diff --git a/SAS/Feedback_Service/src/Feedback.cc b/SAS/Feedback_Service/src/Feedback.cc
index ece6062217f27ba5d688ef700621141cf007d3af..76ec99cca9e26a0d32d6e07c1b8eaedeb96ee0f6 100644
--- a/SAS/Feedback_Service/src/Feedback.cc
+++ b/SAS/Feedback_Service/src/Feedback.cc
@@ -128,15 +128,74 @@ GCFEvent::TResult Feedback::connect2OTDB_state(GCFEvent& event, GCFPortInterface
 		LOG_DEBUG_STR("Trying to read database information from file " << filename);
 		ParameterSet	otdbconf;
 		otdbconf.adoptFile(filename);
-		string database = otdbconf.getString("SASGateway.OTDBdatabase");
-		string dbhost   = otdbconf.getString("SASGateway.OTDBhostname");
-		itsOTDBconn = new OTDBconnection("paulus", "boskabouter", database, dbhost);
+		string database;
+        try
+        {
+            database = otdbconf.getString("SASGateway.OTDBdatabase");
+        }
+        catch(LOFAR::APSException& ex)
+        {
+          LOG_ERROR_STR("FeedbackService code caught an exception while trying to "
+                        "read the OTDB database name from its configuration file:  "
+                        << ex.what());
+          throw(ex);
+        }
+		string dbhost;
+        try
+        {
+            dbhost = otdbconf.getString("SASGateway.OTDBhostname");
+        }
+        catch(LOFAR::APSException& ex)
+        {
+          LOG_ERROR_STR("FeedbackService code caught an exception while trying to "
+                        "read the OTDB database server host name from its configuration file:  "
+                        << ex.what());
+          throw(ex);
+        }
+        string username;
+        try
+        {
+            username = otdbconf.getString("SASGateway.OTDBusername");
+        }
+        catch(LOFAR::APSException& ex)
+        {
+          LOG_ERROR_STR("FeedbackService code caught an exception while trying to "
+                        "read the OTDB database user name from its configuration file:  "
+                        << ex.what());
+          throw(ex);
+        }
+        string password;
+        try
+        {
+            password = otdbconf.getString("SASGateway.OTDBpassword");
+        }
+        catch(LOFAR::APSException& ex)
+        {
+          LOG_ERROR_STR("FeedbackService code caught an exception while trying to "
+                        "read the OTDB database password from its configuration file:  "
+                        << ex.what());
+          throw(ex);
+        }
+        string port;
+        try
+        {
+            port = otdbconf.getString("SASGateway.OTDBport");
+        }
+        catch(LOFAR::APSException& ex)
+        {
+          LOG_ERROR_STR("FeedbackService code caught an exception while trying to "
+                        "read the OTDB database server port from its configuration file:  "
+                        << ex.what());
+          throw(ex);
+        }
+
+		itsOTDBconn = new OTDBconnection(username, password, database, dbhost, port);
 		if (!itsOTDBconn->connect()) {
-			LOG_FATAL_STR("Cannot connect to database " << database << " on machine " << dbhost << ", retry in 10 seconds");
+            LOG_FATAL_STR("Cannot connect to database " << database << " on machine " << dbhost << " on port " << port << ", retry in 10 seconds");
 			itsTimer->setTimer(10.0);
 			return (GCFEvent::HANDLED);
 		}
-		LOG_INFO_STR("Connected to database " << database << " on machine " << dbhost);
+		LOG_INFO_STR("Connected to database " << database << " on machine " << dbhost << " on port " << port);
 		TRAN(Feedback::operational_state);
 	} break;