diff --git a/conduit-backend/app.js b/conduit-backend/app.js
index 1859a96158b3815ec91b219ebb09d100b477cc4e..a7301b0af6ba0ff88b806327468b94f04621bbc3 100644
--- a/conduit-backend/app.js
+++ b/conduit-backend/app.js
@@ -35,7 +35,8 @@ if(isProduction){
 } else {
 
 // IP 10.152.183.50 configured in mongo service config
-  mongoose.connect('mongodb://10.152.183.50/conduit');
+  mongoose.connect(process.env.MONGODB_URI);
+//  mongoose.connect('mongodb://10.152.183.50/conduit');
   mongoose.set('debug', true);
 }