diff --git a/changelog/items/key-updates/mongo-service.md b/changelog/items/key-updates/mongo-service.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3ef3b13f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog/items/key-updates/mongo-service.md
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+- Move MongoDB to a separate service (use `PORTAL_MODULES=m` to use it without accounts)
diff --git a/dc b/dc
index e703c4d3..60418cb8 100755
--- a/dc
+++ b/dc
@@ -10,13 +10,18 @@ COMPOSE_FILES="-f docker-compose.yml"
 for i in $(seq 1 ${#PORTAL_MODULES}); do
   # accounts module - alias "a"
   if [[ ${PORTAL_MODULES:i-1:1} == "a" ]]; then
-    COMPOSE_FILES+=" -f docker-compose.accounts.yml"
+    COMPOSE_FILES+=" -f docker-compose.mongodb.yml -f docker-compose.accounts.yml"
   fi
 
   # jaeger module - alias "j"
   if [[ ${PORTAL_MODULES:i-1:1} == "j" ]]; then
     COMPOSE_FILES+=" -f docker-compose.jaeger.yml"
   fi
+
+  # mongodb module - alias "m". implied by "a"
+  if [[ ${PORTAL_MODULES:i-1:1} == "m" ]]; then
+    COMPOSE_FILES+=" -f docker-compose.mongodb.yml"
+  fi
 done
 
 # override file if exists
diff --git a/docker-compose.accounts.yml b/docker-compose.accounts.yml
index d0e1cc29..0ce21695 100644
--- a/docker-compose.accounts.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.accounts.yml
@@ -50,21 +50,6 @@ services:
       - mongo
       - oathkeeper
 
-  mongo:
-    image: mongo:4.4.1
-    command: --keyFile=/data/mgkey --replSet=skynet
-    container_name: mongo
-    restart: unless-stopped
-    logging: *default-logging
-    volumes:
-      - ./docker/data/mongo/db:/data/db
-      - ./docker/data/mongo/mgkey:/data/mgkey:rw
-    networks:
-      shared:
-        ipv4_address: 10.10.10.71
-    ports:
-      - "27017:27017"
-
   kratos-migrate:
     image: oryd/kratos:v0.5.5-alpha.1
     container_name: kratos-migrate
diff --git a/docker-compose.mongodb.yml b/docker-compose.mongodb.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ebc085ab
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docker-compose.mongodb.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+version: "3.7"
+
+x-logging: &default-logging
+  driver: json-file
+  options:
+    max-size: "10m"
+    max-file: "3"
+
+services:
+  mongo:
+    image: mongo:4.4.1
+    command: --keyFile=/data/mgkey --replSet=skynet
+    container_name: mongo
+    restart: unless-stopped
+    logging: *default-logging
+    volumes:
+      - ./docker/data/mongo/db:/data/db
+      - ./docker/data/mongo/mgkey:/data/mgkey:rw
+    networks:
+      shared:
+        ipv4_address: 10.10.10.71
+    ports:
+      - "${SKYNET_DB_PORT}:27017"