diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 35e3b22..d0eb5f8 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -53,15 +53,12 @@ Role Variables
             - The database username for the above specified database.
         - password: 
             - The database username for the above specified database.
-        - setup_db:
-            - Flag whether or not to setup the MySQL database directly on the host.
-            - Default: true
         - host:
-            - Flag whether or not to setup the MySQL database directly on the host.
+            - The hostname of the CouchDB database server.
             - Default: localhost
         - port:
-            - The port of which  MySQL database directly on the host.
-            - Default: 3306
+            - The port of the CouchDB database server.
+            - Default: 5984
 - rookeries_app_name:
     - Configures the unique name of the rookeries app.
     - Default: rookeries
diff --git a/defaults/main.yml b/defaults/main.yml
index 57abd9f..59499e6 100644
--- a/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/defaults/main.yml
@@ -4,11 +4,10 @@
 # Database soecific inforaation
 rookeries_db:
     db_name: rookeries
-    username: rookeries
-    password: system_admin
-    setup_db: true
+    username: admin
+    password: password
     host: localhost
-    port: 3306
+    port: 5984
 
 
 # The mode of the setup.  Setting to "dev" enables the use of a SMTP fake server to help with development.
@@ -17,7 +16,7 @@ rookeries_environ_type: dev
 # TODO Clean up and simplify the configuration.
 # Name of the rookeries app
 rookeries_app_name: rookeries
-rookeries_version: 0.4.9
+rookeries_version: 0.5.0
 
 # Rookeries deployment configuration
 rookeries_app_hostname: localhost
@@ -40,8 +39,9 @@ rookeries_app_config:
     rookeries_secret_key: "development"
 
     # Database
-    rookeries_database_uri: "mysql+mysqlconnector://{{ rookeries_db. username}}:{{ rookeries_db.password }}@{{ rookeries_db.host }}:{{ rookeries_db.port }}/{{ rookeries_db.db_name }}?charset=utf8"
-    
+    rookeries_couchdb_database_uri: "http://{{ rookeries_db.username }}:{{ rookeries_db.password }}@{{ rookeries_db.host }}:{{ rookeries_db.port }}/"
+    rookeries_couchdb_database: "{{ rookeries_db.db_name }}"
+
     # Mail server configuration
     rookeries_mail_server: "smtp.localhost.net"
     rookeries_mail_port: 25
diff --git a/tasks/couchdb.yaml b/tasks/couchdb.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..41282de
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tasks/couchdb.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+---
+- name: install systems to help setup couchdb from a ppa
+  apt: pkg=python-apt state=present
+
+- name: add the couchdb ppa repository
+  apt_repository: repo="ppa:couchdb/stable" state=present
+
+- name: install couchdb
+  apt: pkg=couchdb state=present
+  with_items:
+    - couchdb
+    - couchdb-bin
+    - couchdb-common
+
+# TODO Add in installation and configuration of py-couchdb views?
+
+# Configure CouchDB
+- name: add admin user and password
+  ini_file: dest=/etc/couchdb/local.ini backup=yes state=present
+    section=admins option={{ rookeries_db.username }} value={{ rookeries_db.password }}
+
+- name: force couchdb to authenticate users
+  ini_file: dest=/etc/couchdb/local.ini backup=yes state=present
+    section=couch_httpd_auth option=require_valid_user value=true
+
+- name: allow couchdb to respond back across network
+  ini_file: dest=/etc/couchdb/local.ini backup=yes state=present
+    section=httpd option=bind_address value=0.0.0.0
+
+# Restart couchdb.  Should be using the upstart start and stop commands rather than service.
+- name: stop couchdb server
+  service: name=couchdb state=restarted
diff --git a/tasks/main.yml b/tasks/main.yml
index 8a2473e..dfef102 100644
--- a/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/tasks/main.yml
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 ---
-- include: mysql_db.yaml
 - include: nodejs.yaml
+- include: couchdb.yaml
 - include: dev_email_server.yaml
 - include: rookeries_deployment.yaml
diff --git a/tasks/mysql_db.yaml b/tasks/mysql_db.yaml
deleted file mode 100644
index 3209f72..0000000
--- a/tasks/mysql_db.yaml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,18 +0,0 @@
----
-- name: setup MySQL server + Python dependencies
-  apt: pkg={{ item }} state=present
-  with_items:
-    - mysql-server
-    - python-mysqldb
-  when: rookeries_db.setup_db
-
-- name: setup MySQL databases for rookeries.
-  mysql_db: name={{ rookeries_db.db_name }} state=present login_host={{ rookeries_db.host }}
-    login_port={{ rookeries_db.port }}
-  when: rookeries_db.setup_db
-
-- name: add MySQL database users for rookeries.
-  mysql_user: name={{ rookeries_db.username }} password={{ rookeries_db.password }}
-    priv={{ rookeries_db.db_name }}.*:ALL
-    login_host={{ rookeries_db.host }} login_port={{ rookeries_db.port }}
-  when: rookeries_db.setup_db
diff --git a/tasks/rookeries_deployment.yaml b/tasks/rookeries_deployment.yaml
index 672624a..152187e 100644
--- a/tasks/rookeries_deployment.yaml
+++ b/tasks/rookeries_deployment.yaml
@@ -13,14 +13,20 @@
         state=directory recurse=yes
   when: deploy_package.stat.exists
 
-- name: install rookeries dependencies
-  pip: requirements=requirements.txt virtualenv={{ rookeries_venv }} chdir={{ rookeries_deploy_dir }}
+- name: install extra binary tools for jq dependency
+  apt: pkg={{ item }} state=present
+  with_items:
+    - autoconf
+    - bison
+    - flex
+    - libtool
+    - build-essential
+    - python-dev
+    - jq
   when: deploy_package.stat.exists
 
-# TODO Remove after transition to CouchDB as a store.
-- name: install extra MySQL python connector dependency
-  pip: name=mysql-connector-python virtualenv={{ rookeries_venv }} version=1.1.6
-       extra_args="--allow-external mysql-connector-python --allow-unverified mysql-connector-python"
+- name: install rookeries dependencies
+  pip: requirements=requirements.txt virtualenv={{ rookeries_venv }} chdir={{ rookeries_deploy_dir }}
   when: deploy_package.stat.exists
 
 - name: install frontend dependencies for app