diff --git a/machines/theo-server/deploy/rattail/catapult/freetds.conf.mako b/machines/theo-server/deploy/rattail/catapult/freetds.conf.mako
index 6f7a235..33f85ed 100644
--- a/machines/theo-server/deploy/rattail/catapult/freetds.conf.mako
+++ b/machines/theo-server/deploy/rattail/catapult/freetds.conf.mako
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 ## -*- mode: conf; -*-
 
-[catapult-default]
+[catapult-production]
     host = ${env.catapult_host}
     port = 2638
     # https://www.freetds.org/userguide/ChoosingTdsProtocol.html
diff --git a/machines/theo-server/deploy/rattail/catapult/odbc.ini b/machines/theo-server/deploy/rattail/catapult/odbc.ini
index ffac956..89542ba 100644
--- a/machines/theo-server/deploy/rattail/catapult/odbc.ini
+++ b/machines/theo-server/deploy/rattail/catapult/odbc.ini
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 
-[catapult-default]
+[catapult-production]
 Description = ECRS Catapult
 Driver = /usr/local/lib/libtdsodbc.so
-ServerName = catapult-default
+ServerName = catapult-production
 ServerDSN = prototype
 
 # [catapult-tj-default]
diff --git a/machines/theo-server/deploy/theo-common/catapult-mirror.conf b/machines/theo-server/deploy/theo-common/catapult-mirror.conf
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3554b76
--- /dev/null
+++ b/machines/theo-server/deploy/theo-common/catapult-mirror.conf
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+
+############################################################
+#
+# config for Catapult "mirror" DB
+#
+############################################################
+
+
+##############################
+# rattail
+##############################
+
+[rattail.config]
+include = %(here)s/rattail.conf
+
+
+##############################
+# alembic
+##############################
+
+[alembic]
+script_location = rattail_onager.catapult.db:alembic
+version_locations = rattail_onager.catapult.db:alembic/versions
diff --git a/machines/theo-server/deploy/theo-common/mirror-catapult-first.sh.mako b/machines/theo-server/deploy/theo-common/mirror-catapult-first.sh.mako
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..0f6c541
--- /dev/null
+++ b/machines/theo-server/deploy/theo-common/mirror-catapult-first.sh.mako
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+#!/bin/sh -e
+
+# sanity check
+if [ "$USER" != 'rattail' ]; then
+    echo ''
+    echo "Please run this script as 'rattail' user:"
+    echo ''
+    echo "   sudo -u rattail $0"
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+cd ${envroot}
+
+RATTAIL_ONAGER='bin/rattail-onager -c app/quiet.conf -P --no-versioning'
+
+$RATTAIL_ONAGER import-catapult --dbkey production --warnings
diff --git a/machines/theo-server/deploy/theo-common/rattail.conf.mako b/machines/theo-server/deploy/theo-common/rattail.conf.mako
index e0a0e4d..6214c22 100644
--- a/machines/theo-server/deploy/theo-common/rattail.conf.mako
+++ b/machines/theo-server/deploy/theo-common/rattail.conf.mako
@@ -45,8 +45,23 @@ default.pool_recycle = 3600
 # Catapult
 <%text>##############################</%text>
 
+[catapult]
+url = https://${env.catapult_host}/weboffice/
+
 [catapult.db]
-default.url = catapult://${env.catapult_odbc_username}:${env.catapult_odbc_password}@catapult-default
+% if env.theo_mirror_posdb == 'mysql':
+keys = default, mirror, production
+default.url = mysql+mysqlconnector://rattail:${env.password_mysql_rattail}@localhost/${mirrordb}
+mirror.url = mysql+mysqlconnector://rattail:${env.password_mysql_rattail}@localhost/${mirrordb}
+production.url = catapult://${env.catapult_odbc_username}:${env.catapult_odbc_password}@catapult-production
+% elif env.theo_mirror_posdb == 'postgresql':
+keys = default, mirror, production
+default.url = postgresql://rattail:${env.password_postgresql_rattail}@localhost/${mirrordb}
+mirror.url = postgresql://rattail:${env.password_postgresql_rattail}@localhost/${mirrordb}
+production.url = catapult://${env.catapult_odbc_username}:${env.catapult_odbc_password}@catapult-production
+% else:
+default.url = catapult://${env.catapult_odbc_username}:${env.catapult_odbc_password}@catapult-production
+% endif
 
 ## end catapult
 % endif
diff --git a/machines/theo-server/fabenv.py.dist b/machines/theo-server/fabenv.py.dist
index b764f84..6c7ab0b 100644
--- a/machines/theo-server/fabenv.py.dist
+++ b/machines/theo-server/fabenv.py.dist
@@ -21,20 +21,27 @@ env.machine_is_live = False
 # stable
 ##############################
 
-# for a list of possible time zone values, see
-# https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tz_database_time_zones#List
-env.timezone = 'America/Chicago'
-
 # set this to the POS system you wish to integrate with, if any
 env.theo_integrates_with = None
 #env.theo_integrates_with = 'corepos'
 #env.theo_integrates_with = 'catapult'
 #env.theo_integrates_with = 'locsms'
 
+# if you wish to "mirror" your POS DB, set this to the type of DB service which
+# should contain the mirror.  this mirror DB will exist alongside Theo, i.e. on
+# the same machine.  (note that this feature only works for Catapult)
+env.theo_mirror_posdb = None
+#env.theo_mirror_posdb = 'mysql'
+#env.theo_mirror_posdb = 'postgresql'
+
 # default admin user credentials for Theo web app
 env.theo_admin_username = 'username'
 env.theo_admin_password = 'password'
 
+# for a list of possible time zone values, see
+# https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tz_database_time_zones#List
+env.timezone = 'America/Chicago'
+
 # default sender and recipients for all emails
 env.email_default_sender = 'rattail@localhost'
 env.email_default_recipients = ['root@localhost']
@@ -42,6 +49,9 @@ env.email_default_recipients = ['root@localhost']
 # this is for the 'rattail' user within PostgreSQL
 env.password_postgresql_rattail = 'password'
 
+# this is for the 'rattail' user within MySQL (if needed for mirror DB)
+env.password_mysql_rattail = 'password'
+
 # this is used to secure the user session and/or cookie for the web app
 env.theo_beaker_secret = 'ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRST'
 
diff --git a/machines/theo-server/fabfile.py b/machines/theo-server/fabfile.py
index 65954d9..d79cb3c 100644
--- a/machines/theo-server/fabfile.py
+++ b/machines/theo-server/fabfile.py
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ import datetime
 from fabric2 import task
 
 from rattail.core import Object
-from rattail_fabric2 import make_deploy, apt, postfix, postgresql, exists, make_system_user, mkdir
+from rattail_fabric2 import make_deploy, apt, mysql, postfix, postgresql, exists, make_system_user, mkdir
 
 
 env = Object()
@@ -54,6 +54,11 @@ def bootstrap_base(c):
     postgresql.install(c)
     postgresql.create_user(c, 'rattail', password=env.password_postgresql_rattail)
 
+    # mysql (maybe)
+    if env.theo_mirror_posdb == 'mysql':
+        mysql.install(c)
+        mysql.create_user(c, 'rattail', password=env.password_mysql_rattail)
+
     # python
     mkdir(c, '/srv/envs', use_sudo=True, owner='rattail:')
     apt.install(
@@ -132,6 +137,10 @@ def install_theo_app(c, envname, production, port, from_source=False,
     safename = envname.replace('-', '_')
     envroot = '/srv/envs/{}'.format(envname)
 
+    mirrordb = None
+    if env.theo_integrates_with == 'catapult':
+        mirrordb = 'catapult-mirror' if production else 'catapult-mirror-stage'
+
     c.sudo('supervisorctl stop {}:'.format(safename), warn=True)
 
     # virtualenv
@@ -143,6 +152,8 @@ def install_theo_app(c, envname, production, port, from_source=False,
            context={'env': env, 'envroot': envroot})
     c.sudo('touch {}/pip.log'.format(envroot), user='rattail')
     c.sudo('chmod 0600 {}/pip.log'.format(envroot))
+    c.sudo('PIP_CONFIG_FILE={0}/pip.conf {0}/bin/pip install ipdb'.format(envroot),
+           user='rattail')
 
     # theo
     if from_source:
@@ -168,7 +179,8 @@ def install_theo_app(c, envname, production, port, from_source=False,
     # config
     deploy(c, 'theo-common/rattail.conf.mako', '{}/app/rattail.conf'.format(envroot),
            use_sudo=True, owner='rattail:', mode='0600',
-           context={'env': env, 'envroot': envroot, 'dbname': dbname, 'production': production})
+           context={'env': env, 'envroot': envroot, 'dbname': dbname,
+                    'production': production, 'mirrordb': mirrordb})
     if not exists(c, '{}/app/quiet.conf'.format(envroot)):
         c.sudo("bash -c 'cd {} && bin/rattail make-config -T quiet -O app/'".format(envroot),
                user='rattail')
@@ -178,6 +190,10 @@ def install_theo_app(c, envname, production, port, from_source=False,
     deploy(c, 'theo-common/cron.conf.mako', '{}/app/cron.conf'.format(envroot),
            use_sudo=True, owner='rattail:',
            context={'envroot': envroot})
+    if env.theo_mirror_posdb:
+        if env.theo_integrates_with == 'catapult':
+            deploy(c, 'theo-common/catapult-mirror.conf', '{}/app/catapult-mirror.conf'.format(envroot),
+                   use_sudo=True, owner='rattail:')
 
     # scripts
     deploy(c, 'theo-common/upgrade.sh.mako', '{}/app/upgrade.sh'.format(envroot),
@@ -200,6 +216,10 @@ def install_theo_app(c, envname, production, port, from_source=False,
         deploy(c, 'theo-common/import-catapult-first.sh.mako', '{}/app/import-catapult-first.sh'.format(envroot),
                use_sudo=True, owner='rattail:', mode='0755',
                context={'envroot': envroot})
+        if env.theo_mirror_posdb:
+            deploy(c, 'theo-common/mirror-catapult-first.sh.mako', '{}/app/mirror-catapult-first.sh'.format(envroot),
+                   use_sudo=True, owner='rattail:', mode='0755',
+                   context={'envroot': envroot})
     elif env.theo_integrates_with == 'locsms':
         deploy(c, 'theo-common/import-locsms-first.sh.mako', '{}/app/import-locsms-first.sh'.format(envroot),
                use_sudo=True, owner='rattail:', mode='0755',
@@ -241,6 +261,19 @@ def install_theo_app(c, envname, production, port, from_source=False,
             c.sudo("bash -c 'cd {} && bin/rattail -c app/quiet.conf --runas theo make-user --no-password locsms'".format(envroot),
                    user='rattail')
 
+        # tweaks for mirror DB
+        if env.theo_mirror_posdb and env.theo_integrates_with == 'catapult':
+            postgresql.sql(c, "insert into setting values ('tailbone.engines.catapult.pretend_default', 'mirror')",
+                           database=dbname)
+
+    # maybe establish the mirror DB
+    if env.theo_mirror_posdb == 'mysql':
+        if env.theo_integrates_with == 'catapult':
+            if not mysql.db_exists(c, mirrordb):
+                mysql.create_db(c, mirrordb, checkfirst=False, user='rattail@localhost')
+                c.sudo("bash -c 'cd {} && bin/alembic -c app/catapult-mirror.conf upgrade heads'".format(envroot),
+                       user='rattail')
+
     # supervisor
     deploy(c, 'theo-common/supervisor.conf.mako', '/etc/supervisor/conf.d/{}.conf'.format(safename),
            use_sudo=True, context={'envroot': envroot, 'safename': safename})