diff --git a/Changes.md b/Changes.md
index e45d481..c994c6e 100644
--- a/Changes.md
+++ b/Changes.md
@@ -1,4 +1,8 @@
 
+### 1.0.11 - 2019-04-11
+
+- create custom connection only after: all 3 conditions match
+
 ### 1.0.10 - 2019-04-09
 
 - merge ALL of [opts] into [server] config (fixes #18)
diff --git a/index.js b/index.js
index f2e8b72..c8f180c 100644
--- a/index.js
+++ b/index.js
@@ -88,17 +88,17 @@ exports.init_redis_plugin = function (next, server) {
     if (!server) server = { notes: {} };
 
     const pidb = plugin.cfg.redis.db;
-    if (pidb !== undefined && pidb !== plugin.redisCfg.db) {
-        plugin.db = plugin.get_redis_client(plugin.cfg.redis, nextOnce);
-        return;
+    if (server.notes.redis) {    // server-wide redis is available
+        // and the DB not specified or is the same as server-wide
+        if (pidb === undefined || pidb === plugin.redisCfg.db) {
+            server.loginfo(plugin, 'using server.notes.redis');
+            plugin.db = server.notes.redis;
+            nextOnce();
+            return;
+        }
     }
 
-    // use server-wide redis connection when DB not specified
-    if (server.notes.redis) {
-        server.loginfo(plugin, 'using server.notes.redis');
-        plugin.db = server.notes.redis;
-        nextOnce();
-    }
+    plugin.db = plugin.get_redis_client(plugin.cfg.redis, nextOnce);
 }
 
 exports.shutdown = function () {
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 3d2960e..39cceaf 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "haraka-plugin-redis",
-  "version": "1.0.10",
+  "version": "1.0.11",
   "description": "Redis plugin for Haraka & other plugins to inherit from",
   "main": "index.js",
   "directories": {
diff --git a/test/redis.js b/test/redis.js
index 1f32d1b..0875e74 100644
--- a/test/redis.js
+++ b/test/redis.js
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ function retry (options) {
     return undefined;
 }
 
-exports.redis = {
+exports.config = {
     setUp : _set_up_redis,
     'loads' : function (test) {
         test.expect(1);
@@ -70,6 +70,15 @@ exports.redis = {
         });
         test.done();
     },
+}
+
+exports.connects = {
+    setUp : _set_up_redis,
+    'loads' : function (test) {
+        test.expect(1);
+        test.equal(this.plugin.name, 'index');
+        test.done();
+    },
     'connects' : function (test) {
         test.expect(1);
         const redis = this.plugin.get_redis_client({