diff --git a/lib/pact_broker/app.rb b/lib/pact_broker/app.rb
index e308e7e2d..5c8675039 100644
--- a/lib/pact_broker/app.rb
+++ b/lib/pact_broker/app.rb
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 require "pact_broker/configuration"
 require "pact_broker/db"
+require "pact_broker/initializers/database_connection"
 require "pact_broker/project_root"
 require "pact_broker/logging/default_formatter"
 require "pact_broker/policies"
@@ -122,6 +123,7 @@ def load_configuration_from_database
 
     def configure_database_connection
       # Keep this configuration in sync with lib/db.rb
+      configuration.database_connection ||= PactBroker.create_database_connection(configuration.logger, configuration.database_configuration, configuration.database_connect_max_retries)
       PactBroker::DB.connection = configuration.database_connection
       PactBroker::DB.connection.timezone = :utc
       PactBroker::DB.connection.extend_datasets do
diff --git a/lib/pact_broker/initializers/database_connection.rb b/lib/pact_broker/initializers/database_connection.rb
index 943cf00e9..581b8dd80 100644
--- a/lib/pact_broker/initializers/database_connection.rb
+++ b/lib/pact_broker/initializers/database_connection.rb
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 require "sequel"
 require "pact_broker/db/log_quietener"
+require "fileutils"
 
 ##
 # Sequel by default does not test connections in its connection pool before
@@ -33,6 +34,11 @@ def self.create_database_connection(logger, config, max_retries = 0)
     connection = nil
     wait = 3
 
+    if config[:adapter] == "sqlite" && config[:database] && !File.exist?(File.dirname(config[:database]))
+      logger&.info "Creating directory #{File.expand_path(File.dirname(config[:database]))} for Sqlite database"
+      FileUtils.mkdir_p(File.dirname(config[:database]))
+    end
+
     begin
       connection = Sequel.connect(config_with_logger)
     rescue StandardError => e