diff --git a/src/main/resources/archetype-resources/pom.xml b/src/main/resources/archetype-resources/pom.xml
index 4a79ce1..0e2d8d5 100644
--- a/src/main/resources/archetype-resources/pom.xml
+++ b/src/main/resources/archetype-resources/pom.xml
@@ -494,7 +494,8 @@
                  </plugins>
               </build>
             <properties>
-                <turbine_database_url>${turbine_database_url}</turbine_database_url>
+                <!-- hard code docker compose service id and port by default -->
+                <turbine_database_url>jdbc:mysql://db:3306/</turbine_database_url>
                 <!-- read from #var("settings.localRepository") to provide e.g. local snapshot builds -->
                 <app_volume_local_repo>${settings.localRepository}</app_volume_local_repo>
                 <docker>true</docker>