diff --git a/rpi/spark_counter_receiver.cpp b/rpi/spark_counter_receiver.cpp
index 2ff4a6a..7c6939b 100644
--- a/rpi/spark_counter_receiver.cpp
+++ b/rpi/spark_counter_receiver.cpp
@@ -47,10 +47,24 @@ uint8_t iv[16] = {0xff,0xee,0xdd,0xcc,0xbb,0xaa,0x99,0x88,0x77,0x66,0x55,0x44,0x
 
 int main(int argc, char** argv){
 
+  if (argc!=4) {
+    fprintf(stderr, "provide database name, username, and password as argument (spaces, ':', special characters, or very long arguments not supported)\n");
+    return 1;
+  }
+
   // configure influxdb connection
   curl = curl_easy_init();
-  if(curl) {
-    curl_easy_setopt(curl, CURLOPT_URL, "http://localhost:8086/write?db=electricity");
+  if (curl) {
+    char url[256];
+    snprintf(url, sizeof(url), "http://localhost:8086/write?db=%s", argv[1]);
+    curl_easy_setopt(curl, CURLOPT_URL, url);
+    char auth[256];
+    snprintf(auth, sizeof(auth), "%s:%s", argv[2], argv[3]);
+    curl_easy_setopt(curl, CURLOPT_HTTPAUTH, CURLAUTH_BASIC);
+    curl_easy_setopt(curl, CURLOPT_USERPWD, auth);
+  } else {
+    fprintf(stderr, "could not initialize curl\n");
+    return 1;
   }
 
   // configure nRF24L01+ radio