diff --git a/go/cmd/vtcombo/main.go b/go/cmd/vtcombo/main.go
index 62afaa640bd..fc6ea0ca227 100644
--- a/go/cmd/vtcombo/main.go
+++ b/go/cmd/vtcombo/main.go
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ package main
 
 import (
 	"flag"
+	"os"
 	"strings"
 	"time"
 
@@ -53,6 +54,10 @@ var (
 
 	schemaDir = flag.String("schema_dir", "", "Schema base directory. Should contain one directory per keyspace, with a vschema.json file if necessary.")
 
+	startMysql = flag.Bool("start_mysql", false, "Should vtcombo also start mysql")
+
+	mysqlPort = flag.Int("mysql_port", 3306, "mysql port")
+
 	ts              *topo.Server
 	resilientServer *srvtopo.ResilientServer
 	healthCheck     discovery.LegacyHealthCheck
@@ -62,6 +67,44 @@ func init() {
 	servenv.RegisterDefaultFlags()
 }
 
+func startMysqld(uid uint32) (*mysqlctl.Mysqld, *mysqlctl.Mycnf) {
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 30*time.Second)
+	mycnfFile := mysqlctl.MycnfFile(uid)
+
+	var mysqld *mysqlctl.Mysqld
+	var cnf *mysqlctl.Mycnf
+	var err error
+
+	if _, statErr := os.Stat(mycnfFile); os.IsNotExist(statErr) {
+		mysqld, cnf, err = mysqlctl.CreateMysqldAndMycnf(uid, "", int32(*mysqlPort))
+		if err != nil {
+			log.Errorf("failed to initialize mysql config :%v", err)
+			exit.Return(1)
+		}
+		if err := mysqld.Init(ctx, cnf, ""); err != nil {
+			log.Errorf("failed to initialize mysql :%v", err)
+			exit.Return(1)
+		}
+	} else {
+		mysqld, cnf, err = mysqlctl.OpenMysqldAndMycnf(uid)
+		if err != nil {
+			log.Errorf("failed to find mysql config: %v", err)
+			exit.Return(1)
+		}
+		err = mysqld.RefreshConfig(ctx, cnf)
+		if err != nil {
+			log.Errorf("failed to refresh config: %v", err)
+			exit.Return(1)
+		}
+		if err := mysqld.Start(ctx, cnf); err != nil {
+			log.Errorf("Failed to start mysqld: %v", err)
+			exit.Return(1)
+		}
+	}
+	cancel()
+	return mysqld, cnf
+}
+
 func main() {
 	defer exit.Recover()
 
@@ -97,14 +140,30 @@ func main() {
 	servenv.Init()
 	tabletenv.Init()
 
-	dbconfigs.GlobalDBConfigs.InitWithSocket("")
-	mysqld := mysqlctl.NewMysqld(&dbconfigs.GlobalDBConfigs)
-	servenv.OnClose(mysqld.Close)
+	var mysqld *mysqlctl.Mysqld
+	var cnf *mysqlctl.Mycnf
+	if *startMysql {
+		mysqld, cnf = startMysqld(1)
+		servenv.OnClose(func() {
+			mysqld.Shutdown(context.TODO(), cnf, true)
+		})
+		// We want to ensure we can write to this database
+		mysqld.SetReadOnly(false)
+
+	} else {
+		dbconfigs.GlobalDBConfigs.InitWithSocket("")
+		mysqld = mysqlctl.NewMysqld(&dbconfigs.GlobalDBConfigs)
+		servenv.OnClose(mysqld.Close)
+	}
 
 	// tablets configuration and init.
 	// Send mycnf as nil because vtcombo won't do backups and restores.
-	if err := vtcombo.InitTabletMap(ts, tpb, mysqld, &dbconfigs.GlobalDBConfigs, *schemaDir, nil); err != nil {
+	if err := vtcombo.InitTabletMap(ts, tpb, mysqld, &dbconfigs.GlobalDBConfigs, *schemaDir, nil, *startMysql); err != nil {
 		log.Errorf("initTabletMapProto failed: %v", err)
+		// ensure we start mysql in the event we fail here
+		if *startMysql {
+			mysqld.Shutdown(context.TODO(), cnf, true)
+		}
 		exit.Return(1)
 	}
 
@@ -112,6 +171,9 @@ func main() {
 	for _, ks := range tpb.Keyspaces {
 		err := topotools.RebuildKeyspace(context.Background(), logutil.NewConsoleLogger(), ts, ks.GetName(), tpb.Cells)
 		if err != nil {
+			if *startMysql {
+				mysqld.Shutdown(context.TODO(), cnf, true)
+			}
 			log.Fatalf("Couldn't build srv keyspace for (%v: %v). Got error: %v", ks, tpb.Cells, err)
 		}
 	}
@@ -138,6 +200,7 @@ func main() {
 	})
 
 	servenv.OnTerm(func() {
+		log.Error("Terminating")
 		// FIXME(alainjobart): stop vtgate
 	})
 	servenv.OnClose(func() {
diff --git a/go/vt/vtcombo/tablet_map.go b/go/vt/vtcombo/tablet_map.go
index cb711f5b80a..d8a39117549 100644
--- a/go/vt/vtcombo/tablet_map.go
+++ b/go/vt/vtcombo/tablet_map.go
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ func CreateTablet(ctx context.Context, ts *topo.Server, cell string, uid uint32,
 
 // InitTabletMap creates the action agents and associated data structures
 // for all tablets, based on the vttest proto parameter.
-func InitTabletMap(ts *topo.Server, tpb *vttestpb.VTTestTopology, mysqld mysqlctl.MysqlDaemon, dbcfgs *dbconfigs.DBConfigs, schemaDir string, mycnf *mysqlctl.Mycnf) error {
+func InitTabletMap(ts *topo.Server, tpb *vttestpb.VTTestTopology, mysqld mysqlctl.MysqlDaemon, dbcfgs *dbconfigs.DBConfigs, schemaDir string, mycnf *mysqlctl.Mycnf, ensureDatabase bool) error {
 	tabletMap = make(map[uint32]*tablet)
 
 	ctx := context.Background()
@@ -190,6 +190,20 @@ func InitTabletMap(ts *topo.Server, tpb *vttestpb.VTTestTopology, mysqld mysqlct
 						rdonlys = 1
 					}
 
+					if ensureDatabase {
+						// Create Database if not exist
+						conn, err := mysqld.GetDbaConnection(context.TODO())
+						if err != nil {
+							return fmt.Errorf("GetConnection failed: %v", err)
+						}
+						defer conn.Close()
+
+						_, err = conn.ExecuteFetch("CREATE DATABASE IF NOT EXISTS `"+dbname+"`", 1, false)
+						if err != nil {
+							return fmt.Errorf("Error ensuring database exists: %v", err)
+						}
+
+					}
 					if cell == tpb.Cells[0] {
 						replicas--