diff --git a/cmd/influx_stress/influx_stress.go b/cmd/influx_stress/influx_stress.go
index f0b9cccbdf..b9b39d28f0 100644
--- a/cmd/influx_stress/influx_stress.go
+++ b/cmd/influx_stress/influx_stress.go
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import (
 var (
 	config     = flag.String("config", "", "The stress test file")
 	cpuprofile = flag.String("cpuprofile", "", "Write the cpu profile to `filename`")
+	db         = flag.String("db", "", "name of the database where the stress test will take place")
 )
 
 func main() {
@@ -34,6 +35,12 @@ func main() {
 		return
 	}
 
+	if *db != "" {
+		c.Provision.Basic.Database = *db
+		c.Write.InfluxClients.Basic.Database = *db
+		c.Read.QueryClients.Basic.Database = *db
+	}
+
 	w := stress.NewWriter(&c.Write.PointGenerators.Basic, &c.Write.InfluxClients.Basic)
 	r := stress.NewQuerier(&c.Read.QueryGenerators.Basic, &c.Read.QueryClients.Basic)
 	s := stress.NewStressTest(&c.Provision.Basic, w, r)
diff --git a/stress/config.go b/stress/config.go
index e8702d45c0..6749986b6a 100644
--- a/stress/config.go
+++ b/stress/config.go
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ func NewOutputConfig() *outputConfig {
 	var o outputConfig
 	tags := make(map[string]string)
 	o.tags = tags
-	database := flag.String("database", "stress", "name of database")
+	database := flag.String("database", "stress", "name of database where the response times will persist")
 	address := flag.String("addr", "http://localhost:8086", "IP address and port of database where response times will persist (e.g., localhost:8086)")
 	flag.Var(&o, "tags", "A comma seperated list of tags")
 	flag.Parse()