diff --git a/locallibrary/settings.py b/locallibrary/settings.py
index e9d136c6..93b53a00 100644
--- a/locallibrary/settings.py
+++ b/locallibrary/settings.py
@@ -20,10 +20,9 @@
 # See https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/4.2/howto/deployment/checklist/
 
 # SECURITY WARNING: keep the secret key used in production secret!
-SECRET_KEY = 'django-insecure-&psk#na5l=p3q8_a+-$4w1f^lt3lx1c@d*p4x$ymm_rn7pwb87'
-
+# SECRET_KEY = 'django-insecure-&psk#na5l=p3q8_a+-$4w1f^lt3lx1c@d*p4x$ymm_rn7pwb87'
 import os
-SECRET_KEY = os.environ.get('DJANGO_SECRET_KEY', 'cg#p$g+j9tax!#a3cup@1$8obt2_+&k3q+pmu)5%asj6yjpkag')
+SECRET_KEY = os.environ.get('DJANGO_SECRET_KEY', 'django-insecure-&psk#na5l=p3q8_a+-$4w1f^lt3lx1c@d*p4x$ymm_rn7pwb87')
 
 # SECURITY WARNING: don't run with debug turned on in production!
 #DEBUG = True
@@ -45,7 +44,7 @@
     'django.contrib.sessions',
     'django.contrib.messages',
     'django.contrib.staticfiles',
-    # Add our new application
+    # Add our new application 
     'catalog.apps.CatalogConfig', #This object was created for us in /catalog/apps.py
 ]
 
@@ -134,9 +133,12 @@
 
 # Update database configuration from $DATABASE_URL environment variable (if defined)
 import dj_database_url
-db_from_env = dj_database_url.config(conn_max_age=500)
-DATABASES['default'].update(db_from_env)
 
+if 'DATABASE_URL' in os.environ:
+    DATABASES['default'] = dj_database_url.config(
+        conn_max_age=500,
+        conn_health_checks=True,
+    )
 
 
 # Static files (CSS, JavaScript, Images)
diff --git a/requirements.txt b/requirements.txt
index 0aab9837..3d733a39 100644
--- a/requirements.txt
+++ b/requirements.txt
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
-dj-database-url==0.5.0
 Django==4.2.3
-gunicorn==20.1.0
-psycopg2-binary==2.9.3
+dj-database-url==2.0.0
+gunicorn==21.2.3
+psycopg2-binary==2.9.6
 wheel==0.38.1
 whitenoise==6.5.0