diff --git a/config.go b/config.go
index 66d7178..a04c5af 100644
--- a/config.go
+++ b/config.go
@@ -5,6 +5,9 @@ type PGConfig struct {
 	Dir            string   // Directory for storing database files, removed for non-persistent configs
 	IsPersistent   bool     // Whether to make the current configuraton persistent or not
 	AdditionalArgs []string // Additional arguments to pass to the postgres command
+	FSync          bool     // Sets -F flag when false
+	DbName         string
+	Password       string
 }
 
 func New() *PGConfig {
@@ -12,6 +15,9 @@ func New() *PGConfig {
 		BinDir:       "",
 		Dir:          "",
 		IsPersistent: false,
+		FSync:        false, // disable fsync by default - just go fast.
+		DbName:       "test",
+		Password:     "",
 	}
 }
 
@@ -40,6 +46,21 @@ func (c *PGConfig) WithAdditionalArgs(args ...string) *PGConfig {
 	return c
 }
 
+func (c *PGConfig) EnableFSync() *PGConfig {
+	c.FSync = true
+	return c
+}
+
+func (c *PGConfig) SetPassword(password string) *PGConfig {
+	c.Password = password
+	return c
+}
+
+func (c *PGConfig) SetDbName(dbName string) *PGConfig {
+	c.DbName = dbName
+	return c
+}
+
 func (c *PGConfig) Start() (*PG, error) {
 	return start(c)
 }
diff --git a/config_test.go b/config_test.go
index 6cad64a..5156052 100644
--- a/config_test.go
+++ b/config_test.go
@@ -10,10 +10,13 @@ import (
 func TestPGConfig(t *testing.T) {
 	assert := assert.New(t)
 
-	config := pgtest.New().From("/usr/bin").DataDir("/tmp/data").Persistent().WithAdditionalArgs("-c", "log_statement=all")
+	config := pgtest.New().From("/usr/bin").DataDir("/tmp/data").Persistent().EnableFSync().SetDbName("mydb").SetPassword("mypassword").WithAdditionalArgs("-c", "log_statement=all")
 
 	assert.True(config.IsPersistent)
 	assert.EqualValues("/tmp/data", config.Dir)
 	assert.EqualValues("/usr/bin", config.BinDir)
 	assert.EqualValues([]string{"-c", "log_statement=all"}, config.AdditionalArgs)
+	assert.EqualValues(true, config.FSync)
+	assert.EqualValues("mydb", config.DbName)
+	assert.EqualValues("mypassword", config.Password)
 }
diff --git a/pgtest.go b/pgtest.go
index 903a12c..81426e3 100644
--- a/pgtest.go
+++ b/pgtest.go
@@ -56,6 +56,52 @@ func StartPersistent(folder string) (*PG, error) {
 	return start(New().DataDir(folder).Persistent())
 }
 
+// When the password is provided this function writes the password
+// to a temp file, and returns its path.
+func createTempPasswordFile(password string, pgUID, pgGID int) (string, func(), error) {
+	// Create a temporary file
+	pwdTempFile, err := os.CreateTemp("", "pg_pwd_*")
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to create temp file: %w", err)
+	}
+	tempFilePath := pwdTempFile.Name()
+
+	// Set file permissions to 0600 (read/write for owner only)
+	if err := pwdTempFile.Chmod(0600); err != nil {
+		pwdTempFile.Close()
+		os.Remove(tempFilePath)
+		return "", nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to set file permissions: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	// Write the password to the file
+	if _, err := pwdTempFile.WriteString(password); err != nil {
+		pwdTempFile.Close()
+		os.Remove(tempFilePath)
+		return "", nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to write password to file: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	// Close the file
+	if err := pwdTempFile.Close(); err != nil {
+		os.Remove(tempFilePath)
+		return "", nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to close temp file: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	// Change the owner
+	err = os.Chown(tempFilePath, pgUID, pgGID)
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to set permissions on the temp file: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	cleanupPwdFile := func() {
+		err := os.Remove(tempFilePath)
+		if err != nil {
+			fmt.Println("error while removing pwdfile: %w", err)
+		}
+	}
+
+	return tempFilePath, cleanupPwdFile, nil
+}
+
 // start Starts a new PostgreSQL database
 //
 // Will listen on a unix socket and initialize the database in the given
@@ -142,9 +188,28 @@ func start(config *PGConfig) (*PG, error) {
 	// Initialize PostgreSQL data directory
 	_, err = os.Stat(filepath.Join(dataDir, "postgresql.conf"))
 	if os.IsNotExist(err) {
-		init := prepareCommand(isRoot, filepath.Join(binPath, "initdb"),
+		args := []string{
 			"-D", dataDir,
 			"--no-sync",
+		}
+
+		// setup password if specified
+		if config.Password != "" {
+			pwdFile, cleanupPwdFile, err := createTempPasswordFile(config.Password, pgUID, pgGID)
+			if err != nil {
+				return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to create password file: %w", err)
+			}
+			// for more info on how this is being done
+			// https://www.postgresql.org/docs/current/app-initdb.html#APP-INITDB-OPTION-AUTH
+			// https://www.postgresql.org/docs/current/app-initdb.html#APP-INITDB-OPTION-PWFILE
+			args = append(args, "-A", "scram-sha-256", fmt.Sprintf("--pwfile=%s", pwdFile))
+			// remove the password file, when we return from start()
+			defer cleanupPwdFile()
+		}
+
+		// execute the command
+		init := prepareCommand(isRoot, filepath.Join(binPath, "initdb"),
+			args...,
 		)
 		out, err := init.CombinedOutput()
 		if err != nil {
@@ -157,8 +222,17 @@ func start(config *PGConfig) (*PG, error) {
 		"-D", dataDir, // Data directory
 		"-k", sockDir, // Location for the UNIX socket
 		"-h", "", // Disable TCP listening
-		"-F", // No fsync, just go fast
 	}
+
+	// by default config.Fsync is false,
+	// so fsync is disabled, unless it is set
+	// true by the user, in which case we
+	// skip the -F flag
+	if !config.FSync {
+		// no fsync, just go fast
+		args = append(args, "-F")
+	}
+
 	if len(config.AdditionalArgs) > 0 {
 		args = append(args, config.AdditionalArgs...)
 	}
@@ -181,23 +255,24 @@ func start(config *PGConfig) (*PG, error) {
 		return nil, abort("Failed to start PostgreSQL", cmd, stderr, stdout, err)
 	}
 
-	// Connect to DB
-	dsn := makeDSN(sockDir, "postgres", isRoot)
+	dsn := makeDSN(sockDir, "postgres", config.Password)
 	db, err := sql.Open("postgres", dsn)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, abort("Failed to connect to DB", cmd, stderr, stdout, err)
 	}
 
-	// Prepare test database
+	// Prepare database with password
 	err = retry(func() error {
+		// Ensure db exists
 		var exists bool
-		err = db.QueryRow("SELECT 1 FROM pg_database WHERE datname = 'test'").Scan(&exists)
-		if exists {
-			return nil
+		err = db.QueryRow(fmt.Sprintf("SELECT 1 FROM pg_database WHERE datname = '%s'", config.DbName)).Scan(&exists)
+		if !exists {
+			_, err := db.Exec(fmt.Sprintf("CREATE DATABASE %s", config.DbName))
+			if err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
 		}
-
-		_, err := db.Exec("CREATE DATABASE test")
-		return err
+		return nil
 	}, 1000, 10*time.Millisecond)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, abort("Failed to prepare test DB", cmd, stderr, stdout, err)
@@ -208,8 +283,8 @@ func start(config *PGConfig) (*PG, error) {
 		return nil, abort("Failed to disconnect", cmd, stderr, stdout, err)
 	}
 
-	// Connect to it properly
-	dsn = makeDSN(sockDir, "test", isRoot)
+	// Connect to db with password
+	dsn = makeDSN(sockDir, config.DbName, config.Password)
 	db, err = sql.Open("postgres", dsn)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, abort("Failed to connect to test DB", cmd, stderr, stdout, err)
@@ -222,8 +297,8 @@ func start(config *PGConfig) (*PG, error) {
 		DB: db,
 
 		Host: sockDir,
-		User: pgUser(isRoot),
-		Name: "test",
+		User: pgUser(),
+		Name: config.DbName,
 
 		persistent: config.IsPersistent,
 
@@ -326,21 +401,31 @@ func findBinPath(binDir string) (string, error) {
 	return "", fmt.Errorf("Did not find PostgreSQL executables installed")
 }
 
-func pgUser(isRoot bool) string {
-	user := ""
+func pgUser() string {
+	currentUser, err := user.Current()
+	isRoot := currentUser.Username == "root"
 	if isRoot {
-		user = "postgres"
+		return "postgres"
+	}
+	if err != nil {
+		return "postgres" // fallback to postgres if we can't get the current user
 	}
-	return user
+	return currentUser.Username
 }
 
-func makeDSN(sockDir, dbname string, isRoot bool) string {
+func makeDSN(sockDir, dbname, password string) string {
 	dsnUser := ""
-	user := pgUser(isRoot)
+	dsnPassword := ""
+	user := pgUser()
+	// add user if defined
 	if user != "" {
 		dsnUser = fmt.Sprintf("user=%s", user)
 	}
-	return fmt.Sprintf("host=%s dbname=%s %s", sockDir, dbname, dsnUser)
+	// add password if defined
+	if password != "" {
+		dsnPassword = fmt.Sprintf("password=%s", password)
+	}
+	return fmt.Sprintf("host=%s dbname=%s %s %s", sockDir, dbname, dsnUser, dsnPassword)
 }
 
 func retry(fn func() error, attempts int, interval time.Duration) error {
diff --git a/pgtest_test.go b/pgtest_test.go
index 11c89b9..2554661 100644
--- a/pgtest_test.go
+++ b/pgtest_test.go
@@ -1,7 +1,12 @@
 package pgtest_test
 
 import (
+	"database/sql"
+	"fmt"
 	"os"
+	"os/user"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"reflect"
 	"testing"
 
 	"github.com/rubenv/pgtest"
@@ -96,3 +101,90 @@ func TestAdditionalArgs(t *testing.T) {
 	err = pg.Stop()
 	assert.NoError(err)
 }
+
+func TestWrongDbNameAndPassword(t *testing.T) {
+	testDbWithUserNameAndPassword(t, "wrongdbName", "wrongPassword", false)
+}
+
+func TestWrongDbName(t *testing.T) {
+	testDbWithUserNameAndPassword(t, "wrongdbName", "correctpassword", false)
+}
+
+func TestWrongDbPassword(t *testing.T) {
+	testDbWithUserNameAndPassword(t, "correctdbname", "wrongpassword", false)
+}
+
+func TestCorrectCredentials(t *testing.T) {
+	testDbWithUserNameAndPassword(t, "correctdbname", "correctpassword", true)
+}
+
+// util functions for the dbname/password tests
+func testDbWithUserNameAndPassword(t *testing.T, databaseName, password string, assertErrorNil bool) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	assert := assert.New(t)
+
+	pg, err := pgtest.New().SetDbName("correctdbname").SetPassword("correctpassword").Start()
+	assert.NoError(err)
+	assert.NotNil(pg)
+
+	// connect using username and password via a different connection
+	// using the sockDir.
+	dsn := makeDsn(getSockDir(pg, t), databaseName, password)
+	// not testing the error returned by Open, because
+	// sometimes it returns without connecting.
+	// so we use .Ping to get the actual error.
+	connection, _ := sql.Open("postgres", dsn)
+	err = connection.Ping()
+	if assertErrorNil {
+		assert.NoError(err)
+	} else {
+		assert.Error(err)
+	}
+
+	err = connection.Close()
+	assert.NoError(err)
+
+	err = pg.Stop()
+	assert.NoError(err)
+}
+
+func pgUser() string {
+	currentUser, err := user.Current()
+	isRoot := currentUser.Username == "root"
+	if isRoot {
+		return "postgres"
+	}
+	if err != nil {
+		return "postgres" // fallback to postgres if we can't get the current user
+	}
+	return currentUser.Username
+}
+
+func makeDsn(sockDir, dbname, password string) string {
+	dsnUser := ""
+	dsnPassword := ""
+	user := pgUser()
+	// add user if defined
+	if user != "" {
+		dsnUser = fmt.Sprintf("user=%s", user)
+	}
+	// add password if defined
+	if password != "" {
+		dsnPassword = fmt.Sprintf("password=%s", password)
+	}
+	return fmt.Sprintf("host=%s dbname=%s %s %s", sockDir, dbname, dsnUser, dsnPassword)
+}
+
+func getSockDir(pg *pgtest.PG, t *testing.T) string {
+	// Use reflection to access the private 'dir' field
+	pgValue := reflect.ValueOf(pg).Elem()
+	dirField := pgValue.FieldByName("dir")
+	if !dirField.IsValid() {
+		t.Fatal("Unable to find 'dir' field in PostgreSQL struct")
+	}
+
+	dbRoot := dirField.String()
+
+	return filepath.Join(dbRoot, "sock")
+}