diff --git a/core/src/config.jl b/core/src/config.jl
index 62fad53fe..bfbea84ef 100644
--- a/core/src/config.jl
+++ b/core/src/config.jl
@@ -23,7 +23,14 @@ using OrdinaryDiffEqRosenbrock: Rosenbrock23, Rodas4P, Rodas5P
 
 export Config, Solver, Results, Logging, Toml
 export algorithm,
-    camel_case, snake_case, input_path, results_path, convert_saveat, convert_dt, nodetypes
+    camel_case,
+    snake_case,
+    input_path,
+    database_path,
+    results_path,
+    convert_saveat,
+    convert_dt,
+    nodetypes
 
 const schemas =
     getfield.(
@@ -133,7 +140,6 @@ end
     ribasim_version::String
     input_dir::String
     results_dir::String
-    database::String = "database.gpkg"
     allocation::Allocation = Allocation()
     solver::Solver = Solver()
     logging::Logging = Logging()
@@ -168,6 +174,11 @@ function input_path(config::Config, path::String)
     return normpath(dirname(config), config.input_dir, path)
 end
 
+"Construct the database path relative to both the TOML directory and the optional `input_dir`"
+function database_path(config::Config)
+    return normpath(dirname(config), config.input_dir, "database.gpkg")
+end
+
 "Construct a path relative to both the TOML directory and the optional `results_dir`"
 function results_path(config::Config, path::String)
     return normpath(dirname(config), config.results_dir, path)
diff --git a/core/src/model.jl b/core/src/model.jl
index 921b3b7df..148f0bc5d 100644
--- a/core/src/model.jl
+++ b/core/src/model.jl
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ function Model(config_path::AbstractString)::Model
 end
 
 function Model(config::Config)::Model
-    db_path = input_path(config, config.database)
+    db_path = database_path(config)
     if !isfile(db_path)
         @error "Database file not found" db_path
         error("Database file not found")
diff --git a/core/test/allocation_test.jl b/core/test/allocation_test.jl
index f9524851f..f7549f1d1 100644
--- a/core/test/allocation_test.jl
+++ b/core/test/allocation_test.jl
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
     toml_path = normpath(@__DIR__, "../../generated_testmodels/subnetwork/ribasim.toml")
     @test ispath(toml_path)
     cfg = Ribasim.Config(toml_path)
-    db_path = Ribasim.input_path(cfg, cfg.database)
+    db_path = Ribasim.database_path(cfg)
     db = SQLite.DB(db_path)
 
     p = Ribasim.Parameters(db, cfg)
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ end
     )
     @test ispath(toml_path)
     cfg = Ribasim.Config(toml_path)
-    db_path = Ribasim.input_path(cfg, cfg.database)
+    db_path = Ribasim.database_path(cfg)
     db = SQLite.DB(db_path)
     p = Ribasim.Parameters(db, cfg)
     close(db)
@@ -207,7 +207,7 @@ end
     )
     @test ispath(toml_path)
     cfg = Ribasim.Config(toml_path)
-    db_path = Ribasim.input_path(cfg, cfg.database)
+    db_path = Ribasim.database_path(cfg)
     db = SQLite.DB(db_path)
     p = Ribasim.Parameters(db, cfg)
     close(db)
diff --git a/core/test/io_test.jl b/core/test/io_test.jl
index 45d552a94..da482360f 100644
--- a/core/test/io_test.jl
+++ b/core/test/io_test.jl
@@ -5,35 +5,32 @@
     toml = Ribasim.Toml(;
         starttime = now(),
         endtime = now(),
-        database = "path/to/file",
         input_dir = ".",
         results_dir = "results",
         crs = "EPSG:28992",
         ribasim_version = string(Ribasim.pkgversion(Ribasim)),
     )
     config = Ribasim.Config(toml, "model")
-    @test Ribasim.input_path(config, "path/to/file") ==
-          normpath("model", "path", "to", "file")
+    @test Ribasim.database_path(config) == normpath("model/database.gpkg")
+    @test Ribasim.input_path(config, "path/to/file") == normpath("model/path/to/file")
 
     # also relative to inputdir
     toml = Ribasim.Toml(;
         starttime = now(),
         endtime = now(),
-        database = "path/to/file",
         input_dir = "input",
         results_dir = "results",
         crs = "EPSG:28992",
         ribasim_version = string(Ribasim.pkgversion(Ribasim)),
     )
     config = Ribasim.Config(toml, "model")
-    @test Ribasim.input_path(config, "path/to/file") ==
-          normpath("model", "input", "path", "to", "file")
+    @test Ribasim.database_path(config) == normpath("model/input/database.gpkg")
+    @test Ribasim.input_path(config, "path/to/file") == normpath("model/input/path/to/file")
 
     # absolute path
     toml = Ribasim.Toml(;
         starttime = now(),
         endtime = now(),
-        database = "/path/to/file",
         input_dir = ".",
         results_dir = "results",
         crs = "EPSG:28992",
@@ -92,7 +89,7 @@ end
     toml_path =
         normpath(@__DIR__, "../../generated_testmodels/basic_transient/ribasim.toml")
     config = Ribasim.Config(toml_path)
-    db_path = Ribasim.input_path(config, config.database)
+    db_path = Ribasim.database_path(config)
     db = SQLite.DB(db_path)
 
     # load a sorted table
diff --git a/core/test/utils_test.jl b/core/test/utils_test.jl
index 8d5b54198..ef0b85ae8 100644
--- a/core/test/utils_test.jl
+++ b/core/test/utils_test.jl
@@ -166,7 +166,7 @@ end
     toml_path = normpath(@__DIR__, "../../generated_testmodels/basic/ribasim.toml")
 
     cfg = Ribasim.Config(toml_path)
-    db_path = Ribasim.input_path(cfg, cfg.database)
+    db_path = Ribasim.database_path(cfg)
     db = SQLite.DB(db_path)
 
     p = Ribasim.Parameters(db, cfg)
@@ -188,7 +188,7 @@ end
     toml_path = normpath(@__DIR__, "../../generated_testmodels/pid_control/ribasim.toml")
 
     cfg = Ribasim.Config(toml_path)
-    db_path = Ribasim.input_path(cfg, cfg.database)
+    db_path = Ribasim.database_path(cfg)
     db = SQLite.DB(db_path)
 
     p = Ribasim.Parameters(db, cfg)
diff --git a/core/test/validation_test.jl b/core/test/validation_test.jl
index 96c409a7b..547a11ff4 100644
--- a/core/test/validation_test.jl
+++ b/core/test/validation_test.jl
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ end
     @test ispath(toml_path)
 
     config = Ribasim.Config(toml_path)
-    db_path = Ribasim.input_path(config, config.database)
+    db_path = Ribasim.database_path(config)
     db = SQLite.DB(db_path)
     graph = Ribasim.create_graph(db, config)
 
@@ -194,7 +194,7 @@ end
     @test ispath(toml_path)
 
     cfg = Ribasim.Config(toml_path)
-    db_path = Ribasim.input_path(cfg, cfg.database)
+    db_path = Ribasim.database_path(cfg)
     db = SQLite.DB(db_path)
     p = Ribasim.Parameters(db, cfg)
     close(db)
@@ -274,7 +274,7 @@ end
     @test ispath(toml_path)
 
     cfg = Ribasim.Config(toml_path)
-    db_path = Ribasim.input_path(cfg, cfg.database)
+    db_path = Ribasim.database_path(cfg)
     db = SQLite.DB(db_path)
     logger = TestLogger()
     with_logger(logger) do
@@ -482,7 +482,7 @@ end
     toml_path = normpath(@__DIR__, "../../generated_testmodels/basic/ribasim.toml")
 
     cfg = Ribasim.Config(toml_path)
-    db_path = Ribasim.input_path(cfg, cfg.database)
+    db_path = Ribasim.database_path(cfg)
     db = SQLite.DB(db_path)
 
     logger = TestLogger()