diff --git a/packages/realm-server/package.json b/packages/realm-server/package.json
index 6a92d20003..f856dc15ae 100644
--- a/packages/realm-server/package.json
+++ b/packages/realm-server/package.json
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@
     "yargs": "^17.5.1"
   },
   "scripts": {
-    "test": "NODE_NO_WARNINGS=1 PGPORT=5435 PGPASSWORD=postgres qunit --require ts-node/register/transpile-only tests/index.ts",
+    "test": "NODE_NO_WARNINGS=1 PGPORT=5435 qunit --require ts-node/register/transpile-only tests/index.ts",
     "test:dom": "cd ../matrix && pnpm register-test-user && cd ../realm-server && start-server-and-test 'pnpm run wait' 'http://127.0.0.1:4205' 'testem ci -f ./testem.js'",
     "start:test-container": "http-server ./dom-tests -p 4205 --silent",
     "start:matrix": "cd ../matrix && pnpm assert-synapse-running",
diff --git a/packages/realm-server/scripts/start-development.sh b/packages/realm-server/scripts/start-development.sh
index 79089f61f8..5d08a59019 100755
--- a/packages/realm-server/scripts/start-development.sh
+++ b/packages/realm-server/scripts/start-development.sh
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ NODE_ENV=development \
   LOG_LEVELS='*=info' \
   REALM_SECRET_SEED="shhh! it's a secret" \
   PGPORT="5435" \
-  PGPASSWORD="postgres" \
   ts-node \
   --transpileOnly main \
   --port=4201 \
diff --git a/packages/realm-server/scripts/start-pg.sh b/packages/realm-server/scripts/start-pg.sh
index 12e16adbc5..46bc925538 100755
--- a/packages/realm-server/scripts/start-pg.sh
+++ b/packages/realm-server/scripts/start-pg.sh
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 if [ -z "$(docker ps -f name=boxel-pg --all --format '{{.Names}}')" ]; then
   # running postgres on port 5435 so it doesn't collide with native postgres
   # that may be running on your system
-  docker run --name boxel-pg -e POSTGRES_PASSWORD=postgres -p 5435:5432 -d postgres >/dev/null
+  docker run --name boxel-pg -e POSTGRES_HOST_AUTH_METHOD=trust -p 5435:5432 -d postgres >/dev/null
 else
   docker start boxel-pg >/dev/null
 fi
diff --git a/packages/realm-server/scripts/start-test-realms.sh b/packages/realm-server/scripts/start-test-realms.sh
index 091ffc082d..1fa2bdd072 100755
--- a/packages/realm-server/scripts/start-test-realms.sh
+++ b/packages/realm-server/scripts/start-test-realms.sh
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@ NODE_ENV=test \
   NODE_NO_WARNINGS=1 \
   REALM_SECRET_SEED="shhh! it's a secret" \
   PGPORT="5435" \
-  PGPASSWORD="postgres" \
   ts-node \
   --transpileOnly main \
   --port=4202 \