diff --git a/config/alfresco/avm-console-context.xml b/config/alfresco/avm-console-context.xml
index 4bd1aaa7f5..445dd4b357 100644
--- a/config/alfresco/avm-console-context.xml
+++ b/config/alfresco/avm-console-context.xml
@@ -12,6 +12,34 @@
 			</list>
 		</property>
 	</bean>
+	
+	<!-- A read only DefaultTransactionDefinition -->
+	<bean id="readOnlyTransactionDefinition" 
+		class="org.springframework.transaction.support.DefaultTransactionDefinition">
+		<property name="propagationBehaviorName">
+			<value>PROPAGATION_REQUIRES_NEW</value>
+		</property>
+		<property name="isolationLevelName">
+			<value>ISOLATION_READ_COMMITTED</value>
+		</property>
+		<property name="readOnly">
+			<value>true</value>
+		</property>
+	</bean>
+
+	<!-- A write DefaultTransactionDefinition -->
+	<bean id="writeTransactionDefinition" 
+		class="org.springframework.transaction.support.DefaultTransactionDefinition">
+		<property name="propagationBehaviorName">
+			<value>PROPAGATION_REQUIRES_NEW</value>
+		</property>
+		<property name="isolationLevelName">
+			<value>ISOLATION_READ_COMMITTED</value>
+		</property>
+		<property name="readOnly">
+			<value>false</value>
+		</property>
+	</bean>
 
 	<!-- Datasource -->
     <bean id="dataSource" class="com.mchange.v2.c3p0.ComboPooledDataSource" destroy-method="close">
@@ -36,6 +64,9 @@
         <property name="numHelperThreads" >
             <value>1</value>
         </property>
+        <property name="idleConnectionTestPeriod">
+        	<value>60</value>
+        </property>
     </bean>
 
 	<!-- The SessionFactory for hibernate. -->
diff --git a/config/alfresco/avm-console.properties b/config/alfresco/avm-console.properties
index c12eccf301..30b1384f15 100644
--- a/config/alfresco/avm-console.properties
+++ b/config/alfresco/avm-console.properties
@@ -12,6 +12,6 @@ hibernate.connection.isolation=2
 hibernate.default_batch_fetch_size=16
 hibernate.jdbc.batch_versioned_data=true
 hibernate.cache.use_second_level_cache=true
-hibernate.hbm2ddl.auto=update
+hibernate.hbm2ddl.auto=create
 # AVM specific properties.
-avm.initialize=false
+avm.initialize=true
diff --git a/config/alfresco/avm-test-context.xml b/config/alfresco/avm-test-context.xml
index e3da45b53a..33c4a9bd40 100644
--- a/config/alfresco/avm-test-context.xml
+++ b/config/alfresco/avm-test-context.xml
@@ -36,6 +36,9 @@
         <property name="numHelperThreads">
             <value>1</value>
         </property>
+        <property name="idleConnectionTestPeriod">
+        	<value>60</value>
+        </property>
     </bean>
 
 	<!-- The SessionFactory for hibernate. -->