diff --git a/data/reference/Versions.json b/data/reference/Versions.json
index f3ff339dd..37aab10b6 100644
--- a/data/reference/Versions.json
+++ b/data/reference/Versions.json
@@ -185,6 +185,12 @@
         "end_date": "2026-04-14",
         "description": "Spectra provided by BONES Archive"
     },
+    {
+        "version": "5.4.2026.02",
+        "start_date": "2026-04-14",
+        "end_date": "2026-04-14",
+        "description": "Add database.toml"
+    },
     {
         "version": "latest",
         "start_date": "2026-04-14",
diff --git a/simple/__init__.py b/database.toml
similarity index 54%
rename from simple/__init__.py
rename to database.toml
index 62179e860..09a257b22 100644
--- a/simple/__init__.py
+++ b/database.toml
@@ -1,11 +1,14 @@
+db_name = "simple_tests"
+data_path = "data/"
+felis_path = "schema.yaml"
 
-REFERENCE_TABLES = [
+lookup_tables = [
     "Publications",
     "Telescopes",
     "Instruments",
+    "Parameters",
     "PhotometryFilters",
     "Versions",
-    "Parameters",
     "RegimeList",
-    "CompanionList"
-]
+    "CompanionList",
+]
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/simple/schema.yaml b/schema.yaml
similarity index 100%
rename from simple/schema.yaml
rename to schema.yaml
diff --git a/tests/conftest.py b/tests/conftest.py
index 0dbf0c1e9..34d90e811 100644
--- a/tests/conftest.py
+++ b/tests/conftest.py
@@ -3,34 +3,22 @@
 import sys
 
 import pytest
-from astrodb_utils import load_astrodb
+from astrodb_utils.loaders import build_db_from_json, DatabaseSettings
 from astrodbkit.astrodb import Database, create_database
 
 sys.path.append("./")  # needed for github actions to find the simple module
-from simple import REFERENCE_TABLES
 
 logger = logging.getLogger("AstroDB")
 
-SCHEMA_PATH = "simple/schema.yaml"
-
+db_settings=DatabaseSettings(settings_file="database.toml")
+SCHEMA_PATH = db_settings.felis_path
 
 # Create a fresh SIMPLE database for the data and integrity tests
 @pytest.fixture(scope="session", autouse=True)
 def db():
-    DB_NAME = "tests/simple_tests.sqlite"
-    DB_PATH = "data"
-    
-    if os.path.exists(DB_NAME):
-        os.remove(DB_NAME)
-    connection_string = "sqlite:///" + DB_NAME
-    create_database(connection_string, felis_schema=SCHEMA_PATH)
-    assert os.path.exists(DB_NAME)
-
-    # Connect to the new database
-    db = load_astrodb(DB_NAME,
-                      data_path=DB_PATH,
-                      reference_tables=REFERENCE_TABLES,
-                      felis_schema=SCHEMA_PATH)
+    db = build_db_from_json(
+        settings_file="database.toml"
+    )
 
     return db
 
diff --git a/tests/test_felis.py b/tests/test_felis.py
index 13b2b15ce..d2d62f852 100644
--- a/tests/test_felis.py
+++ b/tests/test_felis.py
@@ -2,11 +2,11 @@
 
 import yaml
 from pydantic import ValidationError
-
+from astrodb_utils.loaders import DatabaseSettings
 from felis.datamodel import Schema
 
-SCHEMA_PATH = "simple/schema.yaml"
-
+db_settings=DatabaseSettings(settings_file="database.toml")
+SCHEMA_PATH = db_settings.felis_path
 
 def test_schema():
     data = yaml.safe_load(open(SCHEMA_PATH, "r"))