diff --git a/lib/mysql.js b/lib/mysql.js
index d61f8ce..9bfe733 100644
--- a/lib/mysql.js
+++ b/lib/mysql.js
@@ -31,22 +31,36 @@ exports.initialize = function initializeDataSource(dataSource, callback) {
     s.supportBigNumbers = (s.supportBigNumbers || false);
     s.timezone = (s.timezone || 'local');
 
-    dataSource.client = mysql.createPool({
+    if(isNaN(s.connectionLimit)) {
+        s.connectionLimit = s.connectionLimit;
+    } else {
+        s.connectionLimit = 10;
+    }
+
+    var options = {
         host: s.host || s.hostname || 'localhost',
         port: s.port || 3306,
         user: s.username || s.user,
         password: s.password,
         timezone: s.timezone,
-        // database: s.database, // Don't configure the DB here so that the pool can be used for multiple DBs
         debug: s.debug,
         socketPath: s.socketPath,
         charset: s.collation.toUpperCase(), // Correct by docs despite seeming odd.
         supportBigNumbers: s.supportBigNumbers,
-        connectionLimit: s.connectionLimit || 10
-    });
+        connectionLimit: s.connectionLimit
+    };
+
+    // Don't configure the DB if the pool can be used for multiple DBs
+    if(!s.createDatabase) {
+        options.database = s.database;
+    }
+
+    dataSource.client = mysql.createPool(options);
 
     dataSource.client.on('error', function (err) {
         dataSource.emit('error', err);
+        dataSource.connected = false;
+        dataSource.connecting = false;
     });
 
     if (s.debug) {
@@ -105,49 +119,66 @@ MySQL.prototype.query = function (sql, callback) {
     if (debug) {
         console.log('SQL:', sql);
     }
+
+    function releaseConnectionAndCallback(connection, err, result) {
+        connection.release();
+        callback && callback(err, result);
+    }
+
     client.getConnection(function (err, connection) {
         if (err) {
             callback && callback(err);
             return;
         }
-        connection.query('USE `' + db + '`', function (err) {
-            if (err) {
-                if (err && err.message.match(/(^|: )unknown database/i)) {
-                    var charset = self.settings.charset;
-                    var collation = self.settings.collation;
-                    var q = 'CREATE DATABASE ' + db + ' CHARACTER SET ' + charset + ' COLLATE ' + collation;
-                    connection.query(q, function (error) {
-                        if (!error) {
-                            connection.query('USE `' + db + '`', function (err) {
-                                connection.query(sql, function (err, result) {
-                                    connection.release();
-                                    callback && callback(err, result);
+        if (self.settings.createDatabase) {
+            // Call USE db ...
+            connection.query('USE `' + db + '`', function (err) {
+                if (err) {
+                    if (err && err.message.match(/(^|: )unknown database/i)) {
+                        var charset = self.settings.charset;
+                        var collation = self.settings.collation;
+                        var q = 'CREATE DATABASE ' + db + ' CHARACTER SET ' + charset + ' COLLATE ' + collation;
+                        connection.query(q, function (err) {
+                            if (!err) {
+                                connection.query('USE `' + db + '`', function (err) {
+                                    connection.query(sql, function (err, result) {
+                                        releaseConnectionAndCallback(connection, err, result);
+                                    });
                                 });
-                            });
-                        } else {
-                            connection.release();
-                            callback && callback(err);
-                        }
-                    });
-                    return;
-                } else {
-                    connection.release();
-                    callback && callback(err);
-                    return;
+                            } else {
+                                releaseConnectionAndCallback(connection, err);
+                            }
+                        });
+                        return;
+                    } else {
+                        releaseConnectionAndCallback(connection, err);
+                        return;
+                    }
                 }
-            }
+                connection.query(sql, function (err, data) {
+                    if (debug) {
+                        if (err) {
+                            console.error('Error:', err);
+                        }
+                        console.log('Data:', data);
+                    }
+                    if (log) log(sql, time);
+                    releaseConnectionAndCallback(connection, err, data);
+                });
+            });
+        } else {
+            // Bypass USE db
             connection.query(sql, function (err, data) {
                 if (debug) {
-                    if(err) {
+                    if (err) {
                         console.error('Error:', err);
                     }
                     console.log('Data:', data);
                 }
                 if (log) log(sql, time);
-                connection.release();
-                callback && callback(err, data);
+                releaseConnectionAndCallback(connection, err, data);
             });
-        });
+        }
     });
 };
 
@@ -1057,7 +1088,7 @@ function unsigned(p, dt) {
 }
 
 /**
- * Disconnect from MongoDB
+ * Disconnect from MySQL
  */
 MySQL.prototype.disconnect = function () {
     if(this.debug) {
diff --git a/test/connection.test.js b/test/connection.test.js
index c791bc4..fae9810 100644
--- a/test/connection.test.js
+++ b/test/connection.test.js
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ describe('migrations', function() {
     before(function() {
         require('./init.js');
         
-        odb = getDataSource({collation: 'utf8_general_ci'});
+        odb = getDataSource({collation: 'utf8_general_ci', createDatabase: true});
         db = odb;
     });
     
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ function charsetTest(test_set, test_collo, test_set_str, test_set_collo, done){
         assert.ok(!err);
         odb.client.end(function(){ 
             
-            db = getSchema({collation: test_set_collo});
+            db = getSchema({collation: test_set_collo, createDatabase: true});
             DummyModel = db.define('DummyModel', {string: String});
             db.automigrate(function(){
                 var q = 'SELECT DEFAULT_COLLATION_NAME FROM information_schema.SCHEMATA WHERE SCHEMA_NAME = ' + db.client.escape(db.settings.database) + ' LIMIT 1';
diff --git a/test/init.js b/test/init.js
index b455117..dac2e87 100644
--- a/test/init.js
+++ b/test/init.js
@@ -11,7 +11,8 @@ global.getConfig = function(options) {
         port: config.port || 3306,
         database: 'myapp_test',
         username: config.username,
-        password: config.password
+        password: config.password,
+        createDatabase: true
     };
 
     if (options) {