diff --git a/cmd/server/flags.go b/cmd/server/flags.go
index f4a94bc5a..3e8bbd8c2 100644
--- a/cmd/server/flags.go
+++ b/cmd/server/flags.go
@@ -27,14 +27,34 @@ import (
 
 var flags = append([]cli.Flag{
 	&cli.BoolFlag{
-		Sources: cli.EnvVars("WOODPECKER_LOG_XORM"),
-		Name:    "log-xorm",
-		Usage:   "enable xorm logging",
+		Sources: cli.EnvVars("WOODPECKER_DATABASE_LOG", "WOODPECKER_LOG_XORM"),
+		Name:    "db-log",
+		Aliases: []string{"log-xorm"}, // TODO: remove in v4.0.0
+		Usage:   "enable logging in database engine (currently xorm)",
 	},
 	&cli.BoolFlag{
-		Sources: cli.EnvVars("WOODPECKER_LOG_XORM_SQL"),
-		Name:    "log-xorm-sql",
-		Usage:   "enable xorm sql command logging",
+		Sources: cli.EnvVars("WOODPECKER_DATABASE_LOG_SQL", "WOODPECKER_LOG_XORM_SQL"),
+		Name:    "db-log-sql",
+		Aliases: []string{"log-xorm-sql"}, // TODO: remove in v4.0.0
+		Usage:   "enable logging of sql commands",
+	},
+	&cli.IntFlag{
+		Sources: cli.EnvVars("WOODPECKER_DATABASE_MAX_CONNECTIONS"),
+		Name:    "db-max-open-connections",
+		Usage:   "max connections xorm is allowed create",
+		Value:   100,
+	},
+	&cli.IntFlag{
+		Sources: cli.EnvVars("WOODPECKER_DATABASE_IDLE_CONNECTIONS"),
+		Name:    "db-max-idle-connections",
+		Usage:   "amount of connections xorm will hold open",
+		Value:   2,
+	},
+	&cli.DurationFlag{
+		Sources: cli.EnvVars("WOODPECKER_DATABASE_CONNECTION_TIMEOUT"),
+		Name:    "db-max-connection-timeout",
+		Usage:   "time an active connection is allowed to stay open",
+		Value:   3 * time.Second,
 	},
 	&cli.StringFlag{
 		Sources: cli.EnvVars("WOODPECKER_HOST"),
@@ -205,7 +225,8 @@ var flags = append([]cli.Flag{
 	},
 	&cli.StringFlag{
 		Sources: cli.EnvVars("WOODPECKER_DATABASE_DRIVER"),
-		Name:    "driver",
+		Name:    "db-driver",
+		Aliases: []string{"driver"}, // TODO: remove in v4.0.0
 		Usage:   "database driver",
 		Value:   "sqlite3",
 	},
@@ -213,9 +234,10 @@ var flags = append([]cli.Flag{
 		Sources: cli.NewValueSourceChain(
 			cli.File(os.Getenv("WOODPECKER_DATABASE_DATASOURCE_FILE")),
 			cli.EnvVar("WOODPECKER_DATABASE_DATASOURCE")),
-		Name:  "datasource",
-		Usage: "database driver configuration string",
-		Value: datasourceDefaultValue(),
+		Name:    "db-datasource",
+		Aliases: []string{"datasource"}, // TODO: remove in v4.0.0
+		Usage:   "database driver configuration string",
+		Value:   datasourceDefaultValue(),
 	},
 	&cli.StringFlag{
 		Sources: cli.NewValueSourceChain(
diff --git a/cmd/server/setup.go b/cmd/server/setup.go
index c408e4023..83a92f01f 100644
--- a/cmd/server/setup.go
+++ b/cmd/server/setup.go
@@ -51,11 +51,14 @@ const (
 )
 
 func setupStore(ctx context.Context, c *cli.Command) (store.Store, error) {
-	datasource := c.String("datasource")
-	driver := c.String("driver")
+	datasource := c.String("db-datasource")
+	driver := c.String("db-driver")
 	xorm := store.XORM{
-		Log:     c.Bool("log-xorm"),
-		ShowSQL: c.Bool("log-xorm-sql"),
+		Log:             c.Bool("db-log"),
+		ShowSQL:         c.Bool("db-log-sql"),
+		MaxOpenConns:    int(c.Int("db-max-open-connections")),
+		MaxIdleConns:    int(c.Int("db-max-idle-connections")),
+		ConnMaxLifetime: c.Duration("db-max-connection-timeout"),
 	}
 
 	if driver == "sqlite3" {
diff --git a/docs/docs/30-administration/10-server-config.md b/docs/docs/30-administration/10-server-config.md
index 082e3d3b8..17da7abd2 100644
--- a/docs/docs/30-administration/10-server-config.md
+++ b/docs/docs/30-administration/10-server-config.md
@@ -159,17 +159,35 @@ Configures the logging level. Possible values are `trace`, `debug`, `info`, `war
 Output destination for logs.
 'stdout' and 'stderr' can be used as special keywords.
 
-### `WOODPECKER_LOG_XORM`
+### `WOODPECKER_DATABASE_LOG`
 
 > Default: `false`
 
-Enable XORM logs.
+Enable logging in database engine (currently xorm).
 
-### `WOODPECKER_LOG_XORM_SQL`
+### `WOODPECKER_DATABASE_LOG_SQL`
 
 > Default: `false`
 
-Enable XORM SQL command logs.
+Enable logging of sql commands.
+
+### `WOODPECKER_DATABASE_MAX_CONNECTIONS`
+
+> Default: `100`
+
+Max database connections xorm is allowed create.
+
+### `WOODPECKER_DATABASE_IDLE_CONNECTIONS`
+
+> Default: `2`
+
+Amount of database connections xorm will hold open.
+
+### `WOODPECKER_DATABASE_CONNECTION_TIMEOUT`
+
+> Default: `3 Seconds`
+
+Time an active database connection is allowed to stay open.
 
 ### `WOODPECKER_DEBUG_PRETTY`
 
diff --git a/docs/src/pages/migrations.md b/docs/src/pages/migrations.md
index 2eec56a80..9b7639366 100644
--- a/docs/src/pages/migrations.md
+++ b/docs/src/pages/migrations.md
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ This will be the next version of Woodpecker.
 
 ## Admin migrations
 
+- Deprecate `WOODPECKER_LOG_XORM` and `WOODPECKER_LOG_XORM_SQL` use `"WOODPECKER_DATABASE_LOG` and `"WOODPECKER_DATABASE_LOG_SQL`
 - Deprecate `WOODPECKER_FILTER_LABELS` use `WOODPECKER_AGENT_LABELS`
 - Move docker resource limit settings from server into agent configuration
 - Rename server environment variable `WOODPECKER_ESCALATE` to `WOODPECKER_PLUGINS_PRIVILEGED`
diff --git a/server/store/common.go b/server/store/common.go
index 4a051d838..025cf82cc 100644
--- a/server/store/common.go
+++ b/server/store/common.go
@@ -14,9 +14,14 @@
 
 package store
 
+import "time"
+
 type XORM struct {
-	Log     bool
-	ShowSQL bool
+	Log             bool
+	ShowSQL         bool
+	MaxIdleConns    int
+	MaxOpenConns    int
+	ConnMaxLifetime time.Duration
 }
 
 // Opts are options for a new database connection.
diff --git a/server/store/datastore/engine.go b/server/store/datastore/engine.go
index 8499681ac..316347591 100644
--- a/server/store/datastore/engine.go
+++ b/server/store/datastore/engine.go
@@ -45,6 +45,9 @@ func NewEngine(opts *store.Opts) (store.Store, error) {
 	logger := newXORMLogger(level)
 	engine.SetLogger(logger)
 	engine.ShowSQL(opts.XORM.ShowSQL)
+	engine.SetMaxOpenConns(opts.XORM.MaxOpenConns)
+	engine.SetMaxIdleConns(opts.XORM.MaxIdleConns)
+	engine.SetConnMaxLifetime(opts.XORM.ConnMaxLifetime)
 
 	return &storage{
 		engine: engine,