diff --git a/cmd/api/main.go b/cmd/api/main.go
index 45aaca540..26acbedfc 100644
--- a/cmd/api/main.go
+++ b/cmd/api/main.go
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ package main
 import (
 	"context"
 	"crypto/tls"
+	"database/sql"
 	"fmt"
 	"net/http"
 	"path"
@@ -67,9 +68,6 @@ import (
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/wait"
 )
 
-// The default number of connections to use
-const defaultDatabaseConnections = 10
-
 func main() {
 	serverConfig := config.Get()
 
@@ -122,19 +120,25 @@ func main() {
 		log.Fatalf("Failed to connect to database: %v", err)
 	}
 
-	sqlDB, err := db.DB()
+	var sqlDB *sql.DB
 
 	// Set DB connection limits
 	maxIdle := serverConfig.DB_MAX_IDLE_CONNECTIONS
 	maxOpen := serverConfig.DB_MAX_OPEN_CONNECTIONS
-	if maxOpen < 1 {
-		maxOpen = defaultDatabaseConnections
+	if maxOpen > 0 {
+		sqlDB, err = db.DB()
+		if err != nil {
+			log.Fatalf("Error getting database configuration for updating max open connections: %s", err.Error())
+		}
+		sqlDB.SetMaxOpenConns(maxOpen)
 	}
-	if maxIdle < 1 {
-		maxIdle = defaultDatabaseConnections
+	if maxIdle > 0 {
+		sqlDB, err = db.DB()
+		if err != nil {
+			log.Fatalf("Error getting database configuration for updating max open connections: %s", err.Error())
+		}
+		sqlDB.SetMaxIdleConns(maxIdle)
 	}
-	sqlDB.SetMaxIdleConns(maxIdle)
-	sqlDB.SetMaxOpenConns(maxOpen)
 
 	// Set grpc worker pool
 	grpcWorkers := serverConfig.GRPC_WORKER_POOL