diff --git a/libraries/drivers_framework_rails.rb b/libraries/drivers_framework_rails.rb
index 59b2b154..f39c15a3 100644
--- a/libraries/drivers_framework_rails.rb
+++ b/libraries/drivers_framework_rails.rb
@@ -38,8 +38,12 @@ def database_yml(db_driver)
 
         database = db_driver.out
         deploy_environment = deploy_env
-        replica_db_settings = node['deploy'][app['shortname']]['replica_db_settings']
-        database[:replica] = replica_db_settings unless replica_db_settings.nil?
+
+        # this will ensure that replica settings are available in the database.yml file so that
+        # staging and production database settings have similar settings
+        replica_database = node['deploy'][app['shortname']]['replica_db_settings']&.dup
+        replica_database = database.dup if replica_database.nil?
+        replica_database[:replica] = true
 
         factory_database = node['deploy'][app['shortname']]['factory_database']
 
@@ -50,6 +54,7 @@ def database_yml(db_driver)
           group www_group
           variables(
             database: database,
+            replica: replica_database,
             environment: deploy_environment,
             factory_database: factory_database
           )
diff --git a/templates/default/database.yml.erb b/templates/default/database.yml.erb
index 01a1e1be..edada92e 100644
--- a/templates/default/database.yml.erb
+++ b/templates/default/database.yml.erb
@@ -1,7 +1,10 @@
 <%=
   config = {}
   (['development', 'production'] + Array.wrap(@environment)).select(&:present?).uniq.each do |env|
-    config[env] = @database
+    config[env] = {
+      primary: @database,
+      primary_replica: @replica
+    }
   end
 
   if @factory_database