diff --git a/core/start-service.sh b/core/start-service.sh
index 55e4ae7..3234491 100755
--- a/core/start-service.sh
+++ b/core/start-service.sh
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
 ADDITIONAL_KOPANO_PACKAGES=${ADDITIONAL_KOPANO_PACKAGES:-""}
+KCCONF_SERVER_MYSQL_SOCKET=${KCCONF_SERVER_MYSQL_SOCKET:-""}
 
 set -eu # unset variables are errors & non-zero return values exit the whole script
 
@@ -38,12 +39,18 @@ fi
 # start regular service
 case "$SERVICE_TO_START" in
 server)
+	# determine db connection mode (unix vs. network socket)
+	if [ -n "$KCCONF_SERVER_MYSQL_SOCKET" ]; then
+		DB_CONN="file://$KCCONF_SERVER_MYSQL_SOCKET"
+	else
+		DB_CONN="tcp://$KCCONF_SERVER_MYSQL_HOST:$KCCONF_SERVER_MYSQL_PORT"
+	fi
 	/kopano/services/kopano-public-store.sh &
 	/kopano/services/kopano-users.sh &
 	dockerize \
 		-wait file://"$KCCONF_SERVER_SERVER_SSL_CA_FILE" \
 		-wait file://"$KCCONF_SERVER_SERVER_SSL_KEY_FILE" \
-		-wait tcp://db:3306 \
+		-wait "$DB_CONN" \
 		-timeout 360s
 	# cleaning up env variables
 	unset "${!KCCONF_@}"
@@ -115,7 +122,7 @@ search)
 spooler)
 	dockerize \
 		-wait file://var/run/kopano/server.sock \
-		-wait tcp://mail:25 \
+		-wait tcp://"$KCCONF_SPOOLER_SMTP_SERVER":25 \
 		-timeout 1080s
 	# cleaning up env variables
 	unset "${!KCCONF_@}"