diff --git a/bigchaindb/__init__.py b/bigchaindb/__init__.py
index 1df2551c..53e7fd2b 100644
--- a/bigchaindb/__init__.py
+++ b/bigchaindb/__init__.py
@@ -5,24 +5,48 @@ import os
 # PORT_NUMBER = reduce(lambda x, y: x * y, map(ord, 'BigchainDB')) % 2**16
 # basically, the port number is 9984
 
-_database_rethinkdb = {
-    'backend': os.environ.get('BIGCHAINDB_DATABASE_BACKEND', 'rethinkdb'),
+
+_base_database_rethinkdb = {
     'host': os.environ.get('BIGCHAINDB_DATABASE_HOST', 'localhost'),
     'port': int(os.environ.get('BIGCHAINDB_DATABASE_PORT', 28015)),
     'name': os.environ.get('BIGCHAINDB_DATABASE_NAME', 'bigchain'),
-    'connection_timeout': 5000,
-    'max_tries': 3,
 }
 
-_database_mongodb = {
-    'backend': os.environ.get('BIGCHAINDB_DATABASE_BACKEND', 'mongodb'),
+# This might sound excessive, but having an order on the keys will
+# stress users (and us) less.
+_base_database_rethinkdb_keys = ('host', 'port', 'name')
+
+_base_database_mongodb = {
     'host': os.environ.get('BIGCHAINDB_DATABASE_HOST', 'localhost'),
     'port': int(os.environ.get('BIGCHAINDB_DATABASE_PORT', 27017)),
     'name': os.environ.get('BIGCHAINDB_DATABASE_NAME', 'bigchain'),
     'replicaset': os.environ.get('BIGCHAINDB_DATABASE_REPLICASET', 'bigchain-rs'),
+    'ssl': bool(os.environ.get('BIGCHAINDB_DATABASE_SSL', False)),
+    'login': os.environ.get('BIGCHAINDB_DATABASE_LOGIN'),
+    'password': os.environ.get('BIGCHAINDB_DATABASE_PASSWORD')
+}
+
+_base_database_mongodb_keys = ('host', 'port', 'name', 'replicaset',
+                               'ssl', 'login', 'password')
+
+_database_rethinkdb = {
+    'backend': os.environ.get('BIGCHAINDB_DATABASE_BACKEND', 'rethinkdb'),
     'connection_timeout': 5000,
     'max_tries': 3,
 }
+_database_rethinkdb.update(_base_database_rethinkdb)
+
+_database_mongodb = {
+    'backend': os.environ.get('BIGCHAINDB_DATABASE_BACKEND', 'mongodb'),
+    'connection_timeout': 5000,
+    'max_tries': 3,
+}
+_database_mongodb.update(_base_database_mongodb)
+
+_database_keys_map = {
+    'mongodb': _base_database_mongodb_keys,
+    'rethinkdb': _base_database_rethinkdb_keys
+}
 
 _database_map = {
     'mongodb': _database_mongodb,
diff --git a/bigchaindb/commands/bigchain.py b/bigchaindb/commands/bigchain.py
index efefa9d7..a5ec9c6a 100644
--- a/bigchaindb/commands/bigchain.py
+++ b/bigchaindb/commands/bigchain.py
@@ -90,6 +90,7 @@ def run_configure(args, skip_if_exists=False):
     # select the correct config defaults based on the backend
     print('Generating default configuration for backend {}'
           .format(args.backend), file=sys.stderr)
+    database_keys = bigchaindb._database_keys_map[args.backend]
     conf['database'] = bigchaindb._database_map[args.backend]
 
     if not args.yes:
@@ -99,7 +100,7 @@ def run_configure(args, skip_if_exists=False):
                 input_on_stderr('API Server {}? (default `{}`): '.format(key, val)) \
                 or val
 
-        for key in ('host', 'port', 'name'):
+        for key in database_keys:
             val = conf['database'][key]
             conf['database'][key] = \
                 input_on_stderr('Database {}? (default `{}`): '.format(key, val)) \
diff --git a/tests/test_config_utils.py b/tests/test_config_utils.py
index 0fa5135b..d81f5f75 100644
--- a/tests/test_config_utils.py
+++ b/tests/test_config_utils.py
@@ -19,6 +19,15 @@ def clean_config(monkeypatch, request):
     monkeypatch.setattr('bigchaindb.config', original_config)
 
 
+def test_ordered_keys_match_database_config():
+    import bigchaindb
+
+    assert set(bigchaindb._base_database_rethinkdb.keys()) ==\
+        set(bigchaindb._base_database_rethinkdb_keys)
+    assert set(bigchaindb._base_database_mongodb.keys()) ==\
+        set(bigchaindb._base_database_mongodb_keys)
+
+
 def test_bigchain_instance_is_initialized_when_conf_provided(request):
     import bigchaindb
     from bigchaindb import config_utils
@@ -181,6 +190,9 @@ def test_autoconfigure_read_both_from_file_and_env(monkeypatch, request):
         'connection_timeout': 5000,
         'max_tries': 3,
         'replicaset': 'bigchain-rs',
+        'ssl': False,
+        'login': None,
+        'password': None
     }
 
     database = {}