diff --git a/examples/cluster/Makefile b/examples/cluster/Makefile
index 2c23b6907c2..ec01ebaa58e 100644
--- a/examples/cluster/Makefile
+++ b/examples/cluster/Makefile
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ mspmap.cli        := $(USERS_PATH)/Admin@org1.net
 
 RELEASE ?= latest
 CA_RELEASE ?= $(RELEASE)
+COUCH_RELEASE ?= $(RELEASE)
 FABRIC_RELEASE ?= $(RELEASE)
 DOCKER_NS ?= hyperledger
 TLS ?= true
@@ -116,6 +117,7 @@ build/docker-compose.yaml: compose/docker-compose.yaml.in
 		| sed -e 's/_TLS_ENABLED_/${TLS}/g' \
 		| sed -e 's/_DOCKER_NS_/${DOCKER_NS}/g' \
 		| sed -e 's/_CA_RELEASE_/${CA_RELEASE}/g' \
+		| sed -e 's/_COUCH_RELEASE_/${COUCH_RELEASE}/g' \
 		| sed -e 's/_FABRIC_RELEASE_/${FABRIC_RELEASE}/g' \
 		> $@
 
diff --git a/examples/cluster/compose/docker-compose.yaml.in b/examples/cluster/compose/docker-compose.yaml.in
index e81e2e44ac4..31d46a78ab9 100644
--- a/examples/cluster/compose/docker-compose.yaml.in
+++ b/examples/cluster/compose/docker-compose.yaml.in
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
 #
 
-version: '2'
+version: '2.1'
 
 services:
 
@@ -45,9 +45,21 @@ services:
     depends_on:
       - ca
 
+  couchdb-base:
+    image: _DOCKER_NS_/fabric-couchdb:_COUCH_RELEASE_
+    logging:
+      <<: *logging
+    healthcheck:
+      test: ["CMD", "curl", "-f", "http://localhost:5984"]
+      interval: 10s
+      timeout: 10s
+      retries: 10
+
   peer-base:
     image: _DOCKER_NS_/fabric-peer:_FABRIC_RELEASE_
     dns_search: .
+    logging:
+      <<: *logging
     environment:
       - CORE_PEER_TLS_ENABLED=_TLS_ENABLED_
       - CORE_LOGGING_LEVEL=WARNING
@@ -57,6 +69,11 @@ services:
       - /var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock
     command: peer node start
 
+  couchdb1:
+    container_name: couchdb1
+    extends:
+      service: couchdb-base
+
   peer1:
     container_name: peer1
     extends:
@@ -66,12 +83,19 @@ services:
       - CORE_PEER_ADDRESS=peer1:7051
       - CORE_PEER_GOSSIP_ENDPOINT=peer1:7051
       - CORE_PEER_GOSSIP_EXTERNALENDPOINT=peer1.org1.net:7051
-    logging:
-      <<: *logging
+      - CORE_LEDGER_STATE_COUCHDBCONFIG_COUCHDBADDRESS=couchdb1:5984
     volumes:
         - ./nodes/peer1:/etc/hyperledger/fabric
     depends_on:
-      - orderer
+      orderer:
+          condition: service_started
+      couchdb1:
+          condition: service_healthy
+
+  couchdb2:
+    container_name: couchdb2
+    extends:
+      service: couchdb-base
 
   peer2:
     container_name: peer2
@@ -82,13 +106,21 @@ services:
       - CORE_PEER_ADDRESS=peer2:7051
       - CORE_PEER_GOSSIP_ENDPOINT=peer2:7051
       - CORE_PEER_GOSSIP_EXTERNALENDPOINT=peer2.org1.net:7051
-    logging:
-      <<: *logging
+      - CORE_LEDGER_STATE_COUCHDBCONFIG_COUCHDBADDRESS=couchdb2:5984
     volumes:
         - ./nodes/peer2:/etc/hyperledger/fabric
     depends_on:
-      - orderer
-      - peer1
+      orderer:
+        condition: service_started
+      peer1:
+        condition: service_started
+      couchdb2:
+        condition: service_healthy
+
+  couchdb3:
+    container_name: couchdb3
+    extends:
+      service: couchdb-base
 
   peer3:
     container_name: peer3
@@ -99,13 +131,21 @@ services:
       - CORE_PEER_ADDRESS=peer3:7051
       - CORE_PEER_GOSSIP_ENDPOINT=peer3:7051
       - CORE_PEER_GOSSIP_EXTERNALENDPOINT=peer3.org1.net:7051
-    logging:
-      <<: *logging
+      - CORE_LEDGER_STATE_COUCHDBCONFIG_COUCHDBADDRESS=couchdb3:5984
     volumes:
         - ./nodes/peer3:/etc/hyperledger/fabric
     depends_on:
-      - orderer
-      - peer1
+      orderer:
+        condition: service_started
+      peer1:
+        condition: service_started
+      couchdb3:
+        condition: service_healthy
+
+  couchdb4:
+    container_name: couchdb4
+    extends:
+      service: couchdb-base
 
   peer4:
     container_name: peer4
@@ -116,13 +156,16 @@ services:
       - CORE_PEER_ADDRESS=peer4:7051
       - CORE_PEER_GOSSIP_ENDPOINT=peer4:7051
       - CORE_PEER_GOSSIP_EXTERNALENDPOINT=peer4.org1.net:7051
-    logging:
-      <<: *logging
+      - CORE_LEDGER_STATE_COUCHDBCONFIG_COUCHDBADDRESS=couchdb4:5984
     volumes:
         - ./nodes/peer4:/etc/hyperledger/fabric
     depends_on:
-      - orderer
-      - peer1
+      orderer:
+        condition: service_started
+      peer1:
+        condition: service_started
+      couchdb4:
+        condition: service_healthy
 
   cli:
     image: _DOCKER_NS_/fabric-peer:_FABRIC_RELEASE_
diff --git a/examples/cluster/config/core.yaml b/examples/cluster/config/core.yaml
index dbd5185b9cb..2c2a7fcb532 100644
--- a/examples/cluster/config/core.yaml
+++ b/examples/cluster/config/core.yaml
@@ -396,11 +396,28 @@ ledger:
     # stateDatabase - options are "goleveldb", "CouchDB"
     # goleveldb - default state database stored in goleveldb.
     # CouchDB - store state database in CouchDB
-    stateDatabase: goleveldb
+    stateDatabase: CouchDB
     couchDBConfig:
+       # It is recommended to run CouchDB on the same server as the peer, and
+       # not map the CouchDB container port to a server port in docker-compose.
+       # Otherwise proper security must be provided on the connection between
+       # CouchDB client (on the peer) and server.
        couchDBAddress: 127.0.0.1:5984
+       # This username must have read and write authority on CouchDB
        username:
+       # The password is recommended to pass as an environment variable
+       # during start up (eg LEDGER_COUCHDBCONFIG_PASSWORD).
+       # If it is stored here, the file must be access control protected
+       # to prevent unintended users from discovering the password.
        password:
+       # Number of retries for CouchDB errors
+       maxRetries: 3
+       # Number of retries for CouchDB errors during peer startup
+       maxRetriesOnStartup: 10
+       # CouchDB request timeout (unit: duration, e.g. 20s)
+       requestTimeout: 35s
+       # Limit on the number of records to return per query
+       queryLimit: 10000
 
     # historyDatabase - options are true or false
     # Indicates if the history of key updates should be stored in goleveldb