diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
index 6d0c70b0..6c7ed639 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ services:
       - DB_URL=jdbc:mysql://db/elide?serverTimezone=UTC
       - OAUTH_ENABLED=${OAUTH_ENABLED:-false}
       - JWKS_URL=${JWKS_URL}
+      - HIBERNATE_HBM2DDL_AUTO=create
     depends_on:
       db:
         condition: service_healthy
diff --git a/docs/docs/elide/configuration.md b/docs/docs/elide/configuration.md
index 4c6e0fc3..fa811af4 100644
--- a/docs/docs/elide/configuration.md
+++ b/docs/docs/elide/configuration.md
@@ -52,6 +52,20 @@ The following configurations can be placed in the properties file called **jpada
 - **DB_URL**: The persistence DB URL, such as "jdbc:mysql://localhost/elide?serverTimezone=UTC".
 - **DB_DRIVER**: The SQL DB driver class name, such as "com.mysql.jdbc.Driver".
 - **DB_DIALECT**: The SQL DB dialect name, such as "org.hibernate.dialect.MySQLDialect".
+- **HIBERNATE_HBM2DDL_AUTO**: What to do with existing JPA database when webservice starts; can be one of the 4 values:
+
+    1. _validate_: validate that the schema matches, make no changes to the schema of the database. _This is the default
+       value of **HIBERNATE_HBM2DDL_AUTO**_
+    2. _update_: update the schema to reflect the entities being persisted
+    3. _create_: creates the schema necessary for your entities, destroying any previous data.
+    4. _create-drop_: create the schema as in create above, but also drop the schema at the end of the session. This is
+       great in development or for testing.
+
+  :::note
+
+  This property is exactly the same as [Hibernate `hibernate.hbm2ddl.auto` property].
+
+  :::
 
 CI/CD
 -----
@@ -115,6 +129,8 @@ Note that how `my-webservice-repo-changes` is used to bridge the event dispatche
 
 [GitHub Action - How to set up]: https://docs.github.com/en/actions/security-guides/encrypted-secrets
 
+[Hibernate `hibernate.hbm2ddl.auto` property]: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/18077327/hibernate-hbm2ddl-auto-possible-values-and-what-they-do
+
 [Java system properties]: https://docs.oracle.com/javase/tutorial/essential/environment/sysprop.html
 [jersey-webservice-template-jpa-data-models]: https://github.com/QubitPi/jersey-webservice-template-jpa-data-models
 [jersey-webservice-template-jpa-data-models-acceptance-tests]: https://github.com/QubitPi/jersey-webservice-template-jpa-data-models-acceptance-tests
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/qubitpi/ws/jersey/template/application/BinderFactory.java b/src/main/java/com/qubitpi/ws/jersey/template/application/BinderFactory.java
index 616ddd56..e6aed860 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/qubitpi/ws/jersey/template/application/BinderFactory.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/qubitpi/ws/jersey/template/application/BinderFactory.java
@@ -198,7 +198,7 @@ private static Properties getDefaultDbConfigs() {
                 final Properties dbProperties = new Properties();
 
                 dbProperties.put("hibernate.show_sql", "true");
-                dbProperties.put("hibernate.hbm2ddl.auto", "update");
+                dbProperties.put("hibernate.hbm2ddl.auto", JPA_DATASTORE_CONFIG.hibernateMbm2ddlAuto());
                 dbProperties.put("hibernate.dialect", JPA_DATASTORE_CONFIG.dbDialect());
                 dbProperties.put("hibernate.current_session_context_class", "thread");
                 dbProperties.put("hibernate.jdbc.use_scrollable_resultset", "true");
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/qubitpi/ws/jersey/template/config/JpaDatastoreConfig.java b/src/main/java/com/qubitpi/ws/jersey/template/config/JpaDatastoreConfig.java
index d9c1a0f3..4a19311a 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/qubitpi/ws/jersey/template/config/JpaDatastoreConfig.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/qubitpi/ws/jersey/template/config/JpaDatastoreConfig.java
@@ -89,4 +89,27 @@ public interface JpaDatastoreConfig extends Config {
     @NotNull
     @Key("DB_DIALECT")
     String dbDialect();
+
+
+    /**
+     * What to do with existing JPA database when webservice starts.
+     * <p>
+     * Can be one of the 4 values:
+     * <ol>
+     *     <li> validate - validate that the schema matches, make no changes to the schema of the database. This is the
+     *     default value
+     *     <li> update - update the schema to reflect the entities being persisted
+     *     <li> create - creates the schema necessary for your entities, destroying any previous data.
+     *     <li> create-drop - create the schema as in create above, but also drop the schema at the end of the session.
+     *          This is great in development or for testing.
+     * </ol>
+     * See https://stackoverflow.com/questions/18077327/hibernate-hbm2ddl-auto-possible-values-and-what-they-do for more
+     * details.
+     *
+     * @return a DB config string
+     */
+    @NotNull
+    @DefaultValue("validate")
+    @Key("HIBERNATE_HBM2DDL_AUTO")
+    String hibernateMbm2ddlAuto();
 }
diff --git a/src/test/groovy/com/qubitpi/ws/jersey/template/application/AbstractITSpec.groovy b/src/test/groovy/com/qubitpi/ws/jersey/template/application/AbstractITSpec.groovy
index f7c86e4d..3b402d95 100644
--- a/src/test/groovy/com/qubitpi/ws/jersey/template/application/AbstractITSpec.groovy
+++ b/src/test/groovy/com/qubitpi/ws/jersey/template/application/AbstractITSpec.groovy
@@ -62,6 +62,8 @@ abstract class AbstractITSpec extends Specification {
         RestAssured.port = WS_PORT
         RestAssured.basePath = "/v1/data/"
 
+        System.setProperty("HIBERNATE_HBM2DDL_AUTO", "create")
+
         childSetupSpec()
     }
 
@@ -69,6 +71,8 @@ abstract class AbstractITSpec extends Specification {
         RestAssured.reset()
 
         childCleanupSpec()
+
+        System.clearProperty("HIBERNATE_HBM2DDL_AUTO")
     }
 
     def "JSON API allows for POSTing, GETing, PATCHing, and DELETing a book"() {