diff --git a/scripts/db_backup.sh b/scripts/db_backup.sh
index 47dc478..bd2795a 100755
--- a/scripts/db_backup.sh
+++ b/scripts/db_backup.sh
@@ -3,6 +3,12 @@ set -e
 
 if [ -z "${BACKUP_DIR}" ]; then
     echo "\$BACKUP_DIR must be set."
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+if [ -z "${DB_USER}" ]; then
+    echo "\$DB_USER must be set."
+    exit 1
 fi
 
 if (facter cname | grep blue); then
@@ -11,5 +17,5 @@ else
     bkpfile="$BACKUP_DIR/usaon-benefit-tool-db-backup.sql.gz"
 fi
 
-docker exec --tty db pg_dumpall --clean --username dbuser | gzip > $bkpfile
+docker exec --tty db pg_dumpall --clean --username "$DB_USER" | gzip > $bkpfile
 echo "Backup saved to $bkpfile."
diff --git a/scripts/db_restore.sh b/scripts/db_restore.sh
index ccb9726..5270722 100755
--- a/scripts/db_restore.sh
+++ b/scripts/db_restore.sh
@@ -6,21 +6,23 @@ SCRIPTPATH="$( cd "$(dirname "$0")" ; pwd -P )"
 
 if [ -n "$1" ]; then
     bkpfile="$1"
-elif [ -n "${BACKUP_DIR}" ]; then
-    bkpfile="$(find $BACKUP_DIR -name "usaon-benefit-tool-db-backup.sql.gz*" | sort -r | head -1)"
 fi
 
 if [ -z "$bkpfile" ]; then
-    echo "Please pass a backup file as argument or set \$BACKUP_DIR and ensure a backup file exists there"
+    echo "Please pass a path to a backup file as argument."
+
+    if [ -n "$BACKUP_DIR" ]; then
+        echo "They can most likely be found in ${BACKUP_DIR}."
+    fi
     exit 1
 fi
 
 # restart to boot any active sesssions
-docker-compose restart
+docker compose restart
 $SCRIPTPATH/wait_for_db.sh
 
-docker exec db dropdb usaon-benefit-tool || true
-docker exec db createdb usaon-benefit-tool 
+docker exec db dropdb --user="${DB_USER}" usaon-benefit-tool || true
+docker exec db createdb --user="${DB_USER}" usaon-benefit-tool 
 
-gunzip -c $bkpfile | docker exec --interactive db psql --username dbuser
+gunzip -c $bkpfile | docker exec --interactive db psql --username "$DB_USER"
 echo "Restored from $bkpfile."