diff --git a/ziti/cmd/create/create_config.go b/ziti/cmd/create/create_config.go
index 1c26a5ba1..720253d56 100644
--- a/ziti/cmd/create/create_config.go
+++ b/ziti/cmd/create/create_config.go
@@ -251,6 +251,7 @@ func (data *ConfigTemplateValues) PopulateConfigValues() {
 	data.Controller.Ctrl.AltAdvertisedAddress = cmdHelper.GetCtrlEdgeAltAdvertisedAddress()
 	data.Controller.Ctrl.BindAddress = cmdHelper.GetCtrlBindAddress()
 	data.Controller.Ctrl.AdvertisedPort = cmdHelper.GetCtrlAdvertisedPort()
+	data.Controller.Database.DatabaseFile = cmdHelper.GetCtrlDatabaseFile()
 	// healthChecks:
 	data.Controller.HealthChecks.Interval = fabCtrl.DefaultHealthChecksBoltCheckInterval
 	data.Controller.HealthChecks.Timeout = fabCtrl.DefaultHealthChecksBoltCheckTimeout
diff --git a/ziti/cmd/create/create_config_controller.go b/ziti/cmd/create/create_config_controller.go
index 3adf165e4..538a333cb 100644
--- a/ziti/cmd/create/create_config_controller.go
+++ b/ziti/cmd/create/create_config_controller.go
@@ -34,7 +34,6 @@ import (
 
 const (
 	optionCtrlPort                       = "ctrlPort"
-	optionDatabaseFile                   = "databaseFile"
 	optionEdgeIdentityEnrollmentDuration = "identityEnrollmentDuration"
 	optionEdgeRouterEnrollmentDuration   = "routerEnrollmentDuration"
 )
@@ -121,10 +120,6 @@ func NewCmdCreateConfigController() *CreateControllerConfigCmd {
 					data.Controller.EdgeEnrollment.EdgeRouterDuration = controllerOptions.EdgeRouterEnrollmentDuration
 				}
 
-				if controllerOptions.DatabaseFile != "" && controllerOptions.DatabaseFile != constants.DefaultCtrlDatabaseFile {
-					data.Controller.Database.DatabaseFile = controllerOptions.DatabaseFile
-				}
-
 				// process identity information
 				SetControllerIdentity(&data.Controller)
 				SetEdgeConfig(&data.Controller)
@@ -151,7 +146,6 @@ func NewCmdCreateConfigController() *CreateControllerConfigCmd {
 
 func (options *CreateConfigControllerOptions) addFlags(cmd *cobra.Command) {
 	cmd.Flags().StringVar(&options.CtrlPort, optionCtrlPort, constants.DefaultCtrlAdvertisedPort, "port used for the router to controller communication")
-	cmd.Flags().StringVar(&options.DatabaseFile, optionDatabaseFile, constants.DefaultCtrlDatabaseFile, "location of the database file")
 	cmd.Flags().DurationVar(&options.EdgeIdentityEnrollmentDuration, optionEdgeIdentityEnrollmentDuration, edge.DefaultEdgeEnrollmentDuration, "the edge identity enrollment duration, use 0h0m0s format")
 	cmd.Flags().DurationVar(&options.EdgeRouterEnrollmentDuration, optionEdgeRouterEnrollmentDuration, edge.DefaultEdgeEnrollmentDuration, "the edge router enrollment duration, use 0h0m0s format")
 }
@@ -198,7 +192,6 @@ func SetControllerIdentity(data *ControllerTemplateValues) {
 	SetControllerIdentityServerCert(data)
 	SetControllerIdentityKey(data)
 	SetControllerIdentityCA(data)
-	setDatabaseFile(data)
 }
 func SetControllerIdentityCert(c *ControllerTemplateValues) {
 	val := os.Getenv(constants.PkiCtrlCertVarName)
@@ -229,18 +222,6 @@ func SetControllerIdentityCA(c *ControllerTemplateValues) {
 	c.Identity.Ca = helpers.NormalizePath(val)
 }
 
-func setDatabaseFile(c *ControllerTemplateValues) {
-	if c.Database.DatabaseFile != "" {
-		c.Database.DatabaseFile = helpers.NormalizePath(c.Database.DatabaseFile)
-	} else {
-		val := os.Getenv(constants.CtrlDatabaseFileVarName)
-		if val == "" {
-			val = constants.DefaultCtrlDatabaseFile // default
-		}
-		c.Database.DatabaseFile = helpers.NormalizePath(val)
-	}
-}
-
 func SetEdgeConfig(data *ControllerTemplateValues) {
 	SetEdgeSigningCert(data)
 	SetEdgeSigningKey(data)
diff --git a/ziti/cmd/create/create_config_controller_test.go b/ziti/cmd/create/create_config_controller_test.go
index 925b18dc3..7967d3e60 100644
--- a/ziti/cmd/create/create_config_controller_test.go
+++ b/ziti/cmd/create/create_config_controller_test.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package create
 import (
 	"fmt"
 	cmdhelper "github.com/openziti/ziti/ziti/cmd/helpers"
+	"github.com/openziti/ziti/ziti/constants"
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
 	"gopkg.in/yaml.v3"
@@ -276,6 +277,18 @@ func TestCtrlConfigDefaultsWhenUnset(t *testing.T) {
 		assert.Equal(t, expectedValue, ctrlConfig.Identity.Ca)
 	})
 
+	t.Run("TestDatabaseFileEnv", func(t *testing.T) {
+		expectedValue := constants.DefaultCtrlDatabaseFile
+
+		assert.Equal(t, expectedValue, data.Controller.Database.DatabaseFile)
+	})
+
+	t.Run("TestDatabaseFileConfig", func(t *testing.T) {
+		expectedValue := cmdhelper.GetZitiHome() + "/" + constants.DefaultCtrlDatabaseFile
+
+		assert.Equal(t, expectedValue, ctrlConfig.Db)
+	})
+
 	// ctrl:
 	t.Run("TestBindAddress", func(t *testing.T) {
 		expectedValue := testDefaultCtrlBindAddress
diff --git a/ziti/cmd/create/create_config_environment.go b/ziti/cmd/create/create_config_environment.go
index fb5066152..833efd766 100644
--- a/ziti/cmd/create/create_config_environment.go
+++ b/ziti/cmd/create/create_config_environment.go
@@ -97,6 +97,7 @@ func NewCmdCreateConfigEnvironment() *cobra.Command {
 				{constants.PkiCtrlServerCertVarName, constants.PkiCtrlServerCertVarDescription, data.Controller.Identity.ServerCert},
 				{constants.PkiCtrlKeyVarName, constants.PkiCtrlKeyVarDescription, data.Controller.Identity.Key},
 				{constants.PkiCtrlCAVarName, constants.PkiCtrlCAVarDescription, data.Controller.Identity.Ca},
+				{constants.CtrlDatabaseFileVarName, constants.CtrlDatabaseFileVarDescription, data.Controller.Database.DatabaseFile},
 				{constants.CtrlBindAddressVarName, constants.CtrlBindAddressVarDescription, data.Controller.Ctrl.BindAddress},
 				{constants.CtrlAdvertisedAddressVarName, constants.CtrlAdvertisedAddressVarDescription, data.Controller.Ctrl.AdvertisedAddress},
 				{constants.CtrlAdvertisedPortVarName, constants.CtrlAdvertisedPortVarDescription, data.Controller.Ctrl.AdvertisedPort},
@@ -177,6 +178,7 @@ func NewCmdCreateConfigEnvironment() *cobra.Command {
 	sb.WriteString(fmt.Sprintf("%-40s %-50s %s\n", constants.PkiCtrlServerCertVarName, constants.PkiCtrlServerCertVarDescription, data.Controller.Identity.ServerCert))
 	sb.WriteString(fmt.Sprintf("%-40s %-50s %s\n", constants.PkiCtrlKeyVarName, constants.PkiCtrlKeyVarDescription, data.Controller.Identity.Key))
 	sb.WriteString(fmt.Sprintf("%-40s %-50s %s\n", constants.PkiCtrlCAVarName, constants.PkiCtrlCAVarDescription, data.Controller.Identity.Ca))
+	sb.WriteString(fmt.Sprintf("%-40s %-50s %s\n", constants.CtrlDatabaseFileVarName, constants.CtrlDatabaseFileVarDescription, data.Controller.Database.DatabaseFile))
 	sb.WriteString(fmt.Sprintf("%-40s %-50s %s\n", constants.CtrlBindAddressVarName, constants.CtrlBindAddressVarDescription, data.Controller.Ctrl.BindAddress))
 	sb.WriteString(fmt.Sprintf("%-40s %-50s %s\n", constants.CtrlAdvertisedAddressVarName, constants.CtrlAdvertisedAddressVarDescription, data.Controller.Ctrl.AdvertisedAddress))
 	sb.WriteString(fmt.Sprintf("%-40s %-50s %s\n", constants.CtrlEdgeAltAdvertisedAddressVarName, constants.CtrlEdgeAltAdvertisedAddressVarDescription, data.Controller.Ctrl.AdvertisedAddress))
diff --git a/ziti/cmd/create/create_config_test.go b/ziti/cmd/create/create_config_test.go
index 0c06d231e..61099edef 100644
--- a/ziti/cmd/create/create_config_test.go
+++ b/ziti/cmd/create/create_config_test.go
@@ -33,43 +33,44 @@ const (
 
 func getZitiEnvironmentVariables() []string {
 	return []string{
-		"ZITI_HOME",
-		"ZITI_ROUTER_NAME",
-		"ZITI_ROUTER_PORT",
-		"ZITI_PKI_CTRL_CERT",
-		"ZITI_PKI_CTRL_SERVER_CERT",
-		"ZITI_PKI_CTRL_KEY",
-		"ZITI_PKI_CTRL_CA",
-		"ZITI_CTRL_BIND_ADDRESS",
 		"ZITI_CTRL_ADVERTISED_ADDRESS",
-		"ZITI_CTRL_EDGE_ALT_ADVERTISED_ADDRESS",
 		"ZITI_CTRL_ADVERTISED_PORT",
-		"ZITI_PKI_SIGNER_CERT",
-		"ZITI_PKI_SIGNER_KEY",
+		"ZITI_CTRL_BIND_ADDRESS",
+		"ZITI_CTRL_DATABASE_FILE",
 		"ZITI_CTRL_EDGE_ADVERTISED_ADDRESS",
 		"ZITI_CTRL_EDGE_ADVERTISED_PORT",
+		"ZITI_CTRL_EDGE_ALT_ADVERTISED_ADDRESS",
+		"ZITI_CTRL_EDGE_BIND_ADDRESS",
+		"ZITI_EDGE_IDENTITY_ENROLLMENT_DURATION",
+		"ZITI_HOME",
+		"ZITI_PKI_ALT_SERVER_CERT",
+		"ZITI_PKI_ALT_SERVER_KEY",
+		"ZITI_PKI_CTRL_CA",
+		"ZITI_PKI_CTRL_CERT",
+		"ZITI_PKI_CTRL_KEY",
+		"ZITI_PKI_CTRL_SERVER_CERT",
 		"ZITI_PKI_EDGE_CA",
+		"ZITI_PKI_EDGE_CERT",
 		"ZITI_PKI_EDGE_KEY",
 		"ZITI_PKI_EDGE_SERVER_CERT",
-		"ZITI_PKI_EDGE_CERT",
-		"ZITI_ROUTER_IDENTITY_CERT",
-		"ZITI_ROUTER_IDENTITY_SERVER_CERT",
-		"ZITI_ROUTER_IDENTITY_KEY",
-		"ZITI_ROUTER_IDENTITY_CA",
-		"ZITI_ROUTER_IP_OVERRIDE",
-		"ZITI_EDGE_IDENTITY_ENROLLMENT_DURATION",
-		"ZITI_ROUTER_ENROLLMENT_DURATION",
+		"ZITI_PKI_SIGNER_CERT",
+		"ZITI_PKI_SIGNER_KEY",
 		"ZITI_ROUTER_ADVERTISED_ADDRESS",
-		"ZITI_ROUTER_LISTENER_BIND_PORT",
-		"ZITI_PKI_ALT_SERVER_CERT",
-		"ZITI_PKI_ALT_SERVER_KEY",
-		"ZITI_CTRL_EDGE_BIND_ADDRESS",
 		"ZITI_ROUTER_CSR_C",
-		"ZITI_ROUTER_CSR_ST",
 		"ZITI_ROUTER_CSR_L",
 		"ZITI_ROUTER_CSR_O",
 		"ZITI_ROUTER_CSR_OU",
 		"ZITI_ROUTER_CSR_SANS_DNS",
+		"ZITI_ROUTER_CSR_ST",
+		"ZITI_ROUTER_ENROLLMENT_DURATION",
+		"ZITI_ROUTER_IDENTITY_CA",
+		"ZITI_ROUTER_IDENTITY_CERT",
+		"ZITI_ROUTER_IDENTITY_KEY",
+		"ZITI_ROUTER_IDENTITY_SERVER_CERT",
+		"ZITI_ROUTER_IP_OVERRIDE",
+		"ZITI_ROUTER_LISTENER_BIND_PORT",
+		"ZITI_ROUTER_NAME",
+		"ZITI_ROUTER_PORT",
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/ziti/cmd/helpers/env_helpers.go b/ziti/cmd/helpers/env_helpers.go
index 321acaaf6..3962886c0 100644
--- a/ziti/cmd/helpers/env_helpers.go
+++ b/ziti/cmd/helpers/env_helpers.go
@@ -104,6 +104,10 @@ func GetCtrlAdvertisedPort() string {
 	return getFromEnv(constants.CtrlAdvertisedPortVarName, defaultValue(constants.DefaultCtrlAdvertisedPort))
 }
 
+func GetCtrlDatabaseFile() string {
+	return NormalizePath(getFromEnv(constants.CtrlDatabaseFileVarName, defaultValue(constants.DefaultCtrlDatabaseFile)))
+}
+
 func GetCtrlEdgeBindAddress() string {
 	return getFromEnv(constants.CtrlEdgeBindAddressVarName, defaultValue(constants.DefaultCtrlEdgeBindAddress))
 }
@@ -120,10 +124,6 @@ func GetCtrlEdgeAdvertisedPort() string {
 	return getFromEnv(constants.CtrlEdgeAdvertisedPortVarName, defaultValue(constants.DefaultCtrlEdgeAdvertisedPort))
 }
 
-func GetCtrlDatabaseFile() string {
-	return getFromEnv(constants.CtrlDatabaseFileVarName, defaultValue(constants.DefaultCtrlDatabaseFile))
-}
-
 func GetZitiEdgeRouterPort() string {
 	return getFromEnv(constants.ZitiEdgeRouterPortVarName, defaultValue(constants.DefaultZitiEdgeRouterPort))
 }