diff --git a/.gitpod.Dockerfile b/.gitpod.Dockerfile
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f8e49f267
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.gitpod.Dockerfile
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+FROM gitpod/workspace-full
+
+# Install custom tools, runtimes, etc.
+# For example "bastet", a command-line tetris clone:
+# RUN brew install bastet
+#
+# More information: https://www.gitpod.io/docs/config-docker/
diff --git a/.gitpod.yml b/.gitpod.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..3a69a10d9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.gitpod.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+image:
+  file: .gitpod.Dockerfile
+
+tasks:
+  - init: make
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 76fd05542..0a3810936 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+[![Gitpod ready-to-code](https://img.shields.io/badge/Gitpod-ready--to--code-blue?logo=gitpod)](https://gitpod.io/#https://github.com/globalsign/mgo)
+
 [![Build Status](https://travis-ci.org/globalsign/mgo.svg?branch=master)](https://travis-ci.org/globalsign/mgo) [![GoDoc](https://godoc.org/github.com/globalsign/mgo?status.svg)](https://godoc.org/github.com/globalsign/mgo)
 
 The MongoDB driver for Go
diff --git a/dbtest/dbserver.go b/dbtest/dbserver.go
index 3840827f9..e7937cab7 100644
--- a/dbtest/dbserver.go
+++ b/dbtest/dbserver.go
@@ -30,6 +30,8 @@ type DBServer struct {
 	dbpath  string
 	host    string
 	tomb    tomb.Tomb
+	// ReplicaSet, if set to true, will initiate a 1-member replica set
+	ReplicaSet bool
 }
 
 // SetPath defines the path to the directory where the database files will be
@@ -55,15 +57,23 @@ func (dbs *DBServer) start() {
 	l.Close()
 	dbs.host = addr.String()
 
+	portString := strconv.Itoa(addr.Port)
 	args := []string{
 		"--dbpath", dbs.dbpath,
-		"--bind_ip", "127.0.0.1",
-		"--port", strconv.Itoa(addr.Port),
+		"--bind_ip", "127.0.0.1,127.0.1.1",
+		"--port", portString,
 		"--nssize", "1",
 		"--noprealloc",
 		"--smallfiles",
-		"--nojournal",
+		"--logpath", dbs.dbpath + "/mongo.log",
 	}
+	if dbs.ReplicaSet == false {
+		args = append(args, "--nojournal")
+	} else {
+		args = append(args, "--replSet", "rs0")
+	}
+
+	fmt.Println("TAHER: Starting mongod with args", args)
 	dbs.tomb = tomb.Tomb{}
 	dbs.server = exec.Command("mongod", args...)
 	dbs.server.Stdout = &dbs.output
@@ -74,6 +84,27 @@ func (dbs *DBServer) start() {
 		fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "mongod failed to start: %v\n", err)
 		panic(err)
 	}
+
+	fmt.Println("Started mongodb...")
+	if dbs.ReplicaSet {
+		retryAttempts := 20
+		for retryAttempts > 0 {
+			retryAttempts--
+			time.Sleep(1 * time.Second)
+			fmt.Printf("Starting rs.initiate, attempt left %d...\n", retryAttempts)
+			out, err := exec.Command("mongo", "127.0.0.1:"+portString, "--eval", "rs.initiate()").CombinedOutput()
+			if err != nil {
+				fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "replicaset initiate failed: %v\n", err)
+				if retryAttempts == 0 {
+					panic(err.Error() + "," + string(out))
+				}
+			} else {
+				retryAttempts = 0
+				fmt.Println("Mongod replset initiated")
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
 	dbs.tomb.Go(dbs.monitor)
 	dbs.Wipe()
 }
@@ -140,7 +171,8 @@ func (dbs *DBServer) Session() *mgo.Session {
 	if dbs.session == nil {
 		mgo.ResetStats()
 		var err error
-		dbs.session, err = mgo.Dial(dbs.host + "/test")
+		d, err := mgo.ParseURL(dbs.host + "/test?connect=replicaSet")
+		dbs.session, err = mgo.DialWithInfo(d)
 		if err != nil {
 			panic(err)
 		}