diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index e3307a1b..462e5304 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -33,3 +33,4 @@ yarn-error.log*
 
 # vscode
 __debug_bin
+.idea
diff --git a/api/database/mysql.go b/api/database/mysql.go
index da51a168..5f11cb14 100644
--- a/api/database/mysql.go
+++ b/api/database/mysql.go
@@ -1,12 +1,15 @@
 package database
 
 import (
+	"context"
 	"database/sql"
 	"log"
 	"net/url"
 	"os"
 	"time"
 
+	"github.com/pkg/errors"
+
 	// Load mysql driver
 	_ "github.com/go-sql-driver/mysql"
 
@@ -18,15 +21,15 @@ import (
 )
 
 // SetupDatabase connects to the database using environment variables
-func SetupDatabase() *sql.DB {
+func SetupDatabase() (*sql.DB, error) {
 
 	address, err := url.Parse(os.Getenv("MYSQL_URL"))
 	if err != nil {
-		log.Fatalf("Could not parse mysql url: %s\n", err)
+		return nil, errors.Wrapf(err, "Could not parse mysql url")
 	}
 
 	if address.String() == "" {
-		log.Fatalln("ERROR: Environment variable MYSQL_URL missing, exiting")
+		return nil, errors.New("Environment variable MYSQL_URL missing, exiting")
 	}
 
 	queryValues := address.Query()
@@ -49,33 +52,23 @@ func SetupDatabase() *sql.DB {
 				time.Sleep(time.Second)
 				continue
 			} else {
-				log.Fatalln("ERROR: Could not connect to database, exiting")
+				return nil, errors.New("Could not connect to database, exiting")
 			}
 		}
 
 		break
 	}
 
-	tryCount = 0
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 5*time.Second)
+	defer cancel()
 
-	for {
-		if err := db.Ping(); err != nil {
-			if tryCount < 4 {
-				tryCount++
-				log.Printf("Could not ping database: %s. Will retry after 1 second", err.Error())
-				time.Sleep(time.Second)
-				continue
-			} else {
-				log.Fatalln("ERROR: Could not ping database, exiting")
-			}
-		}
-
-		break
+	if err := db.PingContext(ctx); err != nil {
+		return nil, errors.Wrap(err, "Could not ping database, exiting")
 	}
 
 	db.SetMaxOpenConns(80)
 
-	return db
+	return db, nil
 }
 
 func MigrateDatabase(db *sql.DB) error {
diff --git a/api/server.go b/api/server.go
index 0977acc9..f4f94fb1 100644
--- a/api/server.go
+++ b/api/server.go
@@ -30,7 +30,10 @@ func main() {
 
 	devMode := os.Getenv("DEVELOPMENT") == "1"
 
-	db := database.SetupDatabase()
+	db, err := database.SetupDatabase()
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Panicf("Could not connect to database: %s\n", err)
+	}
 	defer db.Close()
 
 	// Migrate database
@@ -96,5 +99,5 @@ func main() {
 
 	}
 
-	log.Fatal(http.ListenAndServe(":"+apiListenUrl.Port(), rootRouter))
+	log.Panic(http.ListenAndServe(":"+apiListenUrl.Port(), rootRouter))
 }