diff --git a/.vscode/launch.json b/.vscode/launch.json
index 2e00725..d9b4ed5 100644
--- a/.vscode/launch.json
+++ b/.vscode/launch.json
@@ -14,7 +14,8 @@
             "env": {
                 "FLASK_APP": "backend/app.py",
                 "FLASK_ENV": "development",
-                "FLASK_DEBUG": "1"
+                "FLASK_DEBUG": "1", 
+                "DBSTRING": "mysql://ek0ur6p6ky9gdmif:kpmi2bav4mvh4jbx@eporqep6b4b8ql12.chr7pe7iynqr.eu-west-1.rds.amazonaws.com:3306/xdfmpudc3remzgj0"
             },
             "args": [
                 "run",
diff --git a/backend/helpers.py b/backend/helpers.py
index c937f04..53ee6a1 100644
--- a/backend/helpers.py
+++ b/backend/helpers.py
@@ -49,17 +49,23 @@ def load_version(app):
         app.config['VERSION'] = ""
         
 def load_dbconfig(app):
-    if os.environ.get("JAWSDB_MARIA_URL"):
-        app.config['VERSION'] = os.environ.get("JAWSDB_MARIA_URL")
-    elif os.path.isfile(".dbconn"):
-        with open('.dbconn', 'r') as file:
-            data = file.read().replace('\n', '')
-            if data:
-                app.config['DBCONNSTRING'] = data
+    if os.environ.get("FLASK_ENV") == "development":
+        app.config['DBCONNSTRING'] = os.environ.get("DBSTRING")
+    else:
+        if os.environ.get("DEPLOYMENT_PLATFORM") == "Heroku":    
+            if os.environ.get("JAWSDB_MARIA_URL"):
+                app.config['DBCONNSTRING'] = os.environ.get("JAWSDB_MARIA_URL")
             else:
                 app.config['DBCONNSTRING'] = ""
-    else:
-        app.config['DBCONNSTRING'] = ""
+        elif os.path.isfile(".dbconn"):
+            with open('.dbconn', 'r') as file:
+                data = file.read().replace('\n', '')
+                if data:
+                    app.config['DBCONNSTRING'] = data
+                else:
+                    app.config['DBCONNSTRING'] = ""
+        else:
+            app.config['DBCONNSTRING'] = ""
 
 def setup_config(app):
     if check_config_exists():