diff --git a/app/server/tests/test_config.py b/app/server/tests/test_config.py
index 2ba3a27d..8cace2e6 100644
--- a/app/server/tests/test_config.py
+++ b/app/server/tests/test_config.py
@@ -24,11 +24,20 @@ class TestDatabaseUrl(TestCase):
         with setenv('DATABASE_URL', 'pgsql://u:p@h/d?sslmode=require'):
             self._assert_sslmode_is('require')
 
+    def test_database_url_with_complex_user(self):
+        with setenv('DATABASE_URL', 'pgsql://user%40host:p@h/d'):
+            self._assert_user_is('user@host')
+
     def _assert_sslmode_is(self, expected):
         reload(settings)
         actual = settings.DATABASES['default'].get('OPTIONS', {}).get('sslmode')
         self.assertEqual(actual, expected)
 
+    def _assert_user_is(self, expected):
+        reload(settings)
+        actual = settings.DATABASES['default'].get('USER', '')
+        self.assertEqual(actual, expected)
+
 
 @contextmanager
 def setenv(key, value):
diff --git a/azuredeploy.json b/azuredeploy.json
index e9067d50..17d8ace7 100644
--- a/azuredeploy.json
+++ b/azuredeploy.json
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@
     "databaseSkuTier": "GeneralPurpose",
     "databaseSkuFamily": "Gen5",
     "databaseSkuName": "[concat('GP_', variables('databaseSkuFamily'), '_', parameters('databaseCores'))]",
-    "databaseConnectionString": "[concat('pgsql://', parameters('adminUserName'), '@', variables('databaseServerName'), ':', parameters('adminPassword'), '@', variables('databaseServerName'), '.postgres.database.azure.com:5432/', parameters('databaseName'))]",
+    "databaseConnectionString": "[concat('pgsql://', parameters('adminUserName'), '%40', variables('databaseServerName'), ':', parameters('adminPassword'), '@', variables('databaseServerName'), '.postgres.database.azure.com:5432/', parameters('databaseName'))]",
     "databaseVersion": "9.6",
     "databaseServerName": "[concat(parameters('appName'),'-state')]",
     "setupScriptName": "[concat(parameters('appName'),'-setup')]",