diff --git a/77-cloudant-cf.js b/77-cloudant-cf.js
index ff1d580..c22fb13 100644
--- a/77-cloudant-cf.js
+++ b/77-cloudant-cf.js
@@ -81,6 +81,7 @@ module.exports = function(RED) {
         this.operation      = n.operation;
         this.payonly        = n.payonly || false;
         this.database       = _cleanDatabaseName(n.database, this);
+        console.log("CloudantOutNode this.database = " + this.database);
         this.cloudantConfig = _getCloudantConfig(n);
 
         var node = this;
@@ -226,12 +227,14 @@ module.exports = function(RED) {
 
         this.cloudantConfig = _getCloudantConfig(n);
         this.database       = _cleanDatabaseName(n.database, this);
+        console.log("CloudantInNode this.database = " + this.database);
         this.search         = n.search;
         this.design         = n.design;
         this.index          = n.index;
         this.inputId        = "";
 
         var node = this;
+        node.log("cloudantConfig: " + JSON.stringify(node.cloudantConfig));
         var credentials = {
             account:  node.cloudantConfig.account,
             key:      node.cloudantConfig.username,
@@ -240,36 +243,47 @@ module.exports = function(RED) {
         };
 
         Cloudant(credentials, function(err, cloudant) {
-            if (err) { node.error(err.description, err); }
+            if (err) {
+                node.DBError = err;
+                node.error(err.description, err);
+            }
             else {
-                node.on("input", function(msg) {
-                    var db = cloudant.use(node.database);
-                    var options = (typeof msg.payload === "object") ? msg.payload : {};
+                node.cloudant = cloudant;
+            }
+        });
+        node.on("input", function(msg) {
+            if (!node.cloudant){
+                msg.payload = node.DBError;
+                node.error(node.DBError, msg);
+                return;
+            }
+            //var db = node.cloudant.use(node.database);
+            var dbName = msg.payload.dbName || node.database;
+            var db = node.cloudant.use(dbName);
+            var options = (typeof msg.payload === "object") ? msg.payload : {};
 
-                    if (node.search === "_id_") {
-                        var id = getDocumentId(msg.payload);
-                        node.inputId = id;
+            if (node.search === "_id_") {
+                var id = getDocumentId(msg.payload);
+                node.inputId = id;
 
-                        db.get(id, function(err, body) {
-                            sendDocumentOnPayload(err, body, msg);
-                        });
-                    }
-                    else if (node.search === "_idx_") {
-                        options.query = options.query || options.q || formatSearchQuery(msg.payload);
-                        options.include_docs = options.include_docs || true;
-                        options.limit = options.limit || 200;
+                db.get(id, function(err, body) {
+                    sendDocumentOnPayload(err, body, msg);
+                });
+            }
+            else if (node.search === "_idx_") {
+                options.query = options.query || options.q || formatSearchQuery(msg.payload);
+                options.include_docs = options.include_docs || true;
+                options.limit = options.limit || 200;
 
-                        db.search(node.design, node.index, options, function(err, body) {
-                            sendDocumentOnPayload(err, body, msg);
-                        });
-                    }
-                    else if (node.search === "_all_") {
-                        options.include_docs = options.include_docs || true;
+                db.search(node.design, node.index, options, function(err, body) {
+                    sendDocumentOnPayload(err, body, msg);
+                });
+            }
+            else if (node.search === "_all_") {
+                options.include_docs = options.include_docs || true;
 
-                        db.list(options, function(err, body) {
-                            sendDocumentOnPayload(err, body, msg);
-                        });
-                    }
+                db.list(options, function(err, body) {
+                    sendDocumentOnPayload(err, body, msg);
                 });
             }
         });
@@ -340,9 +354,11 @@ module.exports = function(RED) {
     // password for the Cloudant service at the top-level of the object
     function _getCloudantConfig(n) {
         if (n.service === "_ext_") {
+            console.log("get _ext_ configuration of " + n.cloudant);
             return RED.nodes.getNode(n.cloudant);
 
         } else if (n.service !== "") {
+            console.log("get cloud configuration of " + n.cloudant);
             var service        = appEnv.getService(n.service);
             var cloudantConfig = { };