diff --git a/server/migrations/emailConsolidation.js b/server/migrations/emailConsolidation.js
index 01af84943a..bbe02a4791 100644
--- a/server/migrations/emailConsolidation.js
+++ b/server/migrations/emailConsolidation.js
@@ -14,10 +14,7 @@ const mongoConnectionString = process.env.MONGO_URL;
 const { ObjectId } = mongoose.Types;
 // Connect to MongoDB
 mongoose.Promise = global.Promise;
-mongoose.connect(mongoConnectionString, {
-  useNewUrlParser: true,
-  useUnifiedTopology: true
-});
+mongoose.connect(mongoConnectionString);
 mongoose.set('strictQuery', true);
 mongoose.connection.on('error', () => {
   console.error(
diff --git a/server/previewServer.js b/server/previewServer.js
index 3c07cd5d51..9e872c2a6d 100644
--- a/server/previewServer.js
+++ b/server/previewServer.js
@@ -22,8 +22,6 @@ const connectToMongoDB = async () => {
     mongoose.set('strictQuery', true);
 
     await mongoose.connect(mongoConnectionString, {
-      useNewUrlParser: true,
-      useUnifiedTopology: true,
       serverSelectionTimeoutMS: 30000, // 30 seconds timeout
       socketTimeoutMS: 45000 // 45 seconds timeout
     });
diff --git a/server/scripts/examples-gg-latest.js b/server/scripts/examples-gg-latest.js
index f6ed2d4e7e..79ed2dcdca 100644
--- a/server/scripts/examples-gg-latest.js
+++ b/server/scripts/examples-gg-latest.js
@@ -59,10 +59,7 @@ const headers = { 'User-Agent': 'p5js-web-editor/0.0.1' };
 
 const mongoConnectionString = process.env.MONGO_URL;
 
-mongoose.connect(mongoConnectionString, {
-  useNewUrlParser: true,
-  useUnifiedTopology: true
-});
+mongoose.connect(mongoConnectionString);
 mongoose.set('strictQuery', true);
 mongoose.connection.on('error', () => {
   console.error(
diff --git a/server/scripts/examples.js b/server/scripts/examples.js
index 39e974a873..b058e6b016 100644
--- a/server/scripts/examples.js
+++ b/server/scripts/examples.js
@@ -14,10 +14,7 @@ const headers = { 'User-Agent': 'p5js-web-editor/0.0.1' };
 
 const mongoConnectionString = process.env.MONGO_URL;
 
-mongoose.connect(mongoConnectionString, {
-  useNewUrlParser: true,
-  useUnifiedTopology: true
-});
+mongoose.connect(mongoConnectionString);
 mongoose.set('strictQuery', true);
 mongoose.connection.on('error', () => {
   console.error(
diff --git a/server/server.js b/server/server.js
index 8b4d196451..afb9530cfa 100644
--- a/server/server.js
+++ b/server/server.js
@@ -76,14 +76,19 @@ app.use(cookieParser());
 
 mongoose.set('strictQuery', true);
 
-const clientPromise = mongoose
-  .connect(mongoConnectionString, {
-    useNewUrlParser: true,
-    useUnifiedTopology: true,
-    serverSelectionTimeoutMS: 30000, // 30 seconds timeout
-    socketTimeoutMS: 45000 // 45 seconds timeout
-  })
-  .then((m) => m.connection.getClient());
+async function connectToMongoDB() {
+  try {
+    const mongooseConnection = await mongoose.connect(mongoConnectionString, {
+      serverSelectionTimeoutMS: 30000, // 30 seconds timeout
+      socketTimeoutMS: 45000 // 45 seconds timeout
+    });
+    return mongooseConnection.connection.getClient();
+  } catch (err) {
+    throw new Error('MongoDB connection failed', err);
+  }
+}
+
+const clientInstancePromise = connectToMongoDB();
 
 app.use(
   session({
@@ -97,8 +102,7 @@ app.use(
       secure: false
     },
     store: new MongoStore({
-      clientPromise,
-      autoReconnect: true
+      clientPromise: clientInstancePromise
     })
   })
 );