diff --git a/config/database.yml b/config/database.yml
index e58db357..0377592c 100644
--- a/config/database.yml
+++ b/config/database.yml
@@ -5,12 +5,12 @@ default: &default
 
 development:
   <<: *default
-  database: pbm_dev
+  database: <%= ENV.fetch("DATABASE", 'pbm_dev') %>
   host: localhost
 
 test:
   <<: *default
-  database: pbm_test
+  database: <%= ENV.fetch("DATABASE", 'pbm_test') %>
 
 staging:
   url: <%= ENV["DATABASE_URL"] %>
diff --git a/db/migrate/20241126054618_add_submission_counts_to_users.rb b/db/migrate/20241126054618_add_submission_counts_to_users.rb
index 8e2711a2..9fae6982 100644
--- a/db/migrate/20241126054618_add_submission_counts_to_users.rb
+++ b/db/migrate/20241126054618_add_submission_counts_to_users.rb
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 class AddSubmissionCountsToUsers < ActiveRecord::Migration[7.2]
   def change
-    add_column :users, :num_machines_added, :integer
-    add_column :users, :num_machines_removed, :integer
-    add_column :users, :num_locations_suggested, :integer
-    add_column :users, :num_lmx_comments_left, :integer
-    add_column :users, :num_msx_scores_added, :integer
+    add_column :users, :num_machines_added, :integer, default: 0
+    add_column :users, :num_machines_removed, :integer, default: 0
+    add_column :users, :num_locations_suggested, :integer, default: 0
+    add_column :users, :num_lmx_comments_left, :integer, default: 0
+    add_column :users, :num_msx_scores_added, :integer, default: 0
   end
 end
diff --git a/db/migrate/20241128052830_fix_users_table_defaults.rb b/db/migrate/20241128052830_fix_users_table_defaults.rb
index e1166a41..7f8cb808 100644
--- a/db/migrate/20241128052830_fix_users_table_defaults.rb
+++ b/db/migrate/20241128052830_fix_users_table_defaults.rb
@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
 class FixUsersTableDefaults < ActiveRecord::Migration[7.2]
   def change
-    change_column_default :users, :num_machines_added, default: 0
-    change_column_default :users, :num_machines_removed, default: 0
-    change_column_default :users, :num_locations_suggested, default: 0
-    change_column_default :users, :num_lmx_comments_left, default: 0
-    change_column_default :users, :num_msx_scores_added, default: 0
-    change_column_default :users, :user_submissions_count, default: 0
+    change_column_default :users, :num_machines_added, from: nil, to: 0
+    change_column_default :users, :num_machines_removed, from: nil, to: 0
+    change_column_default :users, :num_locations_suggested, from: nil, to: 0
+    change_column_default :users, :num_lmx_comments_left, from: nil, to: 0
+    change_column_default :users, :num_msx_scores_added, from: nil, to: 0
+    change_column_default :users, :user_submissions_count, from: nil, to: 0
   end
 end