diff --git a/lib/couchrest/model/base.rb b/lib/couchrest/model/base.rb
index e70d325..5e25834 100644
--- a/lib/couchrest/model/base.rb
+++ b/lib/couchrest/model/base.rb
@@ -4,10 +4,11 @@ module CouchRest
 
       extend ActiveModel::Naming
 
+      include CouchRest::Model::Connection
       include CouchRest::Model::Configuration
       include CouchRest::Model::Persistence
       include CouchRest::Model::Callbacks
-      include CouchRest::Model::DocumentQueries    
+      include CouchRest::Model::DocumentQueries
       include CouchRest::Model::Views
       include CouchRest::Model::DesignDoc
       include CouchRest::Model::ExtendedAttachments
diff --git a/lib/couchrest/model/configuration.rb b/lib/couchrest/model/configuration.rb
index 9a89d72..6c0d489 100644
--- a/lib/couchrest/model/configuration.rb
+++ b/lib/couchrest/model/configuration.rb
@@ -11,13 +11,33 @@ module CouchRest
         add_config :model_type_key
         add_config :mass_assign_any_attribute
         add_config :auto_update_design_doc
-        add_config :database_config_path
+        add_config :environment
+        add_config :connection
+        add_config :connection_config_file
 
         configure do |config|
           config.model_type_key = 'model' # was 'couchrest-type'
           config.mass_assign_any_attribute = false
           config.auto_update_design_doc = true
-          config.database_config_path = File.join(defined?(Rails) ? Rails.root : Dir.pwd, 'config', 'couchdb.yml')
+
+          config.environment = defined?(Rails) ? Rails.env : :development
+
+          config.connection_config_file =
+            File.join(
+              defined?(Rails) ? Rails.root : Dir.pwd,
+              'config', 'couchdb.yml'
+            )
+
+          app_name = defined?(Rails) ? Rails.application.class.to_s.underscore.gsub(/\/.*/, '') : 'couchrest'
+          config.connection = {
+            :protocol => 'http',
+            :host     => 'localhost',
+            :port     => '5984',
+            :prefix   => app_name,
+            :suffix   => nil,
+            :username => nil,
+            :password => nil
+          }
         end
       end
 
diff --git a/lib/couchrest/model/connection.rb b/lib/couchrest/model/connection.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..56340a1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/couchrest/model/connection.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,74 @@
+module CouchRest
+  module Model
+    module Connection
+      extend ActiveSupport::Concern
+
+      def database
+        self.class.database
+      end
+
+      def server
+        self.class.server
+      end
+
+      module ClassMethods
+
+        # Overwrite the normal use_database method so that a database
+        # name can be provided instead of a full connection.
+        def use_database(db)
+          @_database_name = db
+        end
+
+        # Replace CouchRest's database reader with a more advanced
+        # version that will make a best guess at the database you might
+        # want to use. Allows for a string to be provided instead of 
+        # a database object.
+        def database
+          @database ||= prepare_database(@_database_name)
+        end
+
+        def server
+          @server ||= CouchRest::Server.new(prepare_server_uri)
+        end
+
+        def prepare_database(db = nil)
+          unless db.is_a?(CouchRest::Database)
+            conf = connection_configuration
+            db = [conf[:prefix], db.to_s, conf[:suffix]].compact.join('_')
+            self.server.database!(db)
+          else
+            db
+          end
+        end
+
+        protected
+
+        def prepare_server_uri
+          conf = connection_configuration
+          userinfo = [conf[:username], conf[:password]].compact.join(':')
+          userinfo += '@' unless userinfo.empty?
+          "#{conf[:protocol]}://#{userinfo}#{conf[:host]}:#{conf[:port]}"
+        end
+
+        def connection_configuration
+          @server_configuration ||=
+            self.connection.update(
+              (load_connection_config_file[environment] || {}).symbolize_keys
+            )
+        end
+
+        def load_connection_config_file
+          connection_config_cache[connection_config_file] ||=
+            File.exists?(connection_config_file) ?
+              YAML::load(ERB.new(IO.read(connection_config_file)).result) :
+              { }
+        end
+
+        def connection_config_cache
+          Thread.current[:connection_config_cache] ||= {}
+        end
+      end
+
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/lib/couchrest/model/persistence.rb b/lib/couchrest/model/persistence.rb
index 774f3a5..e77b663 100644
--- a/lib/couchrest/model/persistence.rb
+++ b/lib/couchrest/model/persistence.rb
@@ -89,10 +89,6 @@ module CouchRest
         self
       end
 
-      def database
-        self.class.database(@database)
-      end
-
       protected
 
       def perform_validations(options = {})
@@ -108,20 +104,6 @@ module CouchRest
 
       module ClassMethods
 
-        # Replace CouchRest's database reader with a more advanced
-        # version that will make a best guess at the database you might
-        # want to use. Allows for a string to be provided instead of 
-        # a database object.
-        def database(db = nil)
-          db ||= @database
-          if db.nil?
-            # try to grab from configuration files
-            
-          else
-            db
-          end
-        end
-
         # Creates a new instance, bypassing attribute protection
         #
         # ==== Returns
diff --git a/lib/couchrest/model/proxyable.rb b/lib/couchrest/model/proxyable.rb
index 81b30b5..8c26105 100644
--- a/lib/couchrest/model/proxyable.rb
+++ b/lib/couchrest/model/proxyable.rb
@@ -4,8 +4,14 @@ module CouchRest
     module Proxyable
       extend ActiveSupport::Concern
 
+      def proxy_database
+        raise StandardError, "Please set the #proxy_database_method" if self.class.proxy_database_method.nil?
+        @proxy_database ||= self.class.prepare_database(self.send(self.class.proxy_database_method))
+      end
+
       module ClassMethods
 
+
         # Define a collection that will use the base model for the database connection
         # details.
         def proxy_for(assoc_name, options = {})
@@ -13,19 +19,19 @@ module CouchRest
           options[:class_name] ||= assoc_name.to_s.singularize.camelize
           class_eval <<-EOS, __FILE__, __LINE__ + 1
             def #{assoc_name}
-              unless respond_to?('#{db_method}')
-                raise "Missing ##{db_method} method for proxy"
-              end
               @#{assoc_name} ||= CouchRest::Model::Proxyable::ModelProxy.new(::#{options[:class_name]}, self, self.class.to_s.underscore, #{db_method})
             end
           EOS
         end
 
+        # Tell this model which other model to use a base for the database
+        # connection to use.
         def proxied_by(model_name, options = {})
           raise "Model can only be proxied once or ##{model_name} already defined" if method_defined?(model_name) || !proxy_owner_method.nil?
           self.proxy_owner_method = model_name
           attr_accessor :model_proxy
           attr_accessor model_name
+          overwrite_database_reader(model_name)
         end
 
         # Define an a class variable accessor ready to be inherited and unique
@@ -34,6 +40,24 @@ module CouchRest
         def proxy_owner_method=(name); @proxy_owner_method = name; end
         def proxy_owner_method; @proxy_owner_method; end
 
+        # Define the name of a method to call to determine the name of
+        # the database to use as a proxy.
+        def proxy_database_method=(name); @proxy_database_method = name; end
+        def proxy_database_method; @proxy_database_method; end
+
+        private
+
+        # Ensure that the model can no longer be used for normal requests
+        # be overwriting the database reader method so that a helpful
+        # error message is displayed.
+        def overwrite_database_reader(model_name)
+          class_eval <<-EOS, __FILE__, __LINE__ + 1
+            def database
+              raise StandardError, "#{self.to_s} documents must be accessed via the '#{model_name}' proxy"
+            end
+          EOS
+        end
+
       end
 
       class ModelProxy
diff --git a/lib/couchrest_model.rb b/lib/couchrest_model.rb
index 9a7a18a..7de6b41 100644
--- a/lib/couchrest_model.rb
+++ b/lib/couchrest_model.rb
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ require "couchrest/model/proxyable"
 require "couchrest/model/collection"
 require "couchrest/model/associations"
 require "couchrest/model/configuration"
+require "couchrest/model/connection"
 require "couchrest/model/designs"
 require "couchrest/model/designs/view"
 
@@ -61,4 +62,6 @@ require "couchrest/model/casted_model"
 require "couchrest/model/base"
 # Add rails support *after* everything has loaded
 
-require "couchrest/railtie"
+if defined?(Rails)
+  require "couchrest/railtie"
+end
diff --git a/spec/couchrest/configuration_spec.rb b/spec/couchrest/configuration_spec.rb
index 46681c0..9ff4fcf 100644
--- a/spec/couchrest/configuration_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/couchrest/configuration_spec.rb
@@ -56,10 +56,52 @@ describe CouchRest::Model::Base do
     end
   end
 
+  describe "default configuration" do
+
+    it "should provide environment" do
+      @class.environment.should eql(:development)
+    end
+    it "should provide connection config file" do
+      @class.connection_config_file.should eql(File.join(Dir.pwd, 'config', 'couchdb.yml'))
+    end
+    it "should provided simple connection details" do
+      @class.connection[:prefix].should eql('couchrest')
+    end
+
+  end
+
+  describe "default configuration with Rails" do
+    before do
+      Rails = mock('Rails') unless defined?(Rails)
+      Rails.stub!(:env).and_return(:dev)
+      Rails.stub!(:root).and_return("/rails/root")
+      app = mock('Application')
+      app.stub!(:class).and_return("SampleCouch::Application")
+      Rails.stub!(:application).and_return(app)
+
+      # New anon class!
+      @class = Class.new()
+      @class.class_eval do
+        include CouchRest::Model::Configuration
+      end
+    end
+
+    it "should provide environment" do
+      @class.environment.should eql(:dev)
+    end
+    it "should provide connection config file" do
+      @class.connection_config_file.should eql(File.join("/rails/root", 'config', 'couchdb.yml'))
+    end
+    it "should provided simple connection details" do
+      @class.connection[:prefix].should eql('sample_couch')
+    end
+
+  end
+
   describe "General examples" do
 
     before(:all) do
-      @default_model_key = 'model'
+      @default_model_key = 'model-type'
     end
 
 
diff --git a/spec/couchrest/connection_spec.rb b/spec/couchrest/connection_spec.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2724f00
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/couchrest/connection_spec.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,117 @@
+# encoding: utf-8
+require File.expand_path('../../spec_helper', __FILE__)
+
+describe CouchRest::Model::Base do
+
+  before do
+    @class = Class.new(CouchRest::Model::Base)
+  end
+
+  describe "instance methods" do
+    before :each do
+      @obj = @class.new
+    end
+
+    describe "#database" do
+      it "should respond to" do
+        @obj.should respond_to(:database)
+      end
+      it "should provided class's database" do
+        @obj.class.should_receive :database
+        @obj.database
+      end
+    end
+
+    describe "#server" do
+      it "should respond to method" do
+        @obj.should respond_to(:server)
+      end
+      it "should return class's server" do
+        @obj.class.should_receive :server
+        @obj.server
+      end
+    end
+  end
+
+  describe "class methods" do
+
+    describe ".use_database" do
+      it "should respond to" do
+        @class.should respond_to(:use_database)
+      end
+    end
+
+    describe ".database" do
+      it "should respond to" do
+        @class.should respond_to(:database)
+      end
+      it "should provide a database object" do
+        @class.database.should be_a(CouchRest::Database)
+      end
+      it "should provide a database with default name" do
+
+      end
+
+    end
+
+    describe ".server" do
+      it "should respond to" do
+        @class.should respond_to(:server)
+      end
+      it "should provide a server object" do
+        @class.server.should be_a(CouchRest::Server)
+      end
+      it "should provide a server with default config" do
+        @class.server.uri.should eql("http://localhost:5984")
+      end
+      it "should allow the configuration to be overwritten" do
+        @class.connection = {
+            :protocol => "https",
+            :host => "127.0.0.1",
+            :port => '5985',
+            :prefix => 'sample',
+            :suffix => 'test',
+            :username => 'foo',
+            :password => 'bar'
+          }
+        @class.server.uri.should eql("https://foo:bar@127.0.0.1:5985")
+      end
+
+    end
+
+    describe ".prepare_database" do
+
+      it "should respond to" do
+        @class.should respond_to(:prepare_database)
+      end
+
+    end
+
+    describe "protected methods" do
+
+      describe ".connection_configuration" do
+        it "should provide main config by default" do
+          @class.send(:connection_configuration).should eql(@class.connection)
+        end
+      end
+
+      describe ".load_connection_config_file" do
+        it "should provide an empty hash if config not found" do
+          @class.send(:load_connection_config_file).should eql({})
+        end
+        it "should load file if available" do
+          @class.connection_config_file = File.join(FIXTURE_PATH, 'config', 'couchdb.yml')
+          puts @class.send(:connection_config_cache).inspect
+          hash = @class.send(:load_connection_config_file)
+          hash[:development].should_not be_nil
+          @class.server.uri.should eql("https://test:uesr@sample.cloudant.com:443")
+        end
+
+      end
+
+    end
+
+  end
+
+
+end
diff --git a/spec/fixtures/config/couchdb.yml b/spec/fixtures/config/couchdb.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8d04ff7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/fixtures/config/couchdb.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+
+development:
+  protocol: 'https'
+  host: sample.cloudant.com
+  port: 443
+  prefix: project
+  suffix: text
+  username: test
+  password: user
+