diff --git a/app/helpers/modtest.ts b/app/helpers/modtest.ts
index 456b418..e50f2d7 100644
--- a/app/helpers/modtest.ts
+++ b/app/helpers/modtest.ts
@@ -23,10 +23,13 @@ process.on('exit', () => {
 });
 
 export function testMod(sendToUI: SendToUI, modData: any) {
-  const { mod, openClient, map, settings } = modData;
+  const { mod, openClient, map, settings, databaseOverrideURL } = modData;
 
   // check mongodb install
-  if (!fs.existsSync(`${baseUrl}/resources/mongodb/bin/mongod.exe`)) {
+  if (
+    !databaseOverrideURL &&
+    !fs.existsSync(`${baseUrl}/resources/mongodb/bin/mongod.exe`)
+  ) {
     testLogger.log(`MongoDB is not installed.`);
     sendToUI('notify', { type: 'error', text: 'MongoDB is not installed.' });
     return;
@@ -76,11 +79,13 @@ export function testMod(sendToUI: SendToUI, modData: any) {
   fs.writeJSONSync(`${baseUrl}/resources/rair/content/mods/mod.rairmod`, mod);
   sendToUI('notify', { type: 'info', text: 'Copied mod file!' });
 
+  const defaultDatabaseURL = `mongodb://localhost:35353/lotr2`;
+
   // write .env
   fs.writeFileSync(
     `${baseUrl}/resources/rair/.env`,
     `
-DATABASE_URI=mongodb://localhost:35353/lotr2
+DATABASE_URI=${databaseOverrideURL || defaultDatabaseURL}
 TEST_MODE=1
 TEST_USER_NAME=${username}
 TEST_USER_PASSWORD=${password}
@@ -90,6 +95,10 @@ MODS_TO_LOAD=mod
   );
   sendToUI('notify', { type: 'info', text: 'Wrote .env file!' });
 
+  if (databaseOverrideURL) {
+    sendToUI('notify', { type: 'info', text: 'Using custom database!' });
+  }
+
   // run mongodb if not running (kill old install)
   if (mongoProcess) {
     try {
@@ -101,27 +110,29 @@ MODS_TO_LOAD=mod
     }
   }
 
-  // run mongo if not running
-  testLogger.log(`Starting MongoDB...`);
-  sendToUI('notify', { type: 'info', text: 'Starting MongoDB...' });
-  mongoProcess = childProcess.spawn(
-    `${baseUrl}/resources/mongodb/bin/mongod.exe`,
-    [
-      '--quiet',
-      '--port',
-      '35353',
-      '--dbpath',
-      `${baseUrl}/resources/mongodb/data/db`,
-    ]
-  );
-
-  mongoProcess.stdout.on('data', (data: any) => {
-    testLogger.log(`mongo stdout: ${data}`);
-  });
+  // run mongo if not running and no override specified
+  if (!databaseOverrideURL) {
+    testLogger.log(`Starting MongoDB...`);
+    sendToUI('notify', { type: 'info', text: 'Starting MongoDB...' });
+    mongoProcess = childProcess.spawn(
+      `${baseUrl}/resources/mongodb/bin/mongod.exe`,
+      [
+        '--quiet',
+        '--port',
+        '35353',
+        '--dbpath',
+        `${baseUrl}/resources/mongodb/data/db`,
+      ]
+    );
+
+    mongoProcess.stdout.on('data', (data: any) => {
+      testLogger.log(`mongo stdout: ${data}`);
+    });
 
-  mongoProcess.stderr.on('data', (data) => {
-    testLogger.log(`mongo stderr: ${data}`);
-  });
+    mongoProcess.stderr.on('data', (data) => {
+      testLogger.log(`mongo stderr: ${data}`);
+    });
+  }
 
   // run lotr server if not running (kill old install)
   if (lotrProcess) {
diff --git a/src/app/shared/components/test-view/test-view.component.html b/src/app/shared/components/test-view/test-view.component.html
index ac89bad..944d737 100644
--- a/src/app/shared/components/test-view/test-view.component.html
+++ b/src/app/shared/components/test-view/test-view.component.html
@@ -6,27 +6,34 @@ <h2 class="text-xl font-bold mb-2">Useful Character Settings</h2>
 
     <div class="form-row">
       <app-input-floating-label>Character Level</app-input-floating-label>
-      <input [(ngModel)]="settings.level" min="1" type="number" class="form-input" />
+      <input [(ngModel)]="settings.level" min="1" type="number" class="form-input" (change)="saveSettings()" />
     </div>
 
     <div class="form-row">
       <app-input-floating-label>Map</app-input-floating-label>
-      <app-input-map [(map)]="settings.map" [defaultValue]="''"></app-input-map>
+      <app-input-map [(map)]="settings.map" [defaultValue]="''" (mapChange)="saveSettings()"></app-input-map>
     </div>
 
     <div class="form-row">
       <app-input-floating-label>Map X</app-input-floating-label>
-      <input [(ngModel)]="settings.x" min="0" type="number" class="form-input" />
+      <input [(ngModel)]="settings.x" min="0" type="number" class="form-input" (change)="saveSettings()" />
     </div>
 
     <div class="form-row">
       <app-input-floating-label>Map Y</app-input-floating-label>
-      <input [(ngModel)]="settings.y" min="0" type="number" class="form-input" />
+      <input [(ngModel)]="settings.y" min="0" type="number" class="form-input" (change)="saveSettings()" />
+    </div>
+
+    <div class="form-row">
+      <app-input-floating-label>Database Override URL</app-input-floating-label>
+      <input [(ngModel)]="settings.databaseOverride" type="text"
+        placeholder="If unspecified, will start the MongoDB installed with ModKit" class="form-input"
+        (change)="saveSettings()" />
     </div>
 
     <div class="form-row pl-1">
       <label class="label cursor-pointer" floatUi="Whether or not to open the game client.">
-        <input type="checkbox" [(ngModel)]="settings.openClient" class="checkbox" />
+        <input type="checkbox" [(ngModel)]="settings.openClient" class="checkbox" (change)="saveSettings()" />
         <span class="label-text">Open Client?</span>
       </label>
     </div>
diff --git a/src/app/shared/components/test-view/test-view.component.ts b/src/app/shared/components/test-view/test-view.component.ts
index a111ebd..a1c2ec0 100644
--- a/src/app/shared/components/test-view/test-view.component.ts
+++ b/src/app/shared/components/test-view/test-view.component.ts
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ export class TestViewComponent implements OnInit {
     x: 4,
     y: 4,
     openClient: true,
+    databaseOverride: '',
     otherProps: '{\n  \n}',
   };
 
@@ -33,6 +34,7 @@ export class TestViewComponent implements OnInit {
 
   ngOnInit() {
     const settings = this.localStorage.retrieve('testsettings');
+    console.log('old settings', settings);
     if (settings) {
       this.settings.level = settings.level;
       this.settings.map = settings.map;
@@ -40,22 +42,28 @@ export class TestViewComponent implements OnInit {
       this.settings.y = settings.y;
       this.settings.openClient = settings.openClient;
       this.settings.otherProps = settings.otherProps;
+      this.settings.databaseOverride = settings.databaseOverride;
       this.dialogModel.value = settings.otherProps;
     }
   }
 
+  public saveSettings() {
+    this.localStorage.store('testsettings', this.settings);
+  }
+
   public onSettingsChanged(newProps: string) {
     this.settings.otherProps = newProps;
 
     try {
       this.isValidJSON.set(!!JSON.parse(newProps));
+      this.saveSettings();
     } catch {
       this.isValidJSON.set(false);
     }
   }
 
   public testMod() {
-    this.localStorage.store('testsettings', this.settings);
+    this.saveSettings();
 
     const settingsString = JSON.stringify({
       map: this.settings.map,
@@ -69,6 +77,7 @@ export class TestViewComponent implements OnInit {
       map: this.settings.map,
       settings: settingsString,
       openClient: this.settings.openClient,
+      databaseOverrideURL: this.settings.databaseOverride,
     });
   }