diff --git a/config/defaults.hjson b/config/defaults.hjson
index 21a76d7a5..9e24407cd 100644
--- a/config/defaults.hjson
+++ b/config/defaults.hjson
@@ -1,11 +1,7 @@
 {
   # settings related to the postgresql database
   database: {
-    # Configure the database by specifying a URI
-    # 
-    # This is the preferred method to specify database connection details since
-    # it is the most flexible.
-    # Connection URI pointing to a postgres instance
+    # Configure the database by specifying URI pointing to a postgres instance
     # 
     # This example uses peer authentication to obviate the need for creating,
     # configuring, and managing passwords.
@@ -14,25 +10,7 @@
     # PostgreSQL's documentation.
     # 
     # [0]: https://www.postgresql.org/docs/current/libpq-connect.html#id-1.7.3.8.3.6
-    uri: "postgresql:///lemmy?user=lemmy&host=/var/run/postgresql"
-
-    # or
-
-    # Configure the database by specifying parts of a URI
-    # 
-    # Note that specifying the `uri` field should be preferred since it provides
-    # greater control over how the connection is made. This merely exists for
-    # backwards-compatibility.
-    # Username to connect to postgres
-    user: "string"
-    # Password to connect to postgres
-    password: "string"
-    # Host where postgres is running
-    host: "string"
-    # Port where postgres can be accessed
-    port: 123
-    # Name of the postgres database for lemmy
-    database: "string"
+    connection: "postgres://lemmy:password@localhost:5432/lemmy"
     # Maximum number of active sql connections
     pool_size: 30
   }
diff --git a/crates/utils/src/settings/mod.rs b/crates/utils/src/settings/mod.rs
index d6f11c09b..fcd2774c6 100644
--- a/crates/utils/src/settings/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/utils/src/settings/mod.rs
@@ -3,13 +3,11 @@ use anyhow::{anyhow, Context};
 use deser_hjson::from_str;
 use regex::Regex;
 use std::{env, fs, io::Error, sync::LazyLock};
+use structs::{PictrsConfig, PictrsImageMode, Settings};
 use url::Url;
-use urlencoding::encode;
 
 pub mod structs;
 
-use structs::{DatabaseConnection, PictrsConfig, PictrsImageMode, Settings};
-
 const DEFAULT_CONFIG_FILE: &str = "config/config.hjson";
 
 #[allow(clippy::expect_used)]
@@ -52,19 +50,8 @@ impl Settings {
   pub fn get_database_url(&self) -> String {
     if let Ok(url) = env::var("LEMMY_DATABASE_URL") {
       return url;
-    }
-    match &self.database.connection {
-      DatabaseConnection::Uri { uri } => uri.clone(),
-      DatabaseConnection::Parts(parts) => {
-        format!(
-          "postgres://{}:{}@{}:{}/{}",
-          encode(&parts.user),
-          encode(&parts.password),
-          parts.host,
-          parts.port,
-          encode(&parts.database),
-        )
-      }
+    } else {
+      self.database.connection.clone()
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/crates/utils/src/settings/structs.rs b/crates/utils/src/settings/structs.rs
index cbbbcbfe5..1aef9f79b 100644
--- a/crates/utils/src/settings/structs.rs
+++ b/crates/utils/src/settings/structs.rs
@@ -132,64 +132,24 @@ pub enum PictrsImageMode {
 #[derive(Debug, Deserialize, Serialize, Clone, SmartDefault, Document)]
 #[serde(default)]
 pub struct DatabaseConfig {
-  #[serde(flatten, default)]
-  pub(crate) connection: DatabaseConnection,
+  /// Configure the database by specifying URI pointing to a postgres instance
+  ///
+  /// This example uses peer authentication to obviate the need for creating,
+  /// configuring, and managing passwords.
+  ///
+  /// For an explanation of how to use connection URIs, see [here][0] in
+  /// PostgreSQL's documentation.
+  ///
+  /// [0]: https://www.postgresql.org/docs/current/libpq-connect.html#id-1.7.3.8.3.6
+  #[default("postgres://lemmy:password@localhost:5432/lemmy")]
+  #[doku(example = "postgresql:///lemmy?user=lemmy&host=/var/run/postgresql")]
+  pub(crate) connection: String,
 
   /// Maximum number of active sql connections
   #[default(30)]
   pub pool_size: usize,
 }
 
-#[derive(Debug, Deserialize, Serialize, Clone, SmartDefault, Document)]
-#[serde(untagged)]
-pub enum DatabaseConnection {
-  /// Configure the database by specifying a URI
-  ///
-  /// This is the preferred method to specify database connection details since
-  /// it is the most flexible.
-  Uri {
-    /// Connection URI pointing to a postgres instance
-    ///
-    /// This example uses peer authentication to obviate the need for creating,
-    /// configuring, and managing passwords.
-    ///
-    /// For an explanation of how to use connection URIs, see [here][0] in
-    /// PostgreSQL's documentation.
-    ///
-    /// [0]: https://www.postgresql.org/docs/current/libpq-connect.html#id-1.7.3.8.3.6
-    #[doku(example = "postgresql:///lemmy?user=lemmy&host=/var/run/postgresql")]
-    uri: String,
-  },
-
-  /// Configure the database by specifying parts of a URI
-  ///
-  /// Note that specifying the `uri` field should be preferred since it provides
-  /// greater control over how the connection is made. This merely exists for
-  /// backwards-compatibility.
-  #[default]
-  Parts(DatabaseConnectionParts),
-}
-
-#[derive(Debug, Deserialize, Serialize, Clone, SmartDefault, Document)]
-#[serde(default)]
-pub struct DatabaseConnectionParts {
-  /// Username to connect to postgres
-  #[default("lemmy")]
-  pub(super) user: String,
-  /// Password to connect to postgres
-  #[default("password")]
-  pub(super) password: String,
-  #[default("localhost")]
-  /// Host where postgres is running
-  pub(super) host: String,
-  /// Port where postgres can be accessed
-  #[default(5432)]
-  pub(super) port: i32,
-  /// Name of the postgres database for lemmy
-  #[default("lemmy")]
-  pub(super) database: String,
-}
-
 #[derive(Debug, Deserialize, Serialize, Clone, Document, SmartDefault)]
 #[serde(deny_unknown_fields)]
 pub struct EmailConfig {