diff --git a/src/core/server/config.ts b/src/core/server/config.ts
index fd200db91..f82bb46b8 100644
--- a/src/core/server/config.ts
+++ b/src/core/server/config.ts
@@ -49,14 +49,14 @@ const config = convict({
   mongodb: {
     doc: "The MongoDB database to connect to.",
     format: "mongo-uri",
-    default: "mongodb://localhost/talk",
+    default: "mongodb://127.0.0.1:27017/talk",
     env: "MONGODB",
     arg: "mongodb",
   },
   redis: {
     doc: "The Redis database to connect to.",
     format: "redis-uri",
-    default: "redis://localhost:6379",
+    default: "redis://127.0.0.1:6379",
     env: "REDIS",
     arg: "redis",
   },
diff --git a/src/core/server/services/mongodb/index.ts b/src/core/server/services/mongodb/index.ts
index efaf8bcba..03f4d21a6 100644
--- a/src/core/server/services/mongodb/index.ts
+++ b/src/core/server/services/mongodb/index.ts
@@ -8,7 +8,10 @@ import { Config } from "talk-server/config";
  */
 export async function createMongoDB(config: Config): Promise<Db> {
   // Connect and create a client for MongoDB.
-  const client = await MongoClient.connect(config.get("mongodb"));
+  const client = await MongoClient.connect(
+    config.get("mongodb"),
+    { useNewUrlParser: true }
+  );
 
   // Return the database handle, which defaults to the database name provided
   // in the config connection string.