diff --git a/src/config.ts b/src/config.ts
index c92b9a98..02c31791 100644
--- a/src/config.ts
+++ b/src/config.ts
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ type StorageConfigType = {
   jwtAlgorithm: string
   multitenantDatabaseUrl?: string
   databaseURL: string
+  databaseForceSSL?: boolean
   databasePoolURL?: string
   databaseMaxConnections: number
   databaseFreePoolAfterInactivity: number
@@ -108,6 +109,7 @@ export function getConfig(): StorageConfigType {
     jwtSecret: getOptionalIfMultitenantConfigFromEnv('PGRST_JWT_SECRET') || '',
     jwtAlgorithm: getOptionalConfigFromEnv('PGRST_JWT_ALGORITHM') || 'HS256',
     multitenantDatabaseUrl: getOptionalConfigFromEnv('MULTITENANT_DATABASE_URL'),
+    databaseForceSSL: getOptionalConfigFromEnv('DATABASE_FORCE_SSL') === 'true',
     databaseURL: getOptionalIfMultitenantConfigFromEnv('DATABASE_URL') || '',
     databasePoolURL: getOptionalConfigFromEnv('DATABASE_POOL_URL') || '',
     databaseMaxConnections: parseInt(
diff --git a/src/database/connection.ts b/src/database/connection.ts
index d829f5a5..70b377ee 100644
--- a/src/database/connection.ts
+++ b/src/database/connection.ts
@@ -9,8 +9,12 @@ import { StorageBackendError } from '../storage'
 // https://github.com/knex/knex/issues/387#issuecomment-51554522
 pg.types.setTypeParser(20, 'text', parseInt)
 
-const { databaseMaxConnections, databaseFreePoolAfterInactivity, databaseConnectionTimeout } =
-  getConfig()
+const {
+  databaseForceSSL,
+  databaseMaxConnections,
+  databaseFreePoolAfterInactivity,
+  databaseConnectionTimeout,
+} = getConfig()
 
 interface TenantConnectionOptions {
   user: User
@@ -73,7 +77,11 @@ export class TenantConnection {
         idleTimeoutMillis: isExternalPool ? 100 : databaseFreePoolAfterInactivity,
         reapIntervalMillis: isExternalPool ? 110 : undefined,
       },
-      connection: connectionString,
+      connection: {
+        connectionString: connectionString,
+        ...(databaseForceSSL ? { ssl: { rejectUnauthorized: false } } : {}),
+      },
+
       acquireConnectionTimeout: databaseConnectionTimeout,
     })
 
@@ -137,7 +145,7 @@ export class TenantConnection {
       },
       {
         minTimeout: 50,
-        maxTimeout: 500,
+        maxTimeout: 200,
         maxRetryTime: 2000,
         retries: 10,
       }