcedir", path.Join("services", "registration"), "resource dir")
-	flag.StringVar(&connStr, "c", "", "connection string")
+	flag.StringVar(&database, "db", "gdbm", "database to be used")
+	flag.StringVar(&dbSchema, "schema", "public", "database schema 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")
@@ -74,13 +76,7 @@ func main() {
 
 	ctx := context.Background()
 	ctx = context.WithValue(ctx, "Database", database)
-	ln, err := lang.LanguageFromCode(config.DefaultLanguage)
-	if err != nil {
-		fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "default language set error: %v", err)
-		os.Exit(1)
-	}
-	ctx = context.WithValue(ctx, "Language", ln)
-
+	ctx = context.WithValue(ctx, "Schema", dbSchema)
 	pfp := path.Join(scriptDir, "pp.csv")
 
 	cfg := engine.Config{
diff --git a/cmd/async/main.go b/cmd/async/main.go
index 3ba8d3a..f9feff5 100644
--- a/cmd/async/main.go
+++ b/cmd/async/main.go
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ func main() {
 	var resourceDir string
 	var size uint
 	var database string
+	var dbSchema string
 	var engineDebug bool
 	var host string
 	var port uint
@@ -63,7 +64,8 @@ func main() {
 
 	flag.StringVar(&sessionId, "session-id", "075xx2123", "session id")
 	flag.StringVar(&resourceDir, "resourcedir", path.Join("services", "registration"), "resource dir")
-	flag.StringVar(&connStr, "c", "", "connection string")
+	flag.StringVar(&database, "db", "gdbm", "database to be used")
+	flag.StringVar(&dbSchema, "schema", "public", "database schema 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")
@@ -85,14 +87,7 @@ func main() {
 
 	ctx := context.Background()
 	ctx = context.WithValue(ctx, "Database", database)
-
-	ln, err := lang.LanguageFromCode(config.DefaultLanguage)
-	if err != nil {
-		fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "default language set error: %v", err)
-		os.Exit(1)
-	}
-	ctx = context.WithValue(ctx, "Language", ln)
-
+	ctx = context.WithValue(ctx, "Schema", dbSchema)
 	pfp := path.Join(scriptDir, "pp.csv")
 
 	cfg := engine.Config{
diff --git a/cmd/http/main.go b/cmd/http/main.go
index 4d161c8..153f33f 100644
--- a/cmd/http/main.go
+++ b/cmd/http/main.go
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ func main() {
 	var resourceDir string
 	var size uint
 	var database string
+	var dbSchema string
 	var engineDebug bool
 	var host string
 	var port uint
@@ -51,7 +52,8 @@ func main() {
 	var langs args.LangVar
 
 	flag.StringVar(&resourceDir, "resourcedir", path.Join("services", "registration"), "resource dir")
-	flag.StringVar(&connStr, "c", "", "connection string")
+	flag.StringVar(&database, "db", "gdbm", "database to be used")
+	flag.StringVar(&dbSchema, "schema", "public", "database schema 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")
@@ -73,14 +75,7 @@ func main() {
 
 	ctx := context.Background()
 	ctx = context.WithValue(ctx, "Database", database)
-
-	ln, err := lang.LanguageFromCode(config.DefaultLanguage)
-	if err != nil {
-		fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "default language set error: %v", err)
-		os.Exit(1)
-	}
-	ctx = context.WithValue(ctx, "Language", ln)
-
+	ctx = context.WithValue(ctx, "Schema", dbSchema)
 	pfp := path.Join(scriptDir, "pp.csv")
 
 	cfg := engine.Config{
diff --git a/cmd/main.go b/cmd/main.go
index f2cf902..de36bf2 100644
--- a/cmd/main.go
+++ b/cmd/main.go
@@ -10,12 +10,11 @@ import (
 	"git.defalsify.org/vise.git/engine"
 	"git.defalsify.org/vise.git/logging"
 	"git.defalsify.org/vise.git/resource"
-	"git.defalsify.org/vise.git/lang"
 	"git.grassecon.net/urdt/ussd/config"
 	"git.grassecon.net/urdt/ussd/initializers"
+	"git.grassecon.net/urdt/ussd/internal/args"
 	"git.grassecon.net/urdt/ussd/internal/handlers"
 	"git.grassecon.net/urdt/ussd/internal/storage"
-	"git.grassecon.net/urdt/ussd/internal/args"
 	"git.grassecon.net/urdt/ussd/remote"
 	testdataloader "github.com/peteole/testdata-loader"
 )
@@ -39,6 +38,7 @@ func main() {
 	var size uint
 	var sessionId string
 	var database string
+	var dbSchema string
 	var engineDebug bool
 	var resourceDir string
 	var err error
@@ -47,7 +47,9 @@ func main() {
 
 	flag.StringVar(&resourceDir, "resourcedir", scriptDir, "resource dir")
 	flag.StringVar(&sessionId, "session-id", "075xx2123", "session id")
-	flag.StringVar(&connStr, "c", "", "connection string")
+	flag.StringVar(&database, "db", "gdbm", "database to be used")
+	flag.StringVar(&dbSchema, "schema", "public", "database schema 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")
 	flag.StringVar(&gettextDir, "gettext", "", "use gettext translations from given directory")
@@ -72,14 +74,7 @@ func main() {
 	ctx := context.Background()
 	ctx = context.WithValue(ctx, "SessionId", sessionId)
 	ctx = context.WithValue(ctx, "Database", database)
-
-	ln, err := lang.LanguageFromCode(config.DefaultLanguage)
-	if err != nil {
-		fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "default language set error: %v", err)
-		os.Exit(1)
-	}
-	ctx = context.WithValue(ctx, "Language", ln)
-
+	ctx = context.WithValue(ctx, "Schema", dbSchema)
 	pfp := path.Join(scriptDir, "pp.csv")
 
 	cfg := engine.Config{
@@ -91,7 +86,7 @@ func main() {
 	}
 
 	menuStorageService := storage.NewMenuStorageService(connData, resourceDir)
-	
+
 	if gettextDir != "" {
 		menuStorageService = menuStorageService.WithGettext(gettextDir, langs.Langs())
 	}