diff --git a/backend/src/app/config.clj b/backend/src/app/config.clj
index 71ee82fbe..dbd234dde 100644
--- a/backend/src/app/config.clj
+++ b/backend/src/app/config.clj
@@ -112,6 +112,7 @@
 (s/def ::database-password (s/nilable ::us/string))
 (s/def ::database-uri ::us/string)
 (s/def ::database-username (s/nilable ::us/string))
+(s/def ::database-readonly ::us/boolean)
 (s/def ::default-blob-version ::us/integer)
 (s/def ::error-report-webhook ::us/string)
 (s/def ::user-feedback-destination ::us/string)
@@ -201,6 +202,7 @@
                    ::database-password
                    ::database-uri
                    ::database-username
+                   ::database-readonly
                    ::default-blob-version
                    ::error-report-webhook
                    ::file-change-snapshot-every
diff --git a/backend/src/app/db.clj b/backend/src/app/db.clj
index a4976b47b..d6eb7fa72 100644
--- a/backend/src/app/db.clj
+++ b/backend/src/app/db.clj
@@ -62,12 +62,13 @@
           :opt-un [::migrations ::mtx/metrics ::read-only]))
 
 (defmethod ig/init-key ::pool
-  [_ {:keys [migrations metrics name] :as cfg}]
+  [_ {:keys [migrations metrics name read-only] :as cfg}]
   (l/info :action "initialize connection pool" :name (d/name name) :uri (:uri cfg))
   (some-> metrics :registry instrument-jdbc!)
 
   (let [pool (create-pool cfg)]
-    (some->> (seq migrations) (apply-migrations! pool))
+    (when-not read-only
+      (some->> (seq migrations) (apply-migrations! pool)))
     pool))
 
 (defmethod ig/halt-key! ::pool
@@ -136,10 +137,14 @@
 
 (s/def ::pool pool?)
 
-(defn pool-closed?
+(defn closed?
   [pool]
   (.isClosed ^HikariDataSource pool))
 
+(defn read-only?
+  [pool]
+  (.isReadOnly ^HikariDataSource pool))
+
 (defn create-pool
   [cfg]
   (let [dsc (create-datasource-config cfg)]
diff --git a/backend/src/app/http/session.clj b/backend/src/app/http/session.clj
index 90e3d217d..08abfe6e0 100644
--- a/backend/src/app/http/session.clj
+++ b/backend/src/app/http/session.clj
@@ -11,74 +11,114 @@
    [app.common.logging :as l]
    [app.config :as cfg]
    [app.db :as db]
+   [app.db.sql :as sql]
    [app.metrics :as mtx]
    [app.util.async :as aa]
    [app.util.time :as dt]
    [app.worker :as wrk]
    [clojure.core.async :as a]
    [clojure.spec.alpha :as s]
-   [integrant.core :as ig]))
+   [integrant.core :as ig]
+   [ring.middleware.session.store :as rss]))
 
 ;; A default cookie name for storing the session. We don't allow
 ;; configure it.
 (def cookie-name "auth-token")
 
+(deftype DatabaseStore [pool tokens]
+  rss/SessionStore
+  (read-session [_ token]
+    (db/exec-one! pool (sql/select :http-session {:id token})))
+
+  (write-session [_ _ data]
+    (let [profile-id (:profile-id data)
+          user-agent (:user-agent data)
+          token      (tokens :generate {:iss "authentication"
+                                        :iat (dt/now)
+                                        :uid profile-id})
+          params     {:user-agent user-agent
+                      :profile-id profile-id
+                      :id token}]
+      (db/insert! pool :http-session params)
+      token))
+
+  (delete-session [_ token]
+    (db/delete! pool :http-session {:id token})
+    nil))
+
+(deftype MemoryStore [cache tokens]
+  rss/SessionStore
+  (read-session [_ token]
+    (get @cache token))
+
+  (write-session [_ _ data]
+    (let [profile-id (:profile-id data)
+          user-agent (:user-agent data)
+          token      (tokens :generate {:iss "authentication"
+                                        :iat (dt/now)
+                                        :uid profile-id})
+          params     {:user-agent user-agent
+                      :profile-id profile-id
+                      :id token}]
+
+      (swap! cache assoc token params)
+      token))
+
+  (delete-session [_ token]
+    (swap! cache dissoc token)
+    nil))
+
 ;; --- IMPL
 
 (defn- create-session
-  [{:keys [conn tokens] :as cfg} {:keys [profile-id headers] :as request}]
-  (let [token  (tokens :generate {:iss "authentication"
-                                  :iat (dt/now)
-                                  :uid profile-id})
-        params {:user-agent (get headers "user-agent")
-                :profile-id profile-id
-                :id token}]
-    (db/insert! conn :http-session params)))
+  [store request profile-id]
+  (let [params {:user-agent (get-in request [:headers "user-agent"])
+                :profile-id profile-id}]
+    (rss/write-session store nil params)))
 
 (defn- delete-session
-  [{:keys [conn] :as cfg} {:keys [cookies] :as request}]
+  [store {:keys [cookies] :as request}]
   (when-let [token (get-in cookies [cookie-name :value])]
-    (db/delete! conn :http-session {:id token}))
-  nil)
+    (rss/delete-session store token)))
 
 (defn- retrieve-session
-  [{:keys [conn] :as cfg} id]
-  (when id
-    (db/exec-one! conn ["select id, profile_id from http_session where id = ?" id])))
+  [store token]
+  (when token
+    (rss/read-session store token)))
 
 (defn- retrieve-from-request
-  [cfg {:keys [cookies] :as request}]
+  [store {:keys [cookies] :as request}]
   (->> (get-in cookies [cookie-name :value])
-       (retrieve-session cfg)))
+       (retrieve-session store)))
 
 (defn- add-cookies
-  [response {:keys [id] :as session}]
+  [response token]
   (let [cors?   (contains? cfg/flags :cors)
         secure? (contains? cfg/flags :secure-session-cookies)]
     (assoc response :cookies {cookie-name {:path "/"
                                            :http-only true
-                                           :value id
+                                           :value token
                                            :same-site (if cors? :none :lax)
                                            :secure secure?}})))
-
 (defn- clear-cookies
   [response]
   (assoc response :cookies {cookie-name {:value "" :max-age -1}}))
 
 (defn- middleware
-  [cfg handler]
+  [events-ch store handler]
   (fn [request]
-    (if-let [{:keys [id profile-id] :as session} (retrieve-from-request cfg request)]
+    (if-let [{:keys [id profile-id] :as session} (retrieve-from-request store request)]
       (do
-        (a/>!! (::events-ch cfg) id)
+        (a/>!! events-ch id)
         (l/set-context! {:profile-id profile-id})
         (handler (assoc request :profile-id profile-id :session-id id)))
       (handler request))))
 
 ;; --- STATE INIT: SESSION
 
+(s/def ::tokens fn?)
 (defmethod ig/pre-init-spec ::session [_]
-  (s/keys :req-un [::db/pool]))
+  (s/keys :req-un [::db/pool ::tokens]))
 
 (defmethod ig/prep-key ::session
   [_ cfg]
@@ -86,20 +126,24 @@
            (d/without-nils cfg)))
 
 (defmethod ig/init-key ::session
-  [_ {:keys [pool] :as cfg}]
-  (let [events (a/chan (a/dropping-buffer (:buffer-size cfg)))
-        cfg    (-> cfg
-                   (assoc :conn pool)
-                   (assoc ::events-ch events))]
+  [_ {:keys [pool tokens] :as cfg}]
+  (let [events-ch (a/chan (a/dropping-buffer (:buffer-size cfg)))
+        store     (if (db/read-only? pool)
+                    (->MemoryStore (atom {}) tokens)
+                    (->DatabaseStore pool tokens))]
+
+    (when (db/read-only? pool)
+      (l/warn :hint "sessions module initialized with in-memory store"))
+
     (-> cfg
-        (assoc :middleware #(middleware cfg %))
+        (assoc ::events-ch events-ch)
+        (assoc :middleware #(middleware events-ch store %))
         (assoc :create (fn [profile-id]
                          (fn [request response]
-                           (let [request (assoc request :profile-id profile-id)
-                                 session (create-session cfg request)]
-                             (add-cookies response session)))))
+                           (let [token (create-session store request profile-id)]
+                             (add-cookies response token)))))
         (assoc :delete (fn [request response]
-                         (delete-session cfg request)
+                         (delete-session store request)
                          (-> response
                              (assoc :status 204)
                              (assoc :body "")
diff --git a/backend/src/app/loggers/audit.clj b/backend/src/app/loggers/audit.clj
index d8c5d33f7..b212b24c4 100644
--- a/backend/src/app/loggers/audit.clj
+++ b/backend/src/app/loggers/audit.clj
@@ -89,19 +89,24 @@
 (s/def ::events (s/every ::event))
 
 (defmethod ig/init-key ::http-handler
-  [_  {:keys [executor] :as cfg}]
-  (fn [{:keys [params profile-id] :as request}]
-    (when (contains? cf/flags :audit-log)
-      (let [events  (->> (:events params)
-                         (remove #(not= profile-id (:profile-id %)))
-                         (us/conform ::events))
-            ip-addr (parse-client-ip request)
-            cfg     (-> cfg
-                        (assoc :source "frontend")
-                        (assoc :events events)
-                        (assoc :ip-addr ip-addr))]
-        (px/run! executor #(persist-http-events cfg))))
-    {:status 204 :body ""}))
+  [_  {:keys [executor pool] :as cfg}]
+  (if (db/read-only? pool)
+    (do
+      (l/warn :hint "audit log http handler disabled, db is read-only")
+      (constantly {:status 204 :body ""}))
+    (fn [{:keys [params profile-id] :as request}]
+      (when (contains? cf/flags :audit-log)
+        (let [events  (->> (:events params)
+                           (remove #(not= profile-id (:profile-id %)))
+                           (us/conform ::events))
+              ip-addr (parse-client-ip request)
+              cfg     (-> cfg
+                          (assoc :source "frontend")
+                          (assoc :events events)
+                          (assoc :ip-addr ip-addr))]
+
+          (px/run! executor #(persist-http-events cfg))))
+      {:status 204 :body ""})))
 
 (defn- persist-http-events
   [{:keys [pool events ip-addr source] :as cfg}]
@@ -148,13 +153,25 @@
    (map clean-props)))
 
 (defmethod ig/init-key ::collector
-  [_ cfg]
-  (when (contains? cf/flags :audit-log)
-    (l/info :msg "initializing audit log collector")
+  [_ {:keys [pool] :as cfg}]
+  (cond
+    (not (contains? cf/flags :audit-log))
+    (do
+      (l/info :hint "audit log collection disabled")
+      (constantly nil))
+
+    (db/read-only? pool)
+    (do
+      (l/warn :hint "audit log collection disabled, db is read-only")
+      (constantly nil))
+
+    :else
     (let [input  (a/chan 512 event-xform)
           buffer (aa/batch input {:max-batch-size 100
                                   :max-batch-age (* 10 1000) ; 10s
                                   :init []})]
+
+      (l/info :hint "audit log collector initialized")
       (a/go-loop []
         (when-let [[_type events] (a/<! buffer)]
           (let [res (a/<! (persist-events cfg events))]
@@ -216,6 +233,7 @@
                       (:enabled props false))
           uri     (or uri (:uri props))
           cfg     (assoc cfg :uri uri)]
+
       (when (and enabled (not uri))
         (ex/raise :type :internal
                   :code :task-not-configured
diff --git a/backend/src/app/loggers/database.clj b/backend/src/app/loggers/database.clj
index aea476bbb..27a4764de 100644
--- a/backend/src/app/loggers/database.clj
+++ b/backend/src/app/loggers/database.clj
@@ -28,9 +28,10 @@
 
 (defn- persist-on-database!
   [{:keys [pool] :as cfg} {:keys [id] :as event}]
-  (db/with-atomic [conn pool]
-    (db/insert! conn :server-error-report
-                {:id id :content (db/tjson event)})))
+  (when-not (db/read-only? pool)
+    (db/with-atomic [conn pool]
+      (db/insert! conn :server-error-report
+                  {:id id :content (db/tjson event)}))))
 
 (defn- parse-event-data
   [event]
diff --git a/backend/src/app/main.clj b/backend/src/app/main.clj
index 27e47fb0e..5b5a2d2f7 100644
--- a/backend/src/app/main.clj
+++ b/backend/src/app/main.clj
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
    {:uri        (cf/get :database-uri)
     :username   (cf/get :database-username)
     :password   (cf/get :database-password)
+    :read-only  (cf/get :database-readonly false)
     :metrics    (ig/ref :app.metrics/metrics)
     :migrations (ig/ref :app.migrations/all)
     :name :main
diff --git a/backend/src/app/setup.clj b/backend/src/app/setup.clj
index 610e9e9ff..b1b5e9313 100644
--- a/backend/src/app/setup.clj
+++ b/backend/src/app/setup.clj
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 (ns app.setup
   "Initial data setup of instance."
   (:require
+   [app.common.logging :as l]
    [app.common.uuid :as uuid]
    [app.db :as db]
    [buddy.core.codecs :as bc]
@@ -14,55 +15,49 @@
    [clojure.spec.alpha :as s]
    [integrant.core :as ig]))
 
-(declare initialize-instance-id!)
-(declare initialize-secret-key!)
-(declare retrieve-all)
+(defn- generate-random-key
+  []
+  (-> (bn/random-bytes 64)
+      (bc/bytes->b64u)
+      (bc/bytes->str)))
+
+(defn- retrieve-all
+  [conn]
+  (->> (db/query conn :server-prop {:preload true})
+       (filter #(not= "secret-key" (:id %)))
+       (map (fn [row]
+              [(keyword (:id row))
+               (db/decode-transit-pgobject (:content row))]))
+       (into {})))
+
+(defn- handle-instance-id
+  [instance-id conn read-only?]
+  (or instance-id
+      (let [instance-id (uuid/random)]
+        (when-not read-only?
+          (try
+            (db/insert! conn :server-prop
+                        {:id "instance-id"
+                         :preload true
+                         :content (db/tjson instance-id)})
+            (catch Throwable cause
+              (l/warn :hint "unable to persist instance-id"
+                      :instance-id instance-id
+                      :cause cause))))
+        instance-id)))
 
 (defmethod ig/pre-init-spec ::props [_]
   (s/keys :req-un [::db/pool]))
 
 (defmethod ig/init-key ::props
-  [_ {:keys [pool] :as cfg}]
+  [_ {:keys [pool key] :as cfg}]
   (db/with-atomic [conn pool]
-    (let [cfg (assoc cfg :conn conn)]
-      (initialize-secret-key! cfg)
-      (initialize-instance-id! cfg)
-      (retrieve-all cfg))))
+    (db/xact-lock! conn 0)
+    (when-not key
+      (l/warn :hint (str "using autogenerated secret-key, it will change on each restart and will invalidate "
+                         "all sessions on each restart, it is hightly recommeded setting up the "
+                         "PENPOT_SECRET_KEY environment variable")))
 
-(def sql:upsert-secret-key
-  "insert into server_prop (id, preload, content)
-   values ('secret-key', true, ?::jsonb)
-   on conflict (id) do update set content = ?::jsonb")
-
-(def sql:insert-secret-key
-  "insert into server_prop (id, preload, content)
-   values ('secret-key', true, ?::jsonb)
-   on conflict (id) do nothing")
-
-(defn- initialize-secret-key!
-  [{:keys [conn key] :as cfg}]
-  (if key
-    (let [key (db/tjson key)]
-      (db/exec-one! conn [sql:upsert-secret-key key key]))
-    (let [key (-> (bn/random-bytes 64)
-                  (bc/bytes->b64u)
-                  (bc/bytes->str))
-          key (db/tjson key)]
-      (db/exec-one! conn [sql:insert-secret-key key]))))
-
-(defn- initialize-instance-id!
-  [{:keys [conn] :as cfg}]
-  (let [iid (uuid/random)]
-
-    (db/insert! conn :server-prop
-                {:id "instance-id"
-                 :preload true
-                 :content (db/tjson iid)}
-                {:on-conflict-do-nothing true})))
-
-(defn- retrieve-all
-  [{:keys [conn] :as cfg}]
-  (reduce (fn [acc row]
-            (assoc acc (keyword (:id row)) (db/decode-transit-pgobject (:content row))))
-          {}
-          (db/query conn :server-prop {:preload true})))
+    (let [stored (-> (retrieve-all conn)
+                     (assoc :secret-key (or key (generate-random-key))))]
+      (update stored :instance-id handle-instance-id conn (db/read-only? pool)))))
diff --git a/backend/src/app/worker.clj b/backend/src/app/worker.clj
index 7d532f5e0..72a1ba16e 100644
--- a/backend/src/app/worker.clj
+++ b/backend/src/app/worker.clj
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@
 ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
 
 (declare event-loop-fn)
+(declare event-loop)
 (declare instrument-tasks)
 
 (s/def ::queue keyword?)
@@ -85,13 +86,10 @@
             :queue :default}
            (d/without-nils cfg)))
 
-(defmethod ig/init-key ::worker
-  [_ {:keys [pool poll-interval name queue] :as cfg}]
-  (l/info :action "start worker"
-          :name (d/name name)
-          :queue (d/name queue))
-  (let [close-ch (a/chan 1)
-        poll-ms  (inst-ms poll-interval)]
+(defn- event-loop
+  "Main, worker eventloop"
+  [{:keys [pool poll-interval close-ch] :as cfg}]
+  (let [poll-ms (inst-ms poll-interval)]
     (a/go-loop []
       (let [[val port] (a/alts! [close-ch (event-loop-fn cfg)] :priority true)]
         (cond
@@ -100,7 +98,7 @@
           (or (= port close-ch) (nil? val))
           (l/debug :hint "stop condition found")
 
-          (db/pool-closed? pool)
+          (db/closed? pool)
           (do
             (l/debug :hint "eventloop aborted because pool is closed")
             (a/close! close-ch))
@@ -132,14 +130,27 @@
           (= ::empty val)
           (do
             (a/<! (a/timeout poll-ms))
-            (recur)))))
+            (recur)))))))
+
+(defmethod ig/init-key ::worker
+  [_ {:keys [pool name queue] :as cfg}]
+  (let [close-ch (a/chan 1)
+        cfg      (assoc cfg :close-ch close-ch)]
+    (if (db/read-only? pool)
+      (l/warn :hint "worker not started, db is read-only"
+              :name (d/name name)
+              :queue (d/name queue))
+      (do
+        (l/info :hint "worker started"
+                :name (d/name name)
+                :queue (d/name queue))
+        (event-loop cfg)))
 
     (reify
       java.lang.AutoCloseable
       (close [_]
         (a/close! close-ch)))))
 
-
 (defmethod ig/halt-key! ::worker
   [_ instance]
   (.close ^java.lang.AutoCloseable instance))
@@ -343,31 +354,35 @@
   (s/keys :req-un [::executor ::db/pool ::schedule ::tasks]))
 
 (defmethod ig/init-key ::scheduler
-  [_ {:keys [schedule tasks] :as cfg}]
-  (let [scheduler (Executors/newScheduledThreadPool (int 1))
-        schedule  (->> schedule
-                       (filter some?)
-                       ;; If id is not defined, use the task as id.
-                       (map (fn [{:keys [id task] :as item}]
-                              (if (some? id)
-                                (assoc item :id (d/name id))
-                                (assoc item :id (d/name task)))))
-                       (map (fn [{:keys [task] :as item}]
-                              (let [f (get tasks task)]
-                                (when-not f
-                                  (ex/raise :type :internal
-                                            :code :task-not-found
-                                            :hint (str/fmt "task %s not configured" task)))
-                                (-> item
-                                    (dissoc :task)
-                                    (assoc :fn f))))))
-        cfg       (assoc cfg
-                         :scheduler scheduler
-                         :schedule schedule)]
+  [_ {:keys [schedule tasks pool] :as cfg}]
+  (let [scheduler (Executors/newScheduledThreadPool (int 1))]
+    (if (db/read-only? pool)
+      (l/warn :hint "scheduler not started, db is read-only")
+      (let [schedule  (->> schedule
+                           (filter some?)
+                           ;; If id is not defined, use the task as id.
+                           (map (fn [{:keys [id task] :as item}]
+                                  (if (some? id)
+                                    (assoc item :id (d/name id))
+                                    (assoc item :id (d/name task)))))
+                           (map (fn [{:keys [task] :as item}]
+                                  (let [f (get tasks task)]
+                                    (when-not f
+                                      (ex/raise :type :internal
+                                                :code :task-not-found
+                                                :hint (str/fmt "task %s not configured" task)))
+                                    (-> item
+                                        (dissoc :task)
+                                        (assoc :fn f))))))
+            cfg       (assoc cfg
+                             :scheduler scheduler
+                             :schedule schedule)]
+        (l/info :hint "scheduler started"
+                :registred-tasks (count schedule))
 
-    (synchronize-schedule cfg)
-    (run! (partial schedule-task cfg)
-          (filter some? schedule))
+        (synchronize-schedule cfg)
+        (run! (partial schedule-task cfg)
+              (filter some? schedule))))
 
     (reify
       java.lang.AutoCloseable