diff --git a/backend/config/db.js b/backend/config/db.js
index c0076ad..83236cb 100644
--- a/backend/config/db.js
+++ b/backend/config/db.js
@@ -1,19 +1,22 @@
 const mongoose = require("mongoose");
 const colors = require("colors");
-
 const connectDB = async () => {
   try {
+    if (!process.env.MONGO_URI) {
+      throw new Error("MONGO_URI not found in environment variables");
+    }
     const conn = await mongoose.connect(process.env.MONGO_URI, {
       useNewUrlParser: true,
       useUnifiedTopology: true,
+      useCreateIndex: true,
+      useFindAndModify: false, 
     });
-
     console.log(`MongoDB Connected: ${conn.connection.host}`.cyan.underline);
   } catch (error) {
     console.error(`Error: ${error.message}`.red.bold);
-    process.exit(1); // Exit with a non-zero status code to indicate an error
+    process.exit(1);
   }
 };
-
 module.exports = connectDB;
 
+