diff --git a/cmd/server/flags.go b/cmd/server/flags.go
index d90f14f67..d3356ac73 100644
--- a/cmd/server/flags.go
+++ b/cmd/server/flags.go
@@ -219,7 +219,7 @@ var flags = append([]cli.Flag{
 		EnvVars:  []string{"WOODPECKER_DATABASE_DATASOURCE"},
 		Name:     "datasource",
 		Usage:    "database driver configuration string",
-		Value:    "woodpecker.sqlite",
+		Value:    datasourceDefaultValue(),
 		FilePath: os.Getenv("WOODPECKER_DATABASE_DATASOURCE_FILE"),
 	},
 	&cli.StringFlag{
@@ -510,3 +510,13 @@ var flags = append([]cli.Flag{
 		Usage:   "Flag to decrypt all encrypted data and disable encryption on server",
 	},
 }, logger.GlobalLoggerFlags...)
+
+// If woodpecker is running inside a container the default value for
+// the datasource is different from running outside a container.
+func datasourceDefaultValue() string {
+	_, found := os.LookupEnv("WOODPECKER_IN_CONTAINER")
+	if found {
+		return "/var/lib/woodpecker/woodpecker.sqlite"
+	}
+	return "woodpecker.sqlite"
+}
diff --git a/docker/Dockerfile.server.alpine.multiarch b/docker/Dockerfile.server.alpine.multiarch
index c2513ab35..2454b557d 100644
--- a/docker/Dockerfile.server.alpine.multiarch
+++ b/docker/Dockerfile.server.alpine.multiarch
@@ -6,8 +6,8 @@ ENV CA_CERTIFICATES_VERSION="20230506-r0"
 ARG TARGETOS TARGETARCH
 RUN apk add -U --no-cache ca-certificates=${CA_CERTIFICATES_VERSION}
 ENV GODEBUG=netdns=go
-ENV WOODPECKER_DATABASE_DATASOURCE=/var/lib/woodpecker/woodpecker.sqlite
-ENV WOODPECKER_DATABASE_DRIVER=sqlite3
+# Internal setting do NOT change! Signals that woodpecker is running inside a container
+ENV WOODPECKER_IN_CONTAINER=true
 ENV XDG_CACHE_HOME=/var/lib/woodpecker
 ENV XDG_DATA_HOME=/var/lib/woodpecker
 EXPOSE 8000 9000 80 443
diff --git a/docker/Dockerfile.server.multiarch b/docker/Dockerfile.server.multiarch
index 28afba519..3bf86a3be 100644
--- a/docker/Dockerfile.server.multiarch
+++ b/docker/Dockerfile.server.multiarch
@@ -3,8 +3,8 @@ FROM --platform=$BUILDPLATFORM docker.io/golang:1.22 AS certs
 FROM scratch
 ARG TARGETOS TARGETARCH
 ENV GODEBUG=netdns=go
-ENV WOODPECKER_DATABASE_DATASOURCE=/var/lib/woodpecker/woodpecker.sqlite
-ENV WOODPECKER_DATABASE_DRIVER=sqlite3
+# Internal setting do NOT change! Signals that woodpecker is running inside a container
+ENV WOODPECKER_IN_CONTAINER=true
 ENV XDG_CACHE_HOME=/var/lib/woodpecker
 ENV XDG_DATA_HOME=/var/lib/woodpecker
 EXPOSE 8000 9000 80 443
diff --git a/docs/docs/30-administration/10-server-config.md b/docs/docs/30-administration/10-server-config.md
index 7d38c75a2..f9cf1fe94 100644
--- a/docs/docs/30-administration/10-server-config.md
+++ b/docs/docs/30-administration/10-server-config.md
@@ -419,7 +419,7 @@ The database driver name. Possible values are `sqlite3`, `mysql` or `postgres`.
 
 ### `WOODPECKER_DATABASE_DATASOURCE`
 
-> Default: `woodpecker.sqlite`
+> Default: `woodpecker.sqlite` if not running inside a container, `/var/lib/woodpecker/woodpecker.sqlite` if running inside a container
 
 The database connection string. The default value is the path of the embedded SQLite database file.