diff --git a/cmd/root.go b/cmd/root.go
index 92f329a50..4fcbd55db 100644
--- a/cmd/root.go
+++ b/cmd/root.go
@@ -33,11 +33,13 @@ import (
 const (
 	rebootDelay = 15 * time.Minute // delayed reboot on error
 	serviceDB   = "/var/lib/evcc/evcc.db"
+	userDB      = "~/.evcc/evcc.db"
 )
 
 var (
-	log     = util.NewLogger("main")
-	cfgFile string
+	log         = util.NewLogger("main")
+	cfgFile     string
+	cfgDatabase string
 
 	ignoreEmpty = ""                                      // ignore empty keys
 	ignoreLogs  = []string{"log"}                         // ignore log messages, including warn/error
@@ -63,6 +65,7 @@ func init() {
 
 	// global options
 	rootCmd.PersistentFlags().StringVarP(&cfgFile, "config", "c", "", "Config file (default \"~/evcc.yaml\" or \"/etc/evcc.yaml\")")
+	rootCmd.PersistentFlags().StringVarP(&cfgDatabase, "database", "d", "", "Database location (default \"~/.evcc/evcc.db\")")
 	rootCmd.PersistentFlags().BoolP("help", "h", false, "Help")
 	rootCmd.PersistentFlags().Bool(flagHeaders, false, flagHeadersDescription)
 	rootCmd.PersistentFlags().Bool(flagIgnoreDatabase, false, flagIgnoreDatabaseDescription)
@@ -97,6 +100,9 @@ func initConfig() {
 
 		viper.SetConfigName("evcc")
 	}
+	if cfgDatabase != "" {
+		viper.Set("Database.Dsn", cfgDatabase)
+	}
 
 	viper.SetEnvPrefix("evcc")
 	viper.SetEnvKeyReplacer(strings.NewReplacer(".", "_"))
diff --git a/cmd/setup.go b/cmd/setup.go
index 356ea6134..9733e0e8b 100644
--- a/cmd/setup.go
+++ b/cmd/setup.go
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ var conf = globalconfig.All{
 	},
 	Database: globalconfig.DB{
 		Type: "sqlite",
-		Dsn:  "~/.evcc/evcc.db",
+		Dsn:  "",
 	},
 }
 
@@ -81,22 +81,6 @@ func nameValid(name string) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-func tokenDanger(conf []config.Named) bool {
-	problematic := []string{"tesla", "psa", "opel", "citroen", "ds", "peugeot"}
-
-	for _, cc := range conf {
-		if slices.Contains(problematic, cc.Type) {
-			return true
-		}
-		template, ok := cc.Other["template"].(string)
-		if ok && cc.Type == "template" && slices.Contains(problematic, template) {
-			return true
-		}
-	}
-
-	return false
-}
-
 func loadConfigFile(conf *globalconfig.All, checkDB bool) error {
 	err := viper.ReadInConfig()
 
@@ -112,17 +96,33 @@ func loadConfigFile(conf *globalconfig.All, checkDB bool) error {
 		}
 	}
 
-	// check service database
-	if _, err := os.Stat(serviceDB); err == nil && checkDB && conf.Database.Dsn != serviceDB && tokenDanger(conf.Vehicles) {
-		log.FATAL.Fatal(`
+	// user did not specify a database path
+	if conf.Database.Dsn == "" {
+		// check if service database exists
+		if _, err := os.Stat(serviceDB); err == nil && checkDB {
+			// service database found, ask user what to do
+			sudo := ""
+			if !isWritable(serviceDB) {
+				sudo = "sudo "
+			}
+			log.FATAL.Fatal(`
+Found systemd service database at "` + serviceDB + `", evcc has been invoked with no explicit database path.
+Running the same config with multiple databases can lead to expiring vehicle tokens.
 
-Found systemd service database at "` + serviceDB + `", evcc has been invoked with database "` + conf.Database.Dsn + `".
-Running evcc with vehicles configured in evcc.yaml may lead to expiring the yaml configuration's vehicle tokens.
-This is due to the fact, that the token refresh will be saved to the local instead of the service's database.
-If you have vehicles with touchy tokens like PSA or Tesla, make sure to remove vehicle configuration from the yaml file.
+If you want to use the existing service database run the following command:
 
-If you know what you're doing, you can run evcc ignoring the service database with the --ignore-db flag.
-`)
+` + sudo + `evcc --database ` + serviceDB + `
+
+If you want to create a new user-space database run the following command:
+
+evcc --database ~/.evcc/evcc.db
+
+If you know what you're doing, you can skip the database check with the --ignore-db flag.
+			`)
+		}
+
+		// default to user database
+		conf.Database.Dsn = userDB
 	}
 
 	// parse log levels after reading config
@@ -133,6 +133,15 @@ If you know what you're doing, you can run evcc ignoring the service database wi
 	return err
 }
 
+func isWritable(filePath string) bool {
+	file, err := os.OpenFile(filePath, os.O_WRONLY, 0666)
+	if err != nil {
+		return false
+	}
+	file.Close()
+	return true
+}
+
 func configureCircuits(conf []config.Named) error {
 	// migrate settings
 	if settings.Exists(keys.Circuits) {