diff --git a/cmd/lotus-chainwatch/dot.go b/cmd/lotus-chainwatch/dot.go
index 83b9888f8..2a899c100 100644
--- a/cmd/lotus-chainwatch/dot.go
+++ b/cmd/lotus-chainwatch/dot.go
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ var dotCmd = &cli.Command{
 	Usage: "generate dot graphs",
 	ArgsUsage: "<minHeight> <toseeHeight>",
 	Action: func(cctx *cli.Context) error {
-		st, err := openStorage()
+		st, err := openStorage(cctx.String("db"))
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
diff --git a/cmd/lotus-chainwatch/main.go b/cmd/lotus-chainwatch/main.go
index c8ea2d863..187f2a17d 100644
--- a/cmd/lotus-chainwatch/main.go
+++ b/cmd/lotus-chainwatch/main.go
@@ -35,6 +35,11 @@ func main() {
 				EnvVars: []string{"LOTUS_PATH"},
 				Value:   "~/.lotus", // TODO: Consider XDG_DATA_HOME
 			},
+			&cli.StringFlag{
+				Name:    "db",
+				EnvVars: []string{"LOTUS_DB"},
+				Value:   "./chainwatch.db",
+			},
 		},
 
 		Commands: local,
@@ -70,7 +75,7 @@ var runCmd = &cli.Command{
 
 		log.Info("Remote version: %s", v.Version)
 
-		st, err := openStorage()
+		st, err := openStorage(cctx.String("db"))
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
diff --git a/cmd/lotus-chainwatch/storage.go b/cmd/lotus-chainwatch/storage.go
index 572b8dde3..3f2a2bf0d 100644
--- a/cmd/lotus-chainwatch/storage.go
+++ b/cmd/lotus-chainwatch/storage.go
@@ -18,8 +18,8 @@ type storage struct {
 	headerLk sync.Mutex
 }
 
-func openStorage() (*storage, error) {
-	db, err := sql.Open("sqlite3", "./chainwatch.db")
+func openStorage(dbSource string) (*storage, error) {
+	db, err := sql.Open("sqlite3", dbSource)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}