diff --git a/.circleci/config.yml b/.circleci/config.yml
index b5fa3bb8..91df65fc 100644
--- a/.circleci/config.yml
+++ b/.circleci/config.yml
@@ -149,7 +149,8 @@ jobs:
   #         paths:
   #           - ./node_modules
   #     - run:
-  #         # TODO: Update 
+  #         # TODO: Update below - you may be able to remove one or all of the --hosts/--db/--aws options
+  #         # depending on what scripts you have in .circleci/scripts
   #         name: run setup.sh
   #         command: |
   #           export $(egrep -v '^#' .docker/local.env | xargs -0) && ./.circleci/scripts/setup.sh --hosts --db --aws
diff --git a/.circleci/scripts.example/setup.sh b/.circleci/scripts.example/setup.sh
old mode 100644
new mode 100755
diff --git a/.circleci/scripts.example/setup_aws.sh b/.circleci/scripts.example/setup_aws.sh
old mode 100644
new mode 100755
diff --git a/.circleci/scripts.example/setup_db.sh b/.circleci/scripts.example/setup_db.sh
old mode 100644
new mode 100755
diff --git a/.circleci/scripts.example/setup_hosts.sh b/.circleci/scripts.example/setup_hosts.sh
old mode 100644
new mode 100755
index c7844253..ae025c2a
--- a/.circleci/scripts.example/setup_hosts.sh
+++ b/.circleci/scripts.example/setup_hosts.sh
@@ -1,9 +1,11 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 set -e
 
+# Add host entries to match local docker development names.
 echo "Adding service hosts records"
 
 # These should match the services you are creating in your docker-compose file
+# This is required for containers to talk to each other
 declare -a arr=("mysql" "localstack" "snowplow")
 
 for i in "${arr[@]}"; do
diff --git a/.circleci/scripts/setup.sh b/.circleci/scripts/setup.sh
deleted file mode 100755
index 8ac2c720..00000000
--- a/.circleci/scripts/setup.sh
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,16 +0,0 @@
-#!/bin/bash
-
-set -e
-
-dir=$(dirname "$0")
-while [[ "$1" ]]; do
-   case "$1" in
-      --hosts)
-          "${dir}"/setup_hosts.sh
-          ;;
-      --db)
-          "${dir}"/setup_db.sh
-          ;;
-    esac
-    shift
-done
diff --git a/.circleci/scripts/setup_db.sh b/.circleci/scripts/setup_db.sh
deleted file mode 100755
index 1a8e6f65..00000000
--- a/.circleci/scripts/setup_db.sh
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,29 +0,0 @@
-#!/bin/bash
-# shellcheck disable=SC1090
-
-echo "Setting up database"
-
-sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install -y mysql-client
-
-set -e
-mysql=( mysql -uroot -h127.0.0.1 )
-
-# Wait for mysql to respond
-for _ in {30..0}; do
-    if echo 'SELECT 1' | "${mysql[@]}" &> /dev/null; then
-        break
-    fi
-    echo 'MySQL init process in progress...'
-    sleep 1
-done
-
-for f in .docker/mysql/schema/*; do
-    echo "$f"
-    case "$f" in
-        *.sh)     echo "$0: running $f"; . "$f" ;;
-        *.sql)    echo "$0: running $f"; "${mysql[@]}" < "$f"; echo ;;
-        *.sql.gz) echo "$0: running $f"; gunzip -c "$f" | "${mysql[@]}"; echo ;;
-        *)        echo "$0: ignoring $f" ;;
-    esac
-    echo
-done
diff --git a/.circleci/scripts/setup_hosts.sh b/.circleci/scripts/setup_hosts.sh
deleted file mode 100755
index f31ae469..00000000
--- a/.circleci/scripts/setup_hosts.sh
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,16 +0,0 @@
-#!/bin/bash
-set -e
-
-# Add host entries to match local docker development names.
-
-echo "Adding service hosts records"
-
-
-declare -a arr=("mysql")
-
-for i in "${arr[@]}"; do
-    echo 127.0.0.1 "$i" | sudo tee -a /etc/hosts
-done
-
-
-
diff --git a/jest.config.js b/jest.config.js
index 0db0fc75..f77c5d28 100644
--- a/jest.config.js
+++ b/jest.config.js
@@ -3,4 +3,6 @@ module.exports = {
   testEnvironment: 'node',
   testMatch: ['**/?(*.)+(spec|integration).ts'],
   testPathIgnorePatterns: ['/dist/'],
+  // TODO: remove the following if you don't have any localstack integration tests
+  setupFiles: ['./jest.setup.js'],
 };
diff --git a/jest.setup.js b/jest.setup.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e2134c2d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/jest.setup.js
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+// your AWS_ENDPOINT values should be set in .docker/local.env
+// this file is to provide a value when running tests locally outside of the container
+// TODO: if you don't have any localstack integration tests, you can delete this file
+process.env.AWS_ENDPOINT = process.env.AWS_ENDPOINT || 'http://localhost:4566';
diff --git a/src/config/index.ts b/src/config/index.ts
index aaf0a9f0..db4eb668 100644
--- a/src/config/index.ts
+++ b/src/config/index.ts
@@ -4,6 +4,10 @@ export default {
     environment: process.env.NODE_ENV || 'development',
     defaultMaxAge: 86400,
   },
+  // TODO: if you aren't using localstack, you can get rid of the `aws` section
+  aws: {
+    localEndpoint: process.env.AWS_ENDPOINT,
+  }
   // TODO: Update example cache configuration below if necessary.
   redis: {
     primaryEndpoint: process.env.REDIS_PRIMARY_ENDPOINT || 'redis',