diff --git a/applications/20-databases/databases.yaml b/applications/20-databases/databases.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4be738f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/applications/20-databases/databases.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+---
+apiVersion: argoproj.io/v1alpha1
+kind: ApplicationSet
+metadata:
+  name: home-server-databases
+  namespace: argocd
+spec:
+  goTemplate: true
+  generators:
+    - list:
+        elements:
+          - name: mariadb-operators
+            path: applications/20-databases/mariadb-operators
+            wave: 1
+  template:
+    metadata:
+      name: '{{.name}}'
+    spec:
+      project: default
+      source:
+        repoURL: 'https://repobase.net/j/home-server.git'
+        targetRevision: HEAD
+        path: '{{.path}}'
+      destination:
+        server: 'https://kubernetes.default.svc'
+        namespace: database
+      syncPolicy:
+        automated:
+          prune: true
+          selfHeal: true
+        syncOptions:
+          - CreateNamespace=true
+          - SyncWave={{.wave}}
diff --git a/applications/20-databases/mariadb-operators/mariadb-operators.yaml b/applications/20-databases/mariadb-operators/mariadb-operators.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..51ba483
--- /dev/null
+++ b/applications/20-databases/mariadb-operators/mariadb-operators.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+---
+apiVersion: argoproj.io/v1alpha1
+kind: Application
+metadata:
+  name: mariadb-operator-crds
+  namespace: argocd
+spec:
+  project: default
+  source:
+    repoURL: "https://charts.mariadb.com/mariadb-operator"
+    chart: "mariadb-operator-crds"
+    targetRevision: "0.38.1"
+    helm:
+      releaseName: "mariadb-operator-crds"
+  destination:
+    server: "https://kubernetes.default.svc"
+    namespace: database
+  syncPolicy:
+    automated:
+      prune: true
+      selfHeal: true
+    syncOptions:
+      - CreateNamespace=true
+      - ApplyOutOfSyncOnly=true
+      - SkipHooks=false
+      - SyncWave=0  # ensure this is applied first
+
+---
+apiVersion: argoproj.io/v1alpha1
+kind: Application
+metadata:
+  name: mariadb-operator
+  namespace: argocd
+spec:
+  project: default
+  source:
+    repoURL: "https://charts.mariadb.com/mariadb-operator"
+    chart: "mariadb-operator"
+    targetRevision: "0.38.1"
+    helm:
+      releaseName: "mariadb-operator"
+  destination:
+    server: "https://kubernetes.default.svc"
+    namespace: database
+  syncPolicy:
+    automated:
+      prune: true
+      selfHeal: true
+    syncOptions:
+      - CreateNamespace=true
+      - ApplyOutOfSyncOnly=true
+      - SkipHooks=false
+      - SyncWave=1  # ensure this waits for mariadb-operator-crds
diff --git a/deploy/server.yaml b/deploy/server.yaml
index 02c6e40..2457b37 100644
--- a/deploy/server.yaml
+++ b/deploy/server.yaml
@@ -5,9 +5,7 @@ metadata:
   name: home-server-applications
   namespace: argocd
 spec:
-
   goTemplate: true
-
   generators:
     - list:
         elements:
@@ -16,6 +14,11 @@ spec:
             namespace: home-server
             wave: 1
 
+          - name: databases
+            path: applications/20-databases
+            namespace: home-server
+            wave: 1
+
   template:
     metadata:
       name: "{{.name}}"