diff --git a/runbot/models/build.py b/runbot/models/build.py
index 64abf0f0..b05e9256 100644
--- a/runbot/models/build.py
+++ b/runbot/models/build.py
@@ -679,9 +679,10 @@ class runbot_build(models.Model):
         if grep(build._server("tools/config.py"), "no-netrpc"):
             cmd.append("--no-netrpc")
         if grep(build._server("tools/config.py"), "log-db"):
+            logdb_uri = self.env['ir.config_parameter'].get_param('runbot.runbot_logdb_uri')
             logdb = self.env.cr.dbname
-            if config['db_host'] and grep(build._server('sql_db.py'), 'allow_uri'):
-                logdb = 'postgres://{cfg[db_user]}:{cfg[db_password]}@{cfg[db_host]}/{db}'.format(cfg=config, db=self.env.cr.dbname)
+            if logdb_uri and grep(build._server('sql_db.py'), 'allow_uri'):
+                logdb = '%s' % logdb_uri
             cmd += ["--log-db=%s" % logdb]
             if grep(build._server('tools/config.py'), 'log-db-level'):
                 cmd += ["--log-db-level", '25']
diff --git a/runbot/models/res_config_settings.py b/runbot/models/res_config_settings.py
index 6f47624c..b1ef50a2 100644
--- a/runbot/models/res_config_settings.py
+++ b/runbot/models/res_config_settings.py
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ class ResConfigSettings(models.TransientModel):
     runbot_starting_port = fields.Integer('Starting port for running builds')
     runbot_domain = fields.Char('Runbot domain')
     runbot_max_age = fields.Integer('Max branch age (in days)')
+    runbot_logdb_uri = fields.Char('Runbot URI for build logs')
 
     @api.model
     def get_values(self):
@@ -23,7 +24,9 @@ class ResConfigSettings(models.TransientModel):
                    runbot_timeout=int(get_param('runbot.runbot_timeout', default=1800)),
                    runbot_starting_port=int(get_param('runbot.runbot_starting_port', default=2000)),
                    runbot_domain=get_param('runbot.runbot_domain', default=common.fqdn()),
-                   runbot_max_age=int(get_param('runbot.runbot_max_age', default=30)))
+                   runbot_max_age=int(get_param('runbot.runbot_max_age', default=30)),
+                   runbot_logdb_uri=get_param('runbot.runbot_logdb_uri', default=False),
+                   )
         return res
 
     @api.multi
@@ -36,3 +39,4 @@ class ResConfigSettings(models.TransientModel):
         set_param("runbot.runbot_starting_port", self.runbot_starting_port)
         set_param("runbot.runbot_domain", self.runbot_domain)
         set_param("runbot.runbot_max_age", self.runbot_max_age)
+        set_param("runbot.runbot_logdb_uri", self.runbot_logdb_uri)
diff --git a/runbot/tests/test_build.py b/runbot/tests/test_build.py
index 2a12f221..b13f9bea 100644
--- a/runbot/tests/test_build.py
+++ b/runbot/tests/test_build.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 # -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
 from unittest.mock import patch
+from odoo.tools.config import configmanager
 from odoo.tests import common
 
 class Test_Build(common.TransactionCase):
@@ -43,6 +44,20 @@ class Test_Build(common.TransactionCase):
         build._get_domain()
         self.assertEqual(build.domain, 'runbot99.example.org:1234')
 
+    @patch('odoo.addons.runbot.models.build.os.mkdir')
+    @patch('odoo.addons.runbot.models.build.grep')
+    def test_build_cmd_log_db(self, mock_grep, mock_mkdir):
+        """ test that the logdb connection URI is taken from the .odoorc file """
+        uri = 'postgres://someone:pass@somewhere.com/db'
+        self.env['ir.config_parameter'].sudo().set_param("runbot.runbot_logdb_uri", uri)
+        build = self.Build.create({
+            'branch_id': self.branch.id,
+            'name': 'd0d0caca0000ffffffffffffffffffffffffffff',
+            'port': '1234',
+        })
+        cmd = build._cmd()[0]
+        self.assertIn('--log-db=%s' % uri, cmd)
+
     def test_pr_is_duplicate(self):
         """ test PR is a duplicate of a dev branch build """
         dup_repo = self.Repo.create({
diff --git a/runbot/views/res_config_settings_views.xml b/runbot/views/res_config_settings_views.xml
index 728947da..3076e01b 100644
--- a/runbot/views/res_config_settings_views.xml
+++ b/runbot/views/res_config_settings_views.xml
@@ -42,6 +42,10 @@
                                   <label for="runbot_max_age" class="col-xs-3 o_light_label" style="width: 60%;"/>
                                   <field name="runbot_max_age" style="width: 30%;"/>
                                 </div>
+                                <div class="mt-16 row">
+                                  <label for="runbot_logdb_uri" class="col-xs-3 o_light_label" style="width: 60%;"/>
+                                  <field name="runbot_logdb_uri" style="width: 30%;"/>
+                                </div>
                             </div>
                         </div>
                       </div>