diff --git a/core/config.py b/core/config.py
index 2b96157..e05323b 100644
--- a/core/config.py
+++ b/core/config.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import logging
 import os
-from typing import Any
+import ssl
+from typing import Any, Union
 
 from typing_extensions import Optional
 
@@ -222,7 +223,7 @@ class DatabaseConfig:
         )
     
     @property
-    def ssl_verify_cert(self) -> Optional[bool]:
+    def ssl_verify_cert(self) -> Optional[Union[str, bool]]:
         return CoreConfig.get_config_field(
             self.__config, "core", "database", "ssl_verify_cert", default=None
         )
@@ -259,6 +260,53 @@ class DatabaseConfig:
             self.__config, "core", "database", "memcached_host", default="localhost"
         )
 
+    def create_ssl_context_if_enabled(self):
+        if not self.ssl_enabled:
+            return
+
+        no_ca = (
+            self.ssl_cafile is None
+            and self.ssl_capath is None
+        )
+
+        ctx = ssl.create_default_context(
+            cafile=self.ssl_cafile,
+            capath=self.ssl_capath,
+        )
+        ctx.check_hostname = not no_ca and self.ssl_verify_identity
+
+        if self.ssl_verify_cert is None:
+            ctx.verify_mode = ssl.CERT_NONE if no_ca else ssl.CERT_REQUIRED
+        elif isinstance(self.ssl_verify_cert, bool):
+            ctx.verify_mode = (
+                ssl.CERT_REQUIRED
+                if self.ssl_verify_cert
+                else ssl.CERT_NONE
+            )
+        elif isinstance(self.ssl_verify_cert, str):
+            value = self.ssl_verify_cert.lower()
+
+            if value in ("none", "0", "false", "no"):
+                ctx.verify_mode = ssl.CERT_NONE
+            elif value == "optional":
+                ctx.verify_mode = ssl.CERT_OPTIONAL
+            elif value in ("required", "1", "true", "yes"):
+                ctx.verify_mode = ssl.CERT_REQUIRED
+            else:
+                ctx.verify_mode = ssl.CERT_NONE if no_ca else ssl.CERT_REQUIRED
+        
+        if self.ssl_cert:
+            ctx.load_cert_chain(
+                self.ssl_cert,
+                self.ssl_key,
+                self.ssl_key_password,
+            )
+        
+        if self.ssl_ciphers:
+            ctx.set_ciphers(self.ssl_ciphers)
+        
+        return ctx
+
 class FrontendConfig:
     def __init__(self, parent_config: "CoreConfig") -> None:
         self.__config = parent_config
diff --git a/core/data/alembic/env.py b/core/data/alembic/env.py
index f2a8182..b175ee6 100644
--- a/core/data/alembic/env.py
+++ b/core/data/alembic/env.py
@@ -1,14 +1,18 @@
 from __future__ import with_statement
 
 import asyncio
+import os
+from pathlib import Path
 import threading
 from logging.config import fileConfig
 
+import yaml
 from alembic import context
 from sqlalchemy import pool
 from sqlalchemy.engine import Connection
 from sqlalchemy.ext.asyncio import async_engine_from_config
 
+from core.config import CoreConfig
 from core.data.schema.base import metadata
 
 # this is the Alembic Config object, which provides
@@ -74,8 +78,18 @@ async def run_async_migrations() -> None:
     for override in overrides:
         ini_section[override] = overrides[override]
 
+    core_config = CoreConfig()
+    
+    with (Path("../../..") / os.environ["ARTEMIS_CFG_DIR"] / "core.yaml").open(encoding="utf-8") as f:
+        core_config.update(yaml.safe_load(f))
+
     connectable = async_engine_from_config(
-        ini_section, prefix="sqlalchemy.", poolclass=pool.NullPool
+        ini_section,
+        poolclass=pool.NullPool,
+        connect_args={
+            "charset": "utf8mb4",
+            "ssl": core_config.database.create_ssl_context_if_enabled(),
+        }
     )
 
     async with connectable.connect() as connection:
diff --git a/core/data/database.py b/core/data/database.py
index b36d65f..170665e 100644
--- a/core/data/database.py
+++ b/core/data/database.py
@@ -41,48 +41,14 @@ class Data:
             self.__url = f"{self.config.database.protocol}+aiomysql://{self.config.database.username}:{self.config.database.password}@{self.config.database.host}:{self.config.database.port}/{self.config.database.name}"
 
         if Data.engine is MISSING:
-            connect_args: dict[str, Any] = {
-                "charset": "utf8mb4",
-            }
-
-            if self.config.database.ssl_enabled:
-                no_ca = (
-                    self.config.database.ssl_cafile is None
-                    and self.config.database.ssl_capath is None
-                )
-
-                ctx = ssl.create_default_context(
-                    cafile=self.config.database.ssl_cafile,
-                    capath=self.config.database.ssl_capath,
-                )
-                ctx.check_hostname = self.config.database.ssl_verify_identity
-
-                if self.config.database.ssl_verify_cert is None:
-                    ctx.verify_mode = ssl.CERT_NONE if no_ca else ssl.CERT_REQUIRED
-                else:
-                    ctx.verify_mode = (
-                        ssl.CERT_REQUIRED
-                        if self.config.database.ssl_verify_cert
-                        else ssl.CERT_NONE
-                    )
-                
-                if self.config.database.ssl_cert:
-                    ctx.load_cert_chain(
-                        self.config.database.ssl_cert,
-                        self.config.database.ssl_key,
-                        self.config.database.ssl_key_password,
-                    )
-                
-                if self.config.database.ssl_ciphers:
-                    ctx.set_ciphers(self.config.database.ssl_ciphers)
-
-                connect_args["ssl"] = ctx
-
             Data.engine = create_async_engine(
                 self.__url,
                 pool_recycle=3600,
                 isolation_level="AUTOCOMMIT",
-                connect_args=connect_args,
+                connect_args={
+                    "charset": "utf8mb4",
+                    "ssl": self.config.database.create_ssl_context_if_enabled(),
+                },
             )
             self.__engine = Data.engine