diff --git a/build.gradle b/build.gradle
index 96a2fedc716..c7acea3a3bc 100644
--- a/build.gradle
+++ b/build.gradle
@@ -193,6 +193,10 @@ dependencies {
 
     implementation 'org.postgresql:postgresql:42.7.3'
 
+    // Support unix socket connection types
+    implementation 'com.kohlschutter.junixsocket:junixsocket-core:2.9.1'
+    implementation 'com.kohlschutter.junixsocket:junixsocket-mysql:2.9.1'
+
     implementation ('com.oracle.ojdbc:ojdbc10:19.3.0.0') {
         // causing module issues
         exclude module: 'oraclepki'
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/jabref/gui/shared/SharedDatabaseLoginDialog.fxml b/src/main/java/org/jabref/gui/shared/SharedDatabaseLoginDialog.fxml
index 04121fb296b..ed0ca01a216 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/jabref/gui/shared/SharedDatabaseLoginDialog.fxml
+++ b/src/main/java/org/jabref/gui/shared/SharedDatabaseLoginDialog.fxml
@@ -35,6 +35,8 @@
                                 <RowConstraints minHeight="10.0" prefHeight="30.0"/>
                                 <RowConstraints minHeight="10.0" prefHeight="30.0"/>
                                 <RowConstraints minHeight="10.0" prefHeight="30.0"/>
+                                <RowConstraints minHeight="10.0" prefHeight="30.0"/>
+                                <RowConstraints minHeight="10.0" prefHeight="30.0"/>
                                 <RowConstraints/>
                             </rowConstraints>
                             <children>
@@ -67,6 +69,11 @@
                                 <Label text="%Server Timezone:" GridPane.rowIndex="8"/>
                                 <TextField fx:id="serverTimezone" GridPane.columnIndex="1" GridPane.columnSpan="2"
                                            GridPane.rowIndex="8"/>
+                                <Label text="%Server Timezone:" GridPane.rowIndex="8"/>
+                                <CheckBox fx:id="expertMode" mnemonicParsing="false" text="%Use Expert mode" GridPane.rowIndex="9"/>
+                                <Label text="%Custom JDBC Url:" GridPane.rowIndex="10"/>
+                                <TextField fx:id="jdbcUrl" GridPane.columnIndex="1" GridPane.columnSpan="2"
+                                           GridPane.rowIndex="10"/>
                                 <GridPane>
                                     <columnConstraints>
                                         <ColumnConstraints hgrow="SOMETIMES" minWidth="10.0" prefWidth="100.0"/>
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/jabref/gui/shared/SharedDatabaseLoginDialogView.java b/src/main/java/org/jabref/gui/shared/SharedDatabaseLoginDialogView.java
index b43c748cfc0..14067e2c397 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/jabref/gui/shared/SharedDatabaseLoginDialogView.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/jabref/gui/shared/SharedDatabaseLoginDialogView.java
@@ -47,6 +47,8 @@ public class SharedDatabaseLoginDialogView extends BaseDialog<Void> {
     @FXML private PasswordField passwordKeystore;
     @FXML private Button browseKeystore;
     @FXML private TextField serverTimezone;
+    @FXML private TextField jdbcUrl;
+    @FXML private CheckBox expertMode;
 
     @Inject private DialogService dialogService;
     @Inject private PreferencesService preferencesService;
@@ -117,6 +119,10 @@ private void initialize() {
 
         fileKeystore.textProperty().bindBidirectional(viewModel.keyStoreProperty());
 
+        expertMode.selectedProperty().bindBidirectional(viewModel.expertModeProperty());
+        jdbcUrl.textProperty().bindBidirectional(viewModel.jdbcUrlProperty());
+        jdbcUrl.disableProperty().bind(viewModel.expertModeProperty().not());
+
         browseKeystore.disableProperty().bind(viewModel.useSSLProperty().not());
         passwordKeystore.disableProperty().bind(viewModel.useSSLProperty().not());
         passwordKeystore.textProperty().bindBidirectional(viewModel.keyStorePasswordProperty());
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/jabref/gui/shared/SharedDatabaseLoginDialogViewModel.java b/src/main/java/org/jabref/gui/shared/SharedDatabaseLoginDialogViewModel.java
index 6505d7ca028..91ffd261a41 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/jabref/gui/shared/SharedDatabaseLoginDialogViewModel.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/jabref/gui/shared/SharedDatabaseLoginDialogViewModel.java
@@ -76,6 +76,8 @@ public class SharedDatabaseLoginDialogViewModel extends AbstractViewModel {
     private final BooleanProperty useSSL = new SimpleBooleanProperty();
     private final StringProperty keyStorePasswordProperty = new SimpleStringProperty("");
     private final StringProperty serverTimezone = new SimpleStringProperty("");
+    private final BooleanProperty expertMode = new SimpleBooleanProperty();
+    private final StringProperty jdbcUrl = new SimpleStringProperty("");
 
     private final LibraryTabContainer tabContainer;
     private final DialogService dialogService;
@@ -144,6 +146,8 @@ public boolean openDatabase() {
                 .setAllowPublicKeyRetrieval(true)
                 .setKeyStore(keystore.getValue())
                 .setServerTimezone(serverTimezone.getValue())
+                .setExpertMode(expertMode.getValue())
+                .setJdbcUrl(jdbcUrl.getValue())
                 .createDBMSConnectionProperties();
 
         setupKeyStore();
@@ -403,4 +407,12 @@ public ValidationStatus formValidation() {
     public StringProperty serverTimezoneProperty() {
         return serverTimezone;
     }
+
+    public BooleanProperty expertModeProperty() {
+        return expertMode;
+    }
+
+    public StringProperty jdbcUrlProperty() {
+        return jdbcUrl;
+    }
 }
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/jabref/logic/shared/DBMSConnection.java b/src/main/java/org/jabref/logic/shared/DBMSConnection.java
index a37f1d9532d..a01f83a8481 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/jabref/logic/shared/DBMSConnection.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/jabref/logic/shared/DBMSConnection.java
@@ -30,11 +30,16 @@ public DBMSConnection(DBMSConnectionProperties connectionProperties) throws SQLE
             // ensure that all SQL drivers are loaded - source: http://stackoverflow.com/a/22384826/873282
             // we use the side effect of getAvailableDBMSTypes() - it loads all available drivers
             DBMSConnection.getAvailableDBMSTypes();
-            this.connection = DriverManager.getConnection(connectionProperties.getUrl(), connectionProperties.asProperties());
+
+            if (connectionProperties.isUseExpertMode()) {
+                this.connection = DriverManager.getConnection(connectionProperties.getJdbcUrl(), connectionProperties.asProperties());
+            } else {
+                this.connection = DriverManager.getConnection(connectionProperties.getUrl(), connectionProperties.asProperties());
+            }
         } catch (SQLException e) {
             // Some systems like PostgreSQL retrieves 0 to every exception.
             // Therefore a stable error determination is not possible.
-            LOGGER.error("Could not connect to database: " + e.getMessage() + " - Error code: " + e.getErrorCode());
+            LOGGER.error("Could not connect to database: {} - Error code: {}", e.getMessage(), e.getErrorCode());
             throw e;
         }
     }
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/jabref/logic/shared/DBMSConnectionProperties.java b/src/main/java/org/jabref/logic/shared/DBMSConnectionProperties.java
index 86675fc2e9b..acfe8f9250b 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/jabref/logic/shared/DBMSConnectionProperties.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/jabref/logic/shared/DBMSConnectionProperties.java
@@ -26,8 +26,10 @@ public class DBMSConnectionProperties implements DatabaseConnectionProperties {
     private String user;
     private String password;
     private boolean allowPublicKeyRetrieval;
-    private boolean useSSL;
+    private final boolean useSSL;
     private String serverTimezone = "";
+    private String jdbcUrl = "";
+    private final boolean expertMode;
 
     // Not needed for connection, but stored for future login
     private String keyStore;
@@ -38,9 +40,7 @@ public class DBMSConnectionProperties implements DatabaseConnectionProperties {
     public DBMSConnectionProperties(SharedDatabasePreferences prefs) {
         if (prefs.getType().isPresent()) {
             Optional<DBMSType> dbmsType = DBMSType.fromString(prefs.getType().get());
-            if (dbmsType.isPresent()) {
-                this.type = dbmsType.get();
-            }
+            dbmsType.ifPresent(value -> this.type = value);
         }
 
         prefs.getHost().ifPresent(theHost -> this.host = theHost);
@@ -48,6 +48,9 @@ public DBMSConnectionProperties(SharedDatabasePreferences prefs) {
         prefs.getName().ifPresent(theDatabase -> this.database = theDatabase);
         prefs.getKeyStoreFile().ifPresent(theKeystore -> this.keyStore = theKeystore);
         prefs.getServerTimezone().ifPresent(theServerTimezone -> this.serverTimezone = theServerTimezone);
+        prefs.getJdbcUrl().ifPresent(theJdbcUrl -> this.jdbcUrl = theJdbcUrl);
+
+        this.expertMode = prefs.isUseExpertMode();
         this.useSSL = prefs.isUseSSL();
 
         if (prefs.getUser().isPresent()) {
@@ -61,14 +64,15 @@ public DBMSConnectionProperties(SharedDatabasePreferences prefs) {
             }
         }
 
-        if (!prefs.getPassword().isPresent()) {
+        if (prefs.getPassword().isEmpty()) {
             // Some DBMS require a non-null value as a password (in case of using an empty string).
             this.password = "";
         }
     }
 
     DBMSConnectionProperties(DBMSType type, String host, int port, String database, String user,
-                             String password, boolean useSSL, boolean allowPublicKeyRetrieval, String serverTimezone, String keyStore) {
+                             String password, boolean useSSL, boolean allowPublicKeyRetrieval,
+                             String serverTimezone, String keyStore, String jdbcUrl, boolean expertMode) {
         this.type = type;
         this.host = host;
         this.port = port;
@@ -79,6 +83,8 @@ public DBMSConnectionProperties(SharedDatabasePreferences prefs) {
         this.allowPublicKeyRetrieval = allowPublicKeyRetrieval;
         this.serverTimezone = serverTimezone;
         this.keyStore = keyStore;
+        this.jdbcUrl = jdbcUrl;
+        this.expertMode = expertMode;
     }
 
     @Override
@@ -126,9 +132,18 @@ public String getServerTimezone() {
         return serverTimezone;
     }
 
+    @Override
+    public String getJdbcUrl() {
+        return jdbcUrl;
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public boolean isUseExpertMode() {
+        return expertMode;
+    }
+
     public String getUrl() {
-        String url = type.getUrl(host, port, database);
-        return url;
+        return type.getUrl(host, port, database);
     }
 
     /**
@@ -142,11 +157,11 @@ public Properties asProperties() {
         props.setProperty("password", password);
         props.setProperty("serverTimezone", serverTimezone);
         if (useSSL) {
-            props.setProperty("ssl", Boolean.toString(useSSL));
-            props.setProperty("useSSL", Boolean.toString(useSSL));
+            props.setProperty("ssl", Boolean.toString(true));
+            props.setProperty("useSSL", Boolean.toString(true));
         }
         if (allowPublicKeyRetrieval) {
-            props.setProperty("allowPublicKeyRetrieval", Boolean.toString(allowPublicKeyRetrieval));
+            props.setProperty("allowPublicKeyRetrieval", Boolean.toString(true));
         }
         return props;
     }
@@ -165,10 +180,9 @@ public boolean equals(Object obj) {
             return true;
         }
 
-        if (!(obj instanceof DBMSConnectionProperties)) {
+        if (!(obj instanceof DBMSConnectionProperties properties)) {
             return false;
         }
-        DBMSConnectionProperties properties = (DBMSConnectionProperties) obj;
         return Objects.equals(type, properties.getType())
                 && this.host.equalsIgnoreCase(properties.getHost())
                 && Objects.equals(port, properties.getPort())
@@ -176,12 +190,15 @@ public boolean equals(Object obj) {
                 && Objects.equals(user, properties.getUser())
                 && Objects.equals(useSSL, properties.isUseSSL())
                 && Objects.equals(allowPublicKeyRetrieval, properties.isAllowPublicKeyRetrieval())
-                && Objects.equals(serverTimezone, properties.getServerTimezone());
+                && Objects.equals(serverTimezone, properties.getServerTimezone())
+                && Objects.equals(keyStore, properties.getKeyStore())
+                && Objects.equals(jdbcUrl, properties.getJdbcUrl())
+                && Objects.equals(expertMode, properties.isUseExpertMode());
     }
 
     @Override
     public int hashCode() {
-        return Objects.hash(type, host, port, database, user, useSSL);
+        return Objects.hash(type, host, port, database, user, useSSL, allowPublicKeyRetrieval, serverTimezone, keyStore, jdbcUrl, expertMode);
     }
 
     @Override
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/jabref/logic/shared/DBMSConnectionPropertiesBuilder.java b/src/main/java/org/jabref/logic/shared/DBMSConnectionPropertiesBuilder.java
index 3547358dee8..95ef884d058 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/jabref/logic/shared/DBMSConnectionPropertiesBuilder.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/jabref/logic/shared/DBMSConnectionPropertiesBuilder.java
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@ public class DBMSConnectionPropertiesBuilder {
     private boolean allowPublicKeyRetrieval;
     private String serverTimezone = "";
     private String keyStore;
+    private boolean expertMode = false;
+    private String jdbcUrl = "";
 
     public DBMSConnectionPropertiesBuilder setType(DBMSType type) {
         this.type = type;
@@ -62,10 +64,20 @@ public DBMSConnectionPropertiesBuilder setKeyStore(String keyStore) {
         return this;
     }
 
+    public DBMSConnectionPropertiesBuilder setJdbcUrl(String jdbcUrl) {
+        this.jdbcUrl = jdbcUrl;
+        return this;
+    }
+
+    public DBMSConnectionPropertiesBuilder setExpertMode(boolean expertMode) {
+        this.expertMode = expertMode;
+        return this;
+    }
+
     public DBMSConnectionProperties createDBMSConnectionProperties() {
         if (port == -1) {
             port = type.getDefaultPort();
         }
-        return new DBMSConnectionProperties(type, host, port, database, user, password, useSSL, allowPublicKeyRetrieval, serverTimezone, keyStore);
+        return new DBMSConnectionProperties(type, host, port, database, user, password, useSSL, allowPublicKeyRetrieval, serverTimezone, keyStore, jdbcUrl, expertMode);
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/jabref/logic/shared/DBMSType.java b/src/main/java/org/jabref/logic/shared/DBMSType.java
index 1cd6774ce60..8a3717abaf0 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/jabref/logic/shared/DBMSType.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/jabref/logic/shared/DBMSType.java
@@ -13,10 +13,10 @@ public enum DBMSType {
 
     private final String type;
     private final String driverPath;
-    private final String urlPattern;
+    private String urlPattern;
     private final int defaultPort;
 
-    private DBMSType(String type, String driverPath, String urlPattern, int defaultPort) {
+    DBMSType(String type, String driverPath, String urlPattern, int defaultPort) {
         this.type = type;
         this.driverPath = driverPath;
         this.urlPattern = urlPattern;
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/jabref/logic/shared/DatabaseConnectionProperties.java b/src/main/java/org/jabref/logic/shared/DatabaseConnectionProperties.java
index 6c3d44313a9..72e2f546244 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/jabref/logic/shared/DatabaseConnectionProperties.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/jabref/logic/shared/DatabaseConnectionProperties.java
@@ -23,4 +23,8 @@ public interface DatabaseConnectionProperties {
     boolean isAllowPublicKeyRetrieval();
 
     String getServerTimezone();
+
+    String getJdbcUrl();
+
+    boolean isUseExpertMode();
 }
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/jabref/logic/shared/prefs/SharedDatabasePreferences.java b/src/main/java/org/jabref/logic/shared/prefs/SharedDatabasePreferences.java
index 4b1a14fe1c9..360c9541730 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/jabref/logic/shared/prefs/SharedDatabasePreferences.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/jabref/logic/shared/prefs/SharedDatabasePreferences.java
@@ -31,6 +31,8 @@ public class SharedDatabasePreferences {
     private static final String SHARED_DATABASE_USE_SSL = "sharedDatabaseUseSSL";
     private static final String SHARED_DATABASE_KEYSTORE_FILE = "sharedDatabaseKeyStoreFile";
     private static final String SHARED_DATABASE_SERVER_TIMEZONE = "sharedDatabaseServerTimezone";
+    private static final String SHARED_DATABASE_EXPERT_MODE = "sharedDatabaseExpertMode";
+    private static final String SHARED_DATABASE_JDBC_URL = "sharedDatabaseJdbcUrl";
 
     // This {@link Preferences} is used only for things which should not appear in real JabRefPreferences due to security reasons.
     private final Preferences internalPrefs;
@@ -143,6 +145,22 @@ public void clearPassword() {
         internalPrefs.remove(SHARED_DATABASE_PASSWORD);
     }
 
+    public void setExpertMode(boolean expertMode) {
+        internalPrefs.putBoolean(SHARED_DATABASE_EXPERT_MODE, expertMode);
+    }
+
+    public void setJdbcUrl(String jdbcUrl) {
+        internalPrefs.put(SHARED_DATABASE_JDBC_URL, jdbcUrl);
+    }
+
+    public boolean isUseExpertMode() {
+        return internalPrefs.getBoolean(SHARED_DATABASE_EXPERT_MODE, false);
+    }
+
+    public Optional<String> getJdbcUrl() {
+        return getOptionalValue(SHARED_DATABASE_JDBC_URL);
+    }
+
     public void clear() throws BackingStoreException {
         internalPrefs.clear();
     }
@@ -166,6 +184,8 @@ public void putAllDBMSConnectionProperties(DatabaseConnectionProperties properti
         setUseSSL(properties.isUseSSL());
         setKeystoreFile(properties.getKeyStore());
         setServerTimezone(properties.getServerTimezone());
+        setExpertMode(properties.isUseExpertMode());
+        setJdbcUrl(properties.getJdbcUrl());
 
         try {
             setPassword(new Password(properties.getPassword().toCharArray(), properties.getUser()).encrypt());
diff --git a/src/main/resources/l10n/JabRef_en.properties b/src/main/resources/l10n/JabRef_en.properties
index 07b38d07b25..13139f857dc 100644
--- a/src/main/resources/l10n/JabRef_en.properties
+++ b/src/main/resources/l10n/JabRef_en.properties
@@ -614,6 +614,9 @@ Open\ last\ edited\ libraries\ on\ startup=Open last edited libraries on startup
 
 Connect\ to\ shared\ database=Connect to shared database
 
+Use\ Expert\ mode=Use Expert mode
+Custom\ JDBC\ Url\:=Custom JDBC Url:
+
 Open\ terminal\ here=Open terminal here
 
 Open\ URL\ or\ DOI=Open URL or DOI