diff --git a/docs/dev/local_development.rst b/docs/dev/local_development.rst
index 950becd..284153b 100644
--- a/docs/dev/local_development.rst
+++ b/docs/dev/local_development.rst
@@ -48,11 +48,26 @@ Development Workflow
      # or
      python -m tabletalk test
 
-- Run tests:
+Setting Up Test Environment
+--------------------------
 
-  .. code-block:: bash
+1. Install test dependencies:
+
+   .. code-block:: bash
+
+      pip install -r requirements-dev.txt
+
+2. Configure database connections:
+
+   - PostgreSQL and MySQL instances must be running locally
+   - You can configure the credentials within the test config for the providers in db_test_config.json
+   - You may set environment variables for the test config instead
+
+3. Run tests:
+
+   .. code-block:: bash
 
-     pytest
+      pytest
 
 Building and Installing Locally
 ------------------------------
diff --git a/tabletalk/tests/providers/test_mysql.py b/tabletalk/tests/providers/test_mysql.py
index 6a25037..fc9d968 100644
--- a/tabletalk/tests/providers/test_mysql.py
+++ b/tabletalk/tests/providers/test_mysql.py
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import os
 from typing import Any, Dict, Generator, Union
 
 import mysql.connector
@@ -8,11 +9,11 @@
 from tabletalk.providers.mysql_provider import MySQLProvider
 
 TEST_CONFIG = {
-    "host": "localhost",
-    "port": 3306,
-    "database": "test",
-    "user": "root",
-    "password": "test",
+    "host": os.getenv("MYSQL_TEST_HOST", "localhost"),
+    "port": int(os.getenv("MYSQL_TEST_PORT", "3306")),
+    "database": os.getenv("MYSQL_TEST_DB", "test"),
+    "user": os.getenv("MYSQL_TEST_USER", "root"),
+    "password": os.getenv("MYSQL_TEST_PASSWORD", "test"),
 }
 
 ConnectionType = Union[PooledMySQLConnection, MySQLConnectionAbstract]
diff --git a/tabletalk/tests/providers/test_postgres.py b/tabletalk/tests/providers/test_postgres.py
index 2cb5995..c340235 100644
--- a/tabletalk/tests/providers/test_postgres.py
+++ b/tabletalk/tests/providers/test_postgres.py
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import os
 from typing import Any, Dict, Generator
 
 import pytest
@@ -6,11 +7,11 @@
 from tabletalk.providers.postgres_provider import PostgresProvider
 
 TEST_CONFIG = {
-    "host": "localhost",
-    "port": 5432,
-    "dbname": "test_db",
-    "user": "test",
-    "password": "test",
+    "host": os.getenv("POSTGRES_TEST_HOST", "localhost"),
+    "port": int(os.getenv("POSTGRES_TEST_PORT", 5432)),
+    "dbname": os.getenv("POSTGRES_TEST_DB", "test_db"),
+    "user": os.getenv("POSTGRES_TEST_USER", "test"),
+    "password": os.getenv("POSTGRES_TEST_PASSWORD", "test"),
 }