diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index e34a177..f632bbf 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -28,4 +28,4 @@ ENV GIT_CONFIG_VALUE_0=/repo
 EXPOSE 8000
 
 ENTRYPOINT ["/app/entrypoint.sh"]
-CMD ["gunicorn", "--bind", "0.0.0.0:8000", "--workers", "2", "--timeout", "120", "--preload", "wsgi:app"]
+CMD ["gunicorn", "-c", "gunicorn.conf.py", "wsgi:app"]
diff --git a/app/__init__.py b/app/__init__.py
index 98f34b4..516027b 100644
--- a/app/__init__.py
+++ b/app/__init__.py
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ def create_app(setup_database=True):
         "postgresql://photohost:photohost_secret@localhost:5432/photohost",
     )
     app.config["SQLALCHEMY_TRACK_MODIFICATIONS"] = False
+    app.config["SQLALCHEMY_ENGINE_OPTIONS"] = {"pool_pre_ping": True}
     app.config["UPLOAD_FOLDER"] = os.getenv("UPLOAD_FOLDER", "uploads")
     app.config["MAX_CONTENT_LENGTH"] = int(os.getenv("MAX_UPLOAD_MB", "10")) * 1024 * 1024
     app.config["ALLOWED_EXTENSIONS"] = {"png", "jpg", "jpeg", "gif", "webp", "bmp"}
@@ -68,25 +69,26 @@ def create_app(setup_database=True):
         except Exception:
             return {"site_banners": {}}
 
-    with app.app_context():
-        from app.models import (  # noqa: F401
-            AdBanner,
-            Folder,
-            FolderInvite,
-            FolderMember,
-            PasswordResetToken,
-            Photo,
-            SiteSettings,
-            User,
-            UserGroup,
-        )
+    if setup_database:
+        with app.app_context():
+            from app.models import (  # noqa: F401
+                AdBanner,
+                Folder,
+                FolderInvite,
+                FolderMember,
+                PasswordResetToken,
+                Photo,
+                SiteSettings,
+                User,
+                UserGroup,
+            )
 
-        db.create_all()
+            db.create_all()
 
-        if setup_database and os.getenv("SKIP_DB_INIT") != "1":
-            from app.bootstrap import run_database_setup
+            if os.getenv("SKIP_DB_INIT") != "1":
+                from app.bootstrap import run_database_setup
 
-            run_database_setup(app)
+                run_database_setup(app)
 
     return app
 
diff --git a/entrypoint.sh b/entrypoint.sh
index a779aac..075c2bc 100644
--- a/entrypoint.sh
+++ b/entrypoint.sh
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ if [ "$ALLOW_GIT_DEPLOY" = "true" ] || [ "$ALLOW_GIT_DEPLOY" = "1" ] || [ "$ALLO
 fi
 
 # Run DB migrations once before gunicorn workers start.
-gosu appuser python /app/init_db.py
+gosu appuser python /app/init_db.py || exit 1
 
 export SKIP_DB_INIT=1
 exec gosu appuser "$@"
diff --git a/gunicorn.conf.py b/gunicorn.conf.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..331eada
--- /dev/null
+++ b/gunicorn.conf.py
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+bind = "0.0.0.0:8000"
+workers = 2
+timeout = 120
+accesslog = "-"
+errorlog = "-"
+capture_output = True
+
+
+def post_fork(server, worker):
+    from app import db
+
+    db.engine.dispose()