diff --git a/bigchaindb/backend/mongodb/connection.py b/bigchaindb/backend/mongodb/connection.py
index a93fb29f..3a967d48 100644
--- a/bigchaindb/backend/mongodb/connection.py
+++ b/bigchaindb/backend/mongodb/connection.py
@@ -11,19 +11,19 @@ logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 class MongoDBConnection(Connection):
 
-    def __init__(self, host=None, port=None, db=None, max_tries=3):
+    def __init__(self, host=None, port=None, dbname=None, max_tries=3):
         """Create a new Connection instance.
 
         Args:
             host (str, optional): the host to connect to.
             port (int, optional): the port to connect to.
-            db (str, optional): the database to use.
+            dbname (str, optional): the database to use.
             max_tries (int, optional): how many tries before giving up.
         """
 
         self.host = host or bigchaindb.config['database']['host']
         self.port = port or bigchaindb.config['database']['port']
-        self.db = db or bigchaindb.config['database']['name']
+        self.dbname = dbname or bigchaindb.config['database']['name']
         self.max_tries = max_tries
         self.conn = None
 
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ class MongoDBConnection(Connection):
             self._connect()
 
         else:
-            return self.conn[self.db]
+            return self.conn[self.dbname]
 
     def _connect(self):
         for i in range(self.max_tries):