diff --git a/Gopkg.lock b/Gopkg.lock
index adc6f867..aa20c4f7 100644
--- a/Gopkg.lock
+++ b/Gopkg.lock
@@ -542,7 +542,6 @@
     "github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/ethdb",
     "github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/p2p",
     "github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/p2p/discv5",
-    "github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/params",
     "github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/rlp",
     "github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/rpc",
     "github.com/hashicorp/golang-lru",
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index f8658e97..806febaf 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -70,7 +70,8 @@ build: dep
 HOST_NAME = localhost
 PORT = 5432
 NAME =
-CONNECT_STRING=postgresql://$(HOST_NAME):$(PORT)/$(NAME)?sslmode=disable
+USER = postgres
+CONNECT_STRING=postgresql://$(USER)@$(HOST_NAME):$(PORT)/$(NAME)?sslmode=disable
 
 # Parameter checks
 ## Check that DB variables are provided
@@ -79,6 +80,7 @@ checkdbvars:
 	test -n "$(HOST_NAME)" # $$HOST_NAME
 	test -n "$(PORT)" # $$PORT
 	test -n "$(NAME)" # $$NAME
+	test -n "$(USER)" # $$USER
 	@echo $(CONNECT_STRING)
 
 ## Check that the migration variable (id/timestamp) is provided
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index edac1df3..bbbd626c 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@ It can be additionally helpful to add `$GOPATH/bin` to your shell's `$PATH`.
 1. `createdb vulcanize_public`
 1. `cd $GOPATH/src/github.com/vulcanize/vulcanizedb`
 1.  Run the migrations: `make migrate HOST_NAME=localhost NAME=vulcanize_public PORT=5432`
+    - There is an optional var `USER=username` if the database user is not the default user `postgres`
     - To rollback a single step: `make rollback NAME=vulcanize_public`
     - To rollback to a certain migration: `make rollback_to MIGRATION=n NAME=vulcanize_public`
     - To see status of migrations: `make migration_status NAME=vulcanize_public`
diff --git a/pkg/plugin/manager/manager.go b/pkg/plugin/manager/manager.go
index e19fbd0b..74e9c182 100644
--- a/pkg/plugin/manager/manager.go
+++ b/pkg/plugin/manager/manager.go
@@ -128,7 +128,13 @@ func (m *manager) fixAndRun(path string) error {
 		return errors.New(fmt.Sprintf("version fixing for plugin migrations at %s failed: %s", path, err.Error()))
 	}
 	// Run the copied migrations with goose
-	pgStr := fmt.Sprintf("postgres://%s:%d/%s?sslmode=disable", m.DBConfig.Hostname, m.DBConfig.Port, m.DBConfig.Name)
+	var pgStr string
+	if len(m.DBConfig.User) > 0 && len(m.DBConfig.Password) > 0 {
+		pgStr = fmt.Sprintf("postgresql://%s:%s@%s:%d/%s?sslmode=disable",
+			m.DBConfig.User, m.DBConfig.Password, m.DBConfig.Hostname, m.DBConfig.Port, m.DBConfig.Name)
+	} else {
+		pgStr = fmt.Sprintf("postgres://%s:%d/%s?sslmode=disable", m.DBConfig.Hostname, m.DBConfig.Port, m.DBConfig.Name)
+	}
 	cmd = exec.Command("goose", "postgres", pgStr, "up")
 	cmd.Dir = m.tmpMigDir
 	err = cmd.Run()