diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index 6b4b9cf..9819d2d 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@mojaloop/central-services-database",
-  "version": "8.2.0",
+  "version": "8.2.1",
   "lockfileVersion": 1,
   "requires": true,
   "dependencies": {
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 6255289..a3c52d1 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@mojaloop/central-services-database",
-  "version": "8.2.0",
+  "version": "8.2.1",
   "description": "Shared database code for central services",
   "main": "src/index.js",
   "license": "Apache-2.0",
diff --git a/src/database.js b/src/database.js
index ccba84d..2911664 100644
--- a/src/database.js
+++ b/src/database.js
@@ -2,6 +2,26 @@
 
 const Knex = require('knex')
 const Table = require('./table')
+const Utils = require('./utils.js')
+
+/* Default config to fall back to when using deprecated URI connection string */
+const defaultConfig = {
+  connection: {
+    host: 'localhost',
+    port: 3306
+  },
+  pool: {
+    min: 2,
+    max: 10,
+    acquireTimeoutMillis: 30000,
+    createTimeoutMillis: 3000,
+    destroyTimeoutMillis: 5000,
+    idleTimeoutMillis: 30000,
+    reapIntervalMillis: 1000,
+    createRetryIntervalMillis: 200
+  },
+  debug: false
+}
 
 class Database {
   constructor () {
@@ -26,22 +46,36 @@ class Database {
     return this._knex
   }
 
+  /**
+   * @function connect
+   *
+   * @description Connect to the database given the config object. Returns null if database is already connected.
+   *
+   * @params {Object} config - The knex connection object. For more information see: http://knexjs.org/#Installation-client
+   *
+   * @returns null - if database is already connected.
+   * @returns void
+   *
+   * @throws {Error} - if Database scheme is invalid
+   */
   async connect (config) {
-    if (!this._knex) {
-      if (config.connection.database) {
-        this._schema = config.connection.database
-        return configureKnex(config).then(knex => {
-          this._knex = knex
-          return this._listTables().then(tables => {
-            this._tables = tables
-            this._setTableProperties()
-          })
-        })
-      } else {
-        throw new Error('Invalid database schema in database config')
-      }
+    if (this._knex) {
+      return null
     }
-    return null
+
+    if (typeof config === 'string') {
+      console.warn('`Database.connect()` called using deprecated string config. Please ugrade this to use the knex config object.')
+      config = Utils.buildDefaultConfig(defaultConfig, config)
+    }
+
+    if (!config || !config.connection || !config.connection.database) {
+      throw new Error('Invalid database schema in database config')
+    }
+
+    this._schema = config.connection.database
+    this._knex = await configureKnex(config)
+    this._tables = await this._listTables()
+    await this._setTableProperties()
   }
 
   async disconnect () {
diff --git a/src/utils.js b/src/utils.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..bcd987e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/utils.js
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+'use strict'
+
+/**
+ * @function buildDefaultConfig
+ *
+ * @desciption Converts a deprecated Database Connection URI based config to the newer, Knex compatible version
+ *
+ * @returns {Object} - Knex compatible config
+ */
+const buildDefaultConfig = (defaultConfig, configStr) => {
+  const connectionRegex = /^(mysql|psql)(?::\/\/)(.*)(?::)(.*)@(.*)(?::)(\d*)(?:\/)(.*)$/
+  const matches = configStr.match(connectionRegex)
+
+  // Check that we got the expected amount: 6 capture groups + 1 js defaults = 7
+  if (!matches || matches.length !== 7) {
+    throw new Error(`Invalid database config string: ${configStr}`)
+  }
+
+  // skip the first, .match() puts the original string at index 0
+  matches.shift()
+  const [clientStr, user, password, host, port, database] = matches
+
+  return {
+    ...defaultConfig,
+    client: clientStr,
+    connection: {
+      ...defaultConfig.connection,
+      user,
+      password,
+      host,
+      port,
+      database
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+module.exports = {
+  buildDefaultConfig
+}
diff --git a/test/unit/database.test.js b/test/unit/database.test.js
index 5663529..0f028a5 100644
--- a/test/unit/database.test.js
+++ b/test/unit/database.test.js
@@ -87,6 +87,41 @@ Test('database', databaseTest => {
       }
     })
 
+    getKnexTest.test('handle connection with a deprecated URI', async test => {
+      // Arrange
+      const URI = 'mysql://central_ledger:password@mysql-cl:3307/central_ledger_db'
+
+      // Act
+      try {
+        await dbInstance.connect(URI)
+        const knex = await dbInstance.getKnex()
+
+        // Assert
+        test.ok(knex)
+      } catch (e) {
+        test.fail('Error thrown')
+      }
+
+      test.end()
+    })
+
+    getKnexTest.test('should fail if the config.connection object is undefined', async test => {
+      // Arrange
+      const config = {}
+
+      // Act
+      try {
+        await dbInstance.connect(config)
+
+        test.fail('Should have thrown error')
+      } catch (e) {
+        // Assert
+        test.equal(e.message, 'Invalid database schema in database config')
+      }
+
+      test.end()
+    })
+
     getKnexTest.test('throw error when database is not connected', test => {
       try {
         dbInstance.getKnex()
diff --git a/test/unit/utils.test.js b/test/unit/utils.test.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b3c7a06
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/unit/utils.test.js
@@ -0,0 +1,114 @@
+'use strict'
+
+const src = '../../src'
+const Test = require('tapes')(require('tape'))
+const Utils = require(`${src}/utils`)
+
+Test('utils', utilsTest => {
+  utilsTest.test('buildDefaultConfig should', defaultTest => {
+    defaultTest.test('handle a mysql connection string', test => {
+      // Arrange
+      const defaultConfig = {
+        connection: {
+          host: 'localhost',
+          port: 3306
+        },
+        pool: {
+          field1: true
+        }
+      }
+      const URI = 'mysql://central_ledger:password@mysql-cl:3307/central_ledger_db'
+      const expected = {
+        client: 'mysql',
+        connection: {
+          host: 'mysql-cl',
+          port: '3307',
+          user: 'central_ledger',
+          password: 'password',
+          database: 'central_ledger_db'
+        },
+        pool: {
+          field1: true
+        }
+      }
+      // Act
+      const config = Utils.buildDefaultConfig(defaultConfig, URI)
+
+      // Assert
+      test.deepEqual(config, expected)
+      test.end()
+    })
+
+    defaultTest.test('not override all values in defaultConfig.connection', test => {
+      // Arrange
+      const defaultConfig = {
+        connection: {
+          newFieldNotOverriden: true
+        },
+        pool: {
+          field1: true
+        }
+      }
+      const URI = 'mysql://central_ledger:password@mysql-cl:3307/central_ledger_db'
+      const expected = {
+        client: 'mysql',
+        connection: {
+          newFieldNotOverriden: true,
+          host: 'mysql-cl',
+          port: '3307',
+          user: 'central_ledger',
+          password: 'password',
+          database: 'central_ledger_db'
+        },
+        pool: {
+          field1: true
+        }
+      }
+      // Act
+      const config = Utils.buildDefaultConfig(defaultConfig, URI)
+
+      // Assert
+      test.deepEqual(config, expected)
+      test.end()
+    })
+
+    defaultTest.test('fails when connections string does not use mysql or psql', test => {
+      // Arrange
+      const defaultConfig = {}
+      const URI = 'mssql://central_ledger:password@mysql-cl:3307/central_ledger_db'
+
+      // Act
+      try {
+        Utils.buildDefaultConfig(defaultConfig, URI)
+        test.fail('Should have thrown error')
+      } catch (err) {
+        // Assert
+        test.equal(err.message, 'Invalid database config string: mssql://central_ledger:password@mysql-cl:3307/central_ledger_db')
+      }
+
+      test.end()
+    })
+
+    defaultTest.test('fail when the connection string is invalid', test => {
+      // Arrange
+      const defaultConfig = {}
+      // Missing a `:`
+      const URI = 'mssql://central_ledgerpassword@mysql-cl:3307/central_ledger_db'
+
+      // Act
+      try {
+        Utils.buildDefaultConfig(defaultConfig, URI)
+        test.fail('Should have thrown error')
+      } catch (err) {
+        // Assert
+        test.equal(err.message, 'Invalid database config string: mssql://central_ledgerpassword@mysql-cl:3307/central_ledger_db')
+      }
+
+      test.end()
+    })
+
+    defaultTest.end()
+  })
+
+  utilsTest.end()
+})