diff --git a/charts/nebulous-gui-controller/Chart.yaml b/charts/nebulous-gui-controller/Chart.yaml
index f834f0b..5510512 100644
--- a/charts/nebulous-gui-controller/Chart.yaml
+++ b/charts/nebulous-gui-controller/Chart.yaml
@@ -22,8 +22,3 @@ version: 0.1.0
 # follow Semantic Versioning. They should reflect the version the application is using.
 # It is recommended to use it with quotes.
 appVersion: "latest"
-
-dependencies:
-  - name: mongodb
-    version: 14.12.1
-    repository: "https://charts.bitnami.com/bitnami"
diff --git a/charts/nebulous-gui-controller/templates/_helpers.tpl b/charts/nebulous-gui-controller/templates/_helpers.tpl
index eda9029..e033f9f 100644
--- a/charts/nebulous-gui-controller/templates/_helpers.tpl
+++ b/charts/nebulous-gui-controller/templates/_helpers.tpl
@@ -42,6 +42,15 @@ app.kubernetes.io/version: {{ .Chart.AppVersion | quote }}
 app.kubernetes.io/managed-by: {{ .Release.Service }}
 {{- end }}
 
+{{- define "nebulous-gui-controller.mongodb.labels" -}}
+helm.sh/chart: {{ include "nebulous-gui-controller.chart" . }}
+{{ include "nebulous-gui-controller.mongodb.selectorLabels" . }}
+{{- if .Chart.AppVersion }}
+app.kubernetes.io/version: {{ .Chart.AppVersion | quote }}
+{{- end }}
+app.kubernetes.io/managed-by: {{ .Release.Service }}
+{{- end }}
+
 {{/*
 Selector labels
 */}}
@@ -50,6 +59,11 @@ app.kubernetes.io/name: {{ include "nebulous-gui-controller.name" . }}
 app.kubernetes.io/instance: {{ .Release.Name }}
 {{- end }}
 
+{{- define "nebulous-gui-controller.mongodb.selectorLabels" -}}
+app.kubernetes.io/name: {{ include "nebulous-gui-controller.name" . }}-mongodb
+app.kubernetes.io/instance: {{ .Release.Name }}
+{{- end }}
+
 {{/*
 Create the name of the service account to use
 */}}
diff --git a/charts/nebulous-gui-controller/templates/mongodb.yaml b/charts/nebulous-gui-controller/templates/mongodb.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ad90cb3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/charts/nebulous-gui-controller/templates/mongodb.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+{{ if .Values.mongodb.enabled }}
+apiVersion: apps/v1
+kind: Deployment
+metadata:
+  name: {{ include "nebulous-gui-controller.fullname" . }}-mongodb
+  labels:
+    {{- include "nebulous-gui-controller.mongodb.labels" . | nindent 4 }}
+spec:
+  selector:
+    matchLabels:
+      {{- include "nebulous-gui-controller.mongodb.selectorLabels" . | nindent 6 }}
+  template:
+    metadata:
+      labels:
+        {{- include "nebulous-gui-controller.mongodb.selectorLabels" . | nindent 8 }}
+    spec:
+      containers:
+        - name: mongodb
+          image: "docker.io/mongodb/mongodb-community-server:7.0.7-ubuntu2204"
+          ports:
+            - name: mongodb
+              containerPort: 27017
+              protocol: TCP
+          env:
+            - name: MONGO_INITDB_ROOT_USERNAME
+              value: username
+            - name: MONGO_INITDB_ROOT_PASSWORD
+              value: password
+---
+apiVersion: v1
+kind: Service
+metadata:
+  name: {{ include "nebulous-gui-controller.fullname" . }}-mongodb
+  labels:
+    {{- include "nebulous-gui-controller.mongodb.labels" . | nindent 4 }}
+spec:
+  type: ClusterIP
+  ports:
+    - port: 27017
+      targetPort: mongodb
+      protocol: TCP
+      name: mongodb
+  selector:
+    {{- include "nebulous-gui-controller.mongodb.selectorLabels" . | nindent 4 }}
+{{ end }}
diff --git a/charts/nebulous-gui-controller/values.yaml b/charts/nebulous-gui-controller/values.yaml
index 6181ed6..960176b 100644
--- a/charts/nebulous-gui-controller/values.yaml
+++ b/charts/nebulous-gui-controller/values.yaml
@@ -82,12 +82,9 @@ tolerations: []
 affinity: {}
 
 mongodb:
-  auth:
-    rootPassword: "nebulous-gui"
-    username: "admin"
-    password: "nebulous-gui"
-    database: "gui-controller"
-  
+  # this enables the built-in mongodb deployment - not recommended for production
+  enabled: true
+
 env:
   - name: ACTIVEMQ_HOST
     value: "nebulous-activemq"
@@ -98,10 +95,9 @@ env:
   - name: ACTIVEMQ_PASSWORD
     value: "nebulous"
   - name: APOS_MONGODB_URI
-    value: "mongodb://admin:nebulous-gui@nebulous-gui-controller-mongodb:27017/admin"
+    value: "mongodb://username:password@nebulous-gui-controller-mongodb:27017/admin"
 
 apostropheCMS:
   user:
     name: admin
     password: admin
-