diff --git a/Femto.Api/Dockerfile b/Femto.Api/Dockerfile
index 097b28f..6456763 100644
--- a/Femto.Api/Dockerfile
+++ b/Femto.Api/Dockerfile
@@ -64,10 +64,11 @@ RUN mkdir -p /app/scripts && \
     echo '#!/bin/sh\nexec dotnet /app/femto-db/Femto.Database.dll "$@"' > /app/scripts/femto-db && \
     chmod +x /app/scripts/femto-db
 
-# (Optional) Add script dir to PATH for easier access
+# Optional: add script dir to PATH for easier access
 ENV PATH="/app/scripts:${PATH}"
 
+# This envvar is used by Femto.Database up to load the migrations
+ENV MIGRATIONS_DIRECTORY='/app/femto-db/Migrations'
 
 # Entrypoint for the API
 ENTRYPOINT ["dotnet", "Femto.Api.dll"]
-
diff --git a/Femto.Database/Program.cs b/Femto.Database/Program.cs
index ba182d5..a542c8f 100644
--- a/Femto.Database/Program.cs
+++ b/Femto.Database/Program.cs
@@ -25,6 +25,8 @@ var connectionStringArg = new Argument<string>(
 
 var connectionStringOption = new Option<string?>(
     ["-c", "--connection-string"],
+    
+    // we default this to the same variable used by the server application
     () => System.Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("ConnectionStrings__Database") ?? null,
     "the connection string to the database"
 );