diff --git a/lib/database b/lib/database
index ff1fafe..5bbbe31 100644
--- a/lib/database
+++ b/lib/database
@@ -70,10 +70,19 @@
 
     # For backward-compatibility, read in the MYSQL_HOST/USER variables and use
     # them as the default values for the DATABASE_HOST/USER variables.
-    MYSQL_HOST=${MYSQL_HOST:-127.0.0.1}
+    MYSQL_HOST=${MYSQL_HOST:-$SERVICE_LOCAL_HOST}
     MYSQL_USER=${MYSQL_USER:-root}
 
-    DATABASE_HOST=${DATABASE_HOST:-${MYSQL_HOST}}
+    # Set DATABASE_HOST equal to MYSQL_HOST. If SERVICE_IP_VERSION is equal to 6,
+    # set DATABASE_HOST equal to [MYSQL_HOST]. MYSQL_HOST cannot use brackets due
+    # to mysql not using bracketing for IPv6 addresses. DATABASE_HOST must have brackets
+    # due to sqlalchemy only reading IPv6 addresses with brackets.
+    if [[ "$SERVICE_IP_VERSION" == 6 ]]; then
+        DATABASE_HOST=${DATABASE_HOST:-[$MYSQL_HOST]}
+    else
+        DATABASE_HOST=${DATABASE_HOST:-${MYSQL_HOST}}
+    fi
+
     DATABASE_USER=${DATABASE_USER:-${MYSQL_USER}}
 
     if [ -n "$MYSQL_PASSWORD" ]; then