diff --git a/database.py b/database.py
index 2565b00..8f03b36 100644
--- a/database.py
+++ b/database.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ from datetime import datetime
 
 from peewee import *
 
-database = SqliteDatabase('storage/reticulum-webchat.db')
+database = DatabaseProxy()  # use a proxy object, as we will init real db client inside web.py
 
 
 class BaseModel(Model):
diff --git a/web.py b/web.py
index 4a48cad..71ac8ec 100644
--- a/web.py
+++ b/web.py
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@ from aiohttp import web, WSMessage, WSMsgType, WSCloseCode
 import asyncio
 import base64
 
+from peewee import SqliteDatabase
+
 import database
 
 
@@ -29,6 +31,7 @@ class ReticulumWebChat:
         self.load_config()
 
         # init database
+        database.database.initialize(SqliteDatabase('storage/reticulum-webchat.db'))
         self.db = database.database
         self.db.connect()
         self.db.create_tables([