diff --git a/build/templates/UmbracoProject/.template.config/template.json b/build/templates/UmbracoProject/.template.config/template.json
index 1512ce597b..3d4f197164 100644
--- a/build/templates/UmbracoProject/.template.config/template.json
+++ b/build/templates/UmbracoProject/.template.config/template.json
@@ -282,6 +282,10 @@
                 ]
               }
         },
+        "HasConnectionString":{
+            "type": "computed",
+            "value": "(ConnectionString != \"\")"
+        },
         "HasNoNodesViewPath":{
             "type": "computed",
             "value": "(NoNodesViewPath != \"\")"
diff --git a/build/templates/UmbracoProject/appsettings.Development.json b/build/templates/UmbracoProject/appsettings.Development.json
index 59b6882a6b..dad70ac5d8 100644
--- a/build/templates/UmbracoProject/appsettings.Development.json
+++ b/build/templates/UmbracoProject/appsettings.Development.json
@@ -17,9 +17,11 @@
       }
     ]
   },
+  //#if (HasConnectionString)
   "ConnectionStrings": {
     "umbracoDbDSN": "CONNECTION_FROM_TEMPLATE"
   },
+  //#endif
   "Umbraco": {
     "CMS": {
       "Content": {