diff --git a/src/api/auth.rs b/src/api/auth.rs
index 4ed39d6..9ac7847 100644
--- a/src/api/auth.rs
+++ b/src/api/auth.rs
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@ use rand::Rng;
 use crate::{dto::{scope::Scope, user::{UserAuth, TokenInfo}}, app_state::AppState};
 use crate::database::Database;
 
+use crate::auth_storage::{unauthenticated_response, AuthDriver};
+
 #[derive(Deserialize, Debug)]
 pub struct TokenAuthRequest {
     user: Option<String>,
@@ -165,13 +167,14 @@ pub async fn auth_basic_get(basic_auth: Option<AuthBasic>, state: State<Arc<AppS
 
     if let (Some(account), Some(password)) = (&auth.account, auth.password) {
         // Ensure that the password is correct
-        let database = &state.database;
-        if !database.verify_user_login(account.clone(), password).await.unwrap() {
+        let auth_driver = state.auth_checker.lock().await;
+        if !auth_driver.verify_user_login(account.clone(), password).await.unwrap() {
             debug!("Authentication failed, incorrect password!");
-            return (
-                StatusCode::UNAUTHORIZED
-            ).into_response();
+            
+            return unauthenticated_response(&state.config);
         }
+        drop(auth_driver);
+
         debug!("User password is correct");
 
         let now = SystemTime::now();
@@ -193,6 +196,7 @@ pub async fn auth_basic_get(basic_auth: Option<AuthBasic>, state: State<Arc<AppS
 
         let json_str = serde_json::to_string(&auth_response).unwrap();
 
+        let database = &state.database;
         database.store_user_token(token_str.clone(), account.clone(), token.expiry, token.created_at).await.unwrap();
         drop(database);
 
diff --git a/src/api/blobs.rs b/src/api/blobs.rs
index e2444ee..dea3834 100644
--- a/src/api/blobs.rs
+++ b/src/api/blobs.rs
@@ -8,25 +8,18 @@ use axum::response::{IntoResponse, Response};
 use tokio_util::io::ReaderStream;
 
 use crate::app_state::AppState;
-use crate::auth_storage::{does_user_have_permission, get_unauthenticated_response, does_user_have_repository_permission};
+use crate::auth_storage::{unauthenticated_response, AuthDriver};
 use crate::database::Database;
 use crate::dto::RepositoryVisibility;
 use crate::dto::user::{Permission, RegistryUserType, UserAuth};
 
 pub async fn digest_exists_head(Path((name, layer_digest)): Path<(String, String)>, state: State<Arc<AppState>>, Extension(auth): Extension<UserAuth>) -> Response {
     // Check if the user has permission to pull, or that the repository is public
-    let database = &state.database;
-    /* if !does_user_have_permission(database, auth.user.username, name.clone(), Permission::PULL).await.unwrap()
-            && !database.get_repository_visibility(&name).await.unwrap()
-            .and_then(|v| Some(v == RepositoryVisibility::Public))
-            .unwrap_or_else(|| false) {
-        
-        return get_unauthenticated_response(&state.config);
-    } */
-    if !does_user_have_repository_permission(database, auth.user.username, name.clone(), Permission::PULL, Some(RepositoryVisibility::Public)).await.unwrap() {        
-        return get_unauthenticated_response(&state.config);
+    let auth_driver = state.auth_checker.lock().await;
+    if !auth_driver.user_has_permission(auth.user.username, name.clone(), Permission::PULL, Some(RepositoryVisibility::Public)).await.unwrap() {        
+        return unauthenticated_response(&state.config);
     }
-    drop(database);
+    drop(auth_driver);
 
     let storage = state.storage.lock().await;
 
@@ -47,11 +40,11 @@ pub async fn digest_exists_head(Path((name, layer_digest)): Path<(String, String
 
 pub async fn pull_digest_get(Path((name, layer_digest)): Path<(String, String)>, state: State<Arc<AppState>>, Extension(auth): Extension<UserAuth>) -> Response {
     // Check if the user has permission to pull, or that the repository is public
-    let database = &state.database;
-    if !does_user_have_repository_permission(database, auth.user.username, name.clone(), Permission::PULL, Some(RepositoryVisibility::Public)).await.unwrap() {        
-        return get_unauthenticated_response(&state.config);
+    let auth_driver = state.auth_checker.lock().await;
+    if !auth_driver.user_has_permission(auth.user.username, name.clone(), Permission::PULL, Some(RepositoryVisibility::Public)).await.unwrap() {        
+        return unauthenticated_response(&state.config);
     }
-    drop(database);
+    drop(auth_driver);
 
     let storage = state.storage.lock().await;
 
diff --git a/src/api/manifests.rs b/src/api/manifests.rs
index 22b15aa..ab716c8 100644
--- a/src/api/manifests.rs
+++ b/src/api/manifests.rs
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ use axum::http::{StatusCode, HeaderMap, HeaderName, header};
 use tracing::log::warn;
 use tracing::{debug, info};
 
-use crate::auth_storage::{does_user_have_permission, get_unauthenticated_response, does_user_have_repository_permission};
+use crate::auth_storage::{unauthenticated_response, AuthDriver};
 use crate::app_state::AppState;
 use crate::database::Database;
 use crate::dto::RepositoryVisibility;
@@ -16,9 +16,11 @@ use crate::dto::manifest::Manifest;
 use crate::dto::user::{UserAuth, Permission};
 
 pub async fn upload_manifest_put(Path((name, reference)): Path<(String, String)>, state: State<Arc<AppState>>, Extension(auth): Extension<UserAuth>, body: String) -> Response {
-    if !does_user_have_permission(&state.database, auth.user.username, name.clone(), Permission::PUSH).await.unwrap() {
-        return get_unauthenticated_response(&state.config);
+    let auth_driver = state.auth_checker.lock().await;
+    if !auth_driver.user_has_permission(auth.user.username, name.clone(), Permission::PUSH, None).await.unwrap() {
+        return unauthenticated_response(&state.config);
     }
+    drop(auth_driver);
 
     // Calculate the sha256 digest for the manifest.
     let calculated_hash = sha256::digest(body.clone());
@@ -63,11 +65,11 @@ pub async fn upload_manifest_put(Path((name, reference)): Path<(String, String)>
 
 pub async fn pull_manifest_get(Path((name, reference)): Path<(String, String)>, state: State<Arc<AppState>>, Extension(auth): Extension<UserAuth>) -> Response {
     // Check if the user has permission to pull, or that the repository is public
-    let database = &state.database;
-    if !does_user_have_repository_permission(database, auth.user.username, name.clone(), Permission::PULL, Some(RepositoryVisibility::Public)).await.unwrap() {
-        return get_unauthenticated_response(&state.config);
+    let auth_driver = state.auth_checker.lock().await;
+    if !auth_driver.user_has_permission(auth.user.username, name.clone(), Permission::PULL, Some(RepositoryVisibility::Public)).await.unwrap() {
+        return unauthenticated_response(&state.config);
     }
-    drop(database);
+    drop(auth_driver);
     
     let database = &state.database;
     let digest = match Digest::is_digest(&reference) {
@@ -106,11 +108,11 @@ pub async fn pull_manifest_get(Path((name, reference)): Path<(String, String)>,
 
 pub async fn manifest_exists_head(Path((name, reference)): Path<(String, String)>, state: State<Arc<AppState>>, Extension(auth): Extension<UserAuth>) -> Response {
     // Check if the user has permission to pull, or that the repository is public
-    let database = &state.database;
-    if !does_user_have_repository_permission(database, auth.user.username, name.clone(), Permission::PULL, Some(RepositoryVisibility::Public)).await.unwrap() {
-        return get_unauthenticated_response(&state.config);
+    let auth_driver = state.auth_checker.lock().await;
+    if !auth_driver.user_has_permission(auth.user.username, name.clone(), Permission::PULL, Some(RepositoryVisibility::Public)).await.unwrap() {
+        return unauthenticated_response(&state.config);
     }
-    drop(database);
+    drop(auth_driver);
     
     // Get the digest from the reference path.
     let database = &state.database;
@@ -146,9 +148,11 @@ pub async fn manifest_exists_head(Path((name, reference)): Path<(String, String)
 }
 
 pub async fn delete_manifest(Path((name, reference)): Path<(String, String)>, headers: HeaderMap, state: State<Arc<AppState>>, Extension(auth): Extension<UserAuth>) -> Response {
-    if !does_user_have_permission(&state.database, auth.user.username, name.clone(), Permission::PUSH).await.unwrap() {
-        return get_unauthenticated_response(&state.config);
+    let auth_driver = state.auth_checker.lock().await;
+    if !auth_driver.user_has_permission(auth.user.username, name.clone(), Permission::PUSH, None).await.unwrap() {
+        return unauthenticated_response(&state.config);
     }
+    drop(auth_driver);
     
     let _authorization = headers.get("Authorization").unwrap(); // TODO: use authorization header
 
diff --git a/src/api/uploads.rs b/src/api/uploads.rs
index 38c582d..30e1a04 100644
--- a/src/api/uploads.rs
+++ b/src/api/uploads.rs
@@ -12,14 +12,15 @@ use futures::StreamExt;
 use tracing::{debug, warn};
 
 use crate::app_state::AppState;
-use crate::auth_storage::{does_user_have_permission, get_unauthenticated_response};
+use crate::auth_storage::{unauthenticated_response, AuthDriver};
 use crate::byte_stream::ByteStream;
 use crate::database::Database;
 use crate::dto::user::{UserAuth, Permission, RegistryUser, RegistryUserType};
 
 /// Starting an upload
 pub async fn start_upload_post(Path((name, )): Path<(String, )>, Extension(auth): Extension<UserAuth>, state: State<Arc<AppState>>) -> Response {
-    if does_user_have_permission(&state.database, auth.user.username, name.clone(), Permission::PUSH).await.unwrap() {
+    let auth_driver = state.auth_checker.lock().await;
+    if auth_driver.user_has_permission(auth.user.username, name.clone(), Permission::PUSH, None).await.unwrap() {
         debug!("Upload requested");
         let uuid = uuid::Uuid::new_v4();
 
@@ -34,13 +35,15 @@ pub async fn start_upload_post(Path((name, )): Path<(String, )>, Extension(auth)
         ).into_response();
     }
 
-    get_unauthenticated_response(&state.config)
+    unauthenticated_response(&state.config)
 }
 
 pub async fn chunked_upload_layer_patch(Path((name, layer_uuid)): Path<(String, String)>, Extension(auth): Extension<UserAuth>, state: State<Arc<AppState>>, mut body: BodyStream) -> Response {
-    if !does_user_have_permission(&state.database, auth.user.username, name.clone(), Permission::PUSH).await.unwrap() {
-        return get_unauthenticated_response(&state.config);
+    let auth_driver = state.auth_checker.lock().await;
+    if !auth_driver.user_has_permission(auth.user.username, name.clone(), Permission::PUSH, None).await.unwrap() {
+        return unauthenticated_response(&state.config);
     }
+    drop(auth_driver);
 
     let storage = state.storage.lock().await;
     let current_size = storage.digest_length(&layer_uuid).await.unwrap();
@@ -95,9 +98,11 @@ pub async fn chunked_upload_layer_patch(Path((name, layer_uuid)): Path<(String,
 }
 
 pub async fn finish_chunked_upload_put(Path((name, layer_uuid)): Path<(String, String)>, Query(query): Query<HashMap<String, String>>, Extension(auth): Extension<UserAuth>, state: State<Arc<AppState>>, body: Bytes) -> Response {
-    if !does_user_have_permission(&state.database, auth.user.username, name.clone(), Permission::PUSH).await.unwrap() {
-        return get_unauthenticated_response(&state.config);
+    let auth_driver = state.auth_checker.lock().await;
+    if !auth_driver.user_has_permission(auth.user.username, name.clone(), Permission::PUSH, None).await.unwrap() {
+        return unauthenticated_response(&state.config);
     }
+    drop(auth_driver);
     
     let digest = query.get("digest").unwrap();
 
@@ -122,9 +127,11 @@ pub async fn finish_chunked_upload_put(Path((name, layer_uuid)): Path<(String, S
 }
 
 pub async fn cancel_upload_delete(Path((name, layer_uuid)): Path<(String, String)>, state: State<Arc<AppState>>, Extension(auth): Extension<UserAuth>) -> Response {
-    if !does_user_have_permission(&state.database, auth.user.username, name.clone(), Permission::PUSH).await.unwrap() {
-        return get_unauthenticated_response(&state.config);
+    let auth_driver = state.auth_checker.lock().await;
+    if !auth_driver.user_has_permission(auth.user.username, name.clone(), Permission::PUSH, None).await.unwrap() {
+        return unauthenticated_response(&state.config);
     }
+    drop(auth_driver);
     
     let storage = state.storage.lock().await;
     storage.delete_digest(&layer_uuid).await.unwrap();
@@ -134,9 +141,11 @@ pub async fn cancel_upload_delete(Path((name, layer_uuid)): Path<(String, String
 }
 
 pub async fn check_upload_status_get(Path((name, layer_uuid)): Path<(String, String)>, state: State<Arc<AppState>>, Extension(auth): Extension<UserAuth>) -> Response {
-    if !does_user_have_permission(&state.database, auth.user.username, name.clone(), Permission::PUSH).await.unwrap() {
-        return get_unauthenticated_response(&state.config);
+    let auth_driver = state.auth_checker.lock().await;
+    if !auth_driver.user_has_permission(auth.user.username, name.clone(), Permission::PUSH, None).await.unwrap() {
+        return unauthenticated_response(&state.config);
     }
+    drop(auth_driver);
     
     let storage = state.storage.lock().await;
     let ending = storage.digest_length(&layer_uuid).await.unwrap().unwrap_or(0);
diff --git a/src/app_state.rs b/src/app_state.rs
index 9496963..82577e2 100644
--- a/src/app_state.rs
+++ b/src/app_state.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 use sqlx::{Sqlite, Pool};
 
-use crate::auth_storage::MemoryAuthStorage;
+use crate::auth_storage::AuthDriver;
 use crate::storage::StorageDriver;
 use crate::config::Config;
 
@@ -10,17 +10,17 @@ pub struct AppState {
     pub database: Pool<Sqlite>,
     pub storage: Mutex<Box<dyn StorageDriver>>,
     pub config: Config,
-    pub auth_storage: Mutex<MemoryAuthStorage>,
+    pub auth_checker: Mutex<Box<dyn AuthDriver>>,
 }
 
 impl AppState {
-    pub fn new(database: Pool<Sqlite>, storage: Mutex<Box<dyn StorageDriver>>, config: Config) -> Self
+    pub fn new(database: Pool<Sqlite>, storage: Mutex<Box<dyn StorageDriver>>, config: Config, auth_checker: Mutex<Box<dyn AuthDriver>>) -> Self
     {
         Self {
             database,
             storage,
             config,
-            auth_storage: Mutex::new(MemoryAuthStorage::new()),
+            auth_checker,
         }
     }
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/auth_storage.rs b/src/auth_storage.rs
index 6db6f14..d8efd77 100644
--- a/src/auth_storage.rs
+++ b/src/auth_storage.rs
@@ -2,13 +2,66 @@ use std::{collections::HashSet, ops::Deref, sync::Arc};
 
 use axum::{extract::{State, Path}, http::{StatusCode, HeaderMap, header, HeaderName, Request}, middleware::Next, response::{Response, IntoResponse}};
 
+use sqlx::{Pool, Sqlite};
 use tracing::debug;
 
 use crate::{app_state::AppState, dto::{user::{Permission, RegistryUserType}, RepositoryVisibility}, config::Config};
 use crate::database::Database;
 
+use async_trait::async_trait;
+
+#[async_trait]
+pub trait AuthDriver: Send + Sync {
+    /// Checks if a user has permission to do something in a repository.
+    /// 
+    /// * `username`: Name of the user.
+    /// * `repository`: Name of the repository.
+    /// * `permissions`: Permission to check for.
+    /// * `required_visibility`: Specified if there is a specific visibility of the repository that will give the user permission.
+    async fn user_has_permission(&self, username: String, repository: String, permission: Permission, required_visibility: Option<RepositoryVisibility>) -> anyhow::Result<bool>;
+    async fn verify_user_login(&self, username: String, password: String) -> anyhow::Result<bool>;
+}
+
+#[async_trait]
+impl AuthDriver for Pool<Sqlite> {
+    async fn user_has_permission(&self, username: String, repository: String, permission: Permission, required_visibility: Option<RepositoryVisibility>) -> anyhow::Result<bool> {
+        let allowed_to = {
+            match self.get_user_registry_type(username.clone()).await? {
+                Some(RegistryUserType::Admin) => true,
+                _ => {
+                    if let Some(perms) = self.get_user_repo_permissions(username, repository.clone()).await? {
+                        if perms.has_permission(permission) {
+                            return Ok(true);
+                        }
+                    }
+    
+                    if let Some(vis) = required_visibility {
+                        if let Some(repo_vis) = self.get_repository_visibility(&repository).await? {
+                            if vis == repo_vis {
+                                return Ok(true);
+                            }
+                        }
+                    }
+    
+                    false
+                }
+                /* match database.get_user_repo_permissions(username, repository).await.unwrap() {
+                    Some(perms) => if perms.has_permission(permission) { true } else { false },
+                    _ => false,
+                } */
+            }
+        };
+    
+        Ok(allowed_to)
+    }
+
+    async fn verify_user_login(&self, username: String, password: String) -> anyhow::Result<bool> {
+        Database::verify_user_login(self, username, password).await
+    }
+}
+
 /// Temporary struct for storing auth information in memory.
-pub struct MemoryAuthStorage {
+/* pub struct MemoryAuthStorage {
     pub valid_tokens: HashSet<String>,
 }
 
@@ -18,7 +71,7 @@ impl MemoryAuthStorage {
             valid_tokens: HashSet::new(),
         }
     }
-}
+} */
 
 #[derive(Clone)]
 pub struct AuthToken(pub String);
@@ -73,49 +126,8 @@ pub async fn require_auth<B>(State(state): State<Arc<AppState>>, mut request: Re
     }
 }
 
-pub async fn does_user_have_permission(database: &impl Database, username: String, repository: String, permission: Permission) -> anyhow::Result<bool> {
-    does_user_have_repository_permission(database, username, repository, permission, None).await
-}
-
-/// Checks if a user has permission to do something in a repository.
-/// 
-/// * `database`: Database connection.
-/// * `username`: Name of the user.
-/// * `repository`: Name of the repository.
-/// * `permissions`: Permission to check for.
-/// * `required_visibility`: Specified if there is a specific visibility of the repository that will give the user permission.
-pub async fn does_user_have_repository_permission(database: &impl Database, username: String, repository: String, permission: Permission, required_visibility: Option<RepositoryVisibility>) -> anyhow::Result<bool> {
-    let allowed_to = {
-        match database.get_user_registry_type(username.clone()).await? {
-            Some(RegistryUserType::Admin) => true,
-            _ => {
-                if let Some(perms) = database.get_user_repo_permissions(username, repository.clone()).await? {
-                    if perms.has_permission(permission) {
-                        return Ok(true);
-                    }
-                }
-
-                if let Some(vis) = required_visibility {
-                    if let Some(repo_vis) = database.get_repository_visibility(&repository).await? {
-                        if vis == repo_vis {
-                            return Ok(true);
-                        }
-                    }
-                }
-
-                false
-            }
-            /* match database.get_user_repo_permissions(username, repository).await.unwrap() {
-                Some(perms) => if perms.has_permission(permission) { true } else { false },
-                _ => false,
-            } */
-        }
-    };
-
-    Ok(allowed_to)
-}
-
-pub fn get_unauthenticated_response(config: &Config) -> Response {
+#[inline(always)]
+pub fn unauthenticated_response(config: &Config) -> Response {
     let bearer = format!("Bearer realm=\"{}/auth\"", config.get_url());
     (
         StatusCode::UNAUTHORIZED,
diff --git a/src/database/schemas/schema.sql b/src/database/schemas/schema.sql
index cd69708..84b10c9 100644
--- a/src/database/schemas/schema.sql
+++ b/src/database/schemas/schema.sql
@@ -62,4 +62,7 @@ CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS user_tokens (
     username TEXT NOT NULL,
     expiry BIGINT NOT NULL,
     created_at BIGINT NOT NULL
-);
\ No newline at end of file
+);
+
+-- create admin user
+INSERT OR IGNORE INTO users (username, email, password_hash, password_salt) VALUES ('admin', 'admin@example.com', '$2b$12$x5ECk0jUmOSfBWxW52wsyOmFxNZkwc2J9FH225if4eBnQYUvYLYYq', 'x5ECk0jUmOSfBWxW52wsyO');
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index e4270db..bf317fa 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ use std::net::SocketAddr;
 use std::str::FromStr;
 use std::sync::Arc;
 
+use auth_storage::AuthDriver;
 use axum::http::{Request, StatusCode, header, HeaderName};
 use axum::middleware::Next;
 use axum::response::{Response, IntoResponse};
@@ -66,11 +67,12 @@ async fn main() -> std::io::Result<()> {
     pool.create_schema().await.unwrap();
 
     let storage_driver: Mutex<Box<dyn StorageDriver>> = Mutex::new(Box::new(FilesystemDriver::new("registry/blobs")));
+    let auth_driver: Mutex<Box<dyn AuthDriver>> = Mutex::new(Box::new(pool.clone()));
 
     let config = Config::new().expect("Failure to parse config!");
     let app_addr = SocketAddr::from_str(&format!("{}:{}", config.listen_address, config.listen_port)).unwrap();
 
-    let state = Arc::new(AppState::new(pool, storage_driver, config));
+    let state = Arc::new(AppState::new(pool, storage_driver, config, auth_driver));
 
     tracing_subscriber::fmt()
         .with_max_level(Level::DEBUG)