diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 0f32081..581acee 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -164,6 +164,8 @@ docker-compose up -d --build
 
 > Feel free to change the [`docker-compose.yml`](https://github.com/LibreTranslate/LibreTranslate/blob/main/docker-compose.yml) file to adapt it to your deployment needs, or use an extra `docker-compose.prod.yml` file for your deployment configuration.
 
+> The models are stored inside the container under `/root/.local/share` and `/root/.local/cache`. Feel free to use volumes if you do not want to redownload the models when the container is destroyed. Be aware that this will prevent the models from being updated!
+
 ### CUDA
 
 You can use hardware acceleration to speed up translations on a GPU machine with CUDA 11.2 and [nvidia-docker](https://docs.nvidia.com/datacenter/cloud-native/container-toolkit/install-guide.html) installed.
@@ -190,6 +192,7 @@ docker-compose -f docker-compose.cuda.yml up -d --build
 | --frontend-language-target  | Set frontend default language - target                                                                      | `es`          | LT_FRONTEND_LANGUAGE_TARGET  |
 | --frontend-timeout          | Set frontend translation timeout                                                                            | `500`         | LT_FRONTEND_TIMEOUT          |
 | --api-keys                  | Enable API keys database for per-user rate limits lookup                                                    | `Don't use API keys` | LT_API_KEYS                  |
+| --api-keys-db-path          | Use a specific path inside the container for the local database. Can be absolute or relative                | `api_keys.db`                      | LT_API_KEYS_DB_PATH          |
 | --api-keys-remote           | Use this remote endpoint to query for valid API keys instead of using the local database                    | `Use local API key database` | LT_API_KEYS_REMOTE                  |
 | --get-api-key-link          | Show a link in the UI where to direct users to get an API key                                               | `Don't show a link` | LT_GET_API_KEY_LINK                  |
 | --require-api-key-origin    | Require use of an API key for programmatic access to the API, unless the request origin matches this domain | `No restrictions on domain origin` | LT_REQUIRE_API_KEY_ORIGIN    |
@@ -222,7 +225,7 @@ See ["LibreTranslate: your own translation service on Kubernetes" by JM Robles](
 
 LibreTranslate supports per-user limit quotas, e.g. you can issue API keys to users so that they can enjoy higher requests limits per minute (if you also set `--req-limit`). By default all users are rate-limited based on `--req-limit`, but passing an optional `api_key` parameter to the REST endpoints allows a user to enjoy higher request limits.
 
-To use API keys simply start LibreTranslate with the `--api-keys` option.
+To use API keys simply start LibreTranslate with the `--api-keys` option. If you modified the API keys database path with the option `--api-keys-db-path`, you must specify the path with the same argument flag when using the `ltmanage keys` command. 
 
 ### Add New Keys
 
@@ -232,6 +235,11 @@ To issue a new API key with 120 requests per minute limits:
 ltmanage keys add 120
 ```
 
+If you changed the API keys database path:
+```bash
+ltmanage keys --api-keys-db-path path/to/db/dbName.db add 120
+```
+
 ### Remove Keys
 
 ```bash
diff --git a/app/api_keys.py b/app/api_keys.py
index b350ab2..b60b87b 100644
--- a/app/api_keys.py
+++ b/app/api_keys.py
@@ -1,13 +1,18 @@
+import os
 import sqlite3
 import uuid
 import requests
 from expiringdict import ExpiringDict
+from app.default_values import DEFAULT_ARGUMENTS as DEFARGS
 
-DEFAULT_DB_PATH = "api_keys.db"
+DEFAULT_DB_PATH = DEFARGS['API_KEYS_DB_PATH']
 
 
 class Database:
     def __init__(self, db_path=DEFAULT_DB_PATH, max_cache_len=1000, max_cache_age=30):
+        db_dir = os.path.dirname(db_path)
+        if not db_dir == "" and not os.path.exists(db_dir):
+            os.makedirs(db_dir)
         self.db_path = db_path
         self.cache = ExpiringDict(max_len=max_cache_len, max_age_seconds=max_cache_age)
 
diff --git a/app/app.py b/app/app.py
index 25b1367..6986344 100644
--- a/app/app.py
+++ b/app/app.py
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ def create_app(args):
             if args.api_keys_remote:
                 api_keys_db = RemoteDatabase(args.api_keys_remote)
             else:
-                api_keys_db = Database()
+                api_keys_db = Database(args.api_keys_db_path)
 
         from flask_limiter import Limiter
 
diff --git a/app/default_values.py b/app/default_values.py
index 70d3911..06605ce 100644
--- a/app/default_values.py
+++ b/app/default_values.py
@@ -106,6 +106,11 @@ _default_options_objects = [
         'default_value': False,
         'value_type': 'bool'
     },
+    {
+        'name': 'API_KEYS_DB_PATH',
+        'default_value': 'api_keys.db',
+        'value_type': 'str'
+    },
     {
         'name': 'API_KEYS_REMOTE',
         'default_value': '',
diff --git a/app/main.py b/app/main.py
index bc0ea56..530d9f8 100644
--- a/app/main.py
+++ b/app/main.py
@@ -89,6 +89,12 @@ def get_args():
         action="store_true",
         help="Enable API keys database for per-user rate limits lookup",
     )
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "--api-keys-db-path",
+        default=DEFARGS['API_KEYS_DB_PATH'],
+        type=str,
+        help="Use a specific path inside the container for the local database. Can be absolute or relative (%(default)s)",
+    )
     parser.add_argument(
         "--api-keys-remote",
         default=DEFARGS['API_KEYS_REMOTE'],
diff --git a/app/manage.py b/app/manage.py
index be548f7..2385e46 100644
--- a/app/manage.py
+++ b/app/manage.py
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 import argparse
+import os
 
 from app.api_keys import Database
+from app.default_values import DEFAULT_ARGUMENTS as DEFARGS
 
 
 def manage():
@@ -10,6 +12,12 @@ def manage():
     )
 
     keys_parser = subparsers.add_parser("keys", help="Manage API keys database")
+    keys_parser.add_argument(
+        "--api-keys-db-path",
+        default=DEFARGS['API_KEYS_DB_PATH'],
+        type=str,
+        help="Use a specific path inside the container for the local database",
+    )
     keys_subparser = keys_parser.add_subparsers(
         help="", dest="sub_command", title="Command List"
     )
@@ -30,7 +38,10 @@ def manage():
     args = parser.parse_args()
 
     if args.command == "keys":
-        db = Database()
+        if not os.path.exists(args.api_keys_db_path):
+            print("No such database: %s" % args.api_keys_db_path)
+            exit(1)
+        db = Database(args.api_keys_db_path)
         if args.sub_command is None:
             # Print keys
             keys = db.all()
diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
index 264d23f..bc9bbe2 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -8,4 +8,12 @@ services:
     ports:
       - 5000:5000
     ## Uncomment above command and define your args if necessary
-    # command: --ssl --ga-id MY-GA-ID --req-limit 100 --char-limit 500 
\ No newline at end of file
+    # command: --ssl --ga-id MY-GA-ID --req-limit 100 --char-limit 500
+    ## Uncomment this section and the `volumes` section if you want to backup your API keys
+    # environment:
+    #   - LT_API_KEYS_DB_PATH=/app/db/api_keys.db # Same result as `db/api_keys.db` or `./db/api_keys.db`
+    # volumes:
+    #   - libretranslate_api_keys:/app/db/api_keys.db
+
+# volumes:
+#   libretranslate_api_keys:
\ No newline at end of file