diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index d1c331d..7d93507 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -126,12 +126,3 @@ Available at `http://localhost:9000/metrics`:
 - `msg_retry_total{queue_name, uuid, retry_count}`: Retry attempts
 - `msg_failed_total`: Failed deliveries
 - `queue_depth{queue_name}`: Current queue message counts
-
-## Troubleshooting
-
-### Connection Issues
-- `aiomysql` uses `PyMySQL` which requires the `mysql_native_password` plugin to be used. Can be checked and changed via:
-```sql
-SELECT user, host, plugin FROM mysql.user WHERE user='backend-push-notifications';
-ALTER USER 'backend-push-notifications'@'%' IDENTIFIED WITH mysql_native_password BY 'db_password';
-```
diff --git a/src/db.py b/src/db.py
index e003dce..89d92a0 100644
--- a/src/db.py
+++ b/src/db.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import asyncio
 import os
 from contextlib import asynccontextmanager
+import ssl
 
 import aiomysql
 import pymysql.err
@@ -8,13 +9,18 @@ import pymysql.err
 from secret_manager import get_secret
 from simple_logger_handler import setup_logger
 
-db_username = get_secret(os.getenv("DB_USERNAME",""),"/etc/secrets/db_username")
-db_password = get_secret(os.getenv("DB_PASSWORD",""),"/etc/secrets/db_password")
+db_username = get_secret("DB_USERNAME","/etc/secrets/db_username")
+db_password = get_secret("DB_PASSWORD","/etc/secrets/db_password")
 db_host = os.getenv("DB_HOST","localhost")
 db_database = os.getenv("DB_DATABASE","app")
 
 logger = setup_logger(__name__)
 
+#mysql_native is deprecated, caching_sha2_password needs a encrypted connection on first login to work
+#aiomysql does not create that by default but mysql-connector-python does, so this is the workaround
+_ssl_ctx = ssl.create_default_context()
+_ssl_ctx.check_hostname = False
+_ssl_ctx.verify_mode = ssl.CERT_NONE
 
 class DBManager:
 	def __init__(self, host, user, password, db, port=3306, pool_size=5, health_interval=60):
@@ -40,7 +46,8 @@ class DBManager:
 			minsize=1,
 			maxsize=self.pool_size,
 			autocommit=True,
-			cursorclass=aiomysql.DictCursor
+			cursorclass=aiomysql.DictCursor,
+			ssl=_ssl_ctx,
 		)
 		logger.info("[DB] Connection pool created")
 		logger.debug(f"[DB] Pool object: {self._pool}")