diff --git a/.github/workflows/test.yml b/.github/workflows/test.yml
index 500d14fb7aa..468c12215a7 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test.yml
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ jobs:
         CI: true
         NODE_ENV: test
     - run: npm run test:sanity
-  
+
   common:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     strategy:
@@ -122,13 +122,13 @@ jobs:
         CI: true
         NODE_ENV: test
     - run: npm run test:content
-  
+
   api-unit:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     strategy:
       matrix:
         node-version: [21.x]
-        mongodb-version: [4.2]
+        mongodb-version: [7.0]
     steps:
     - uses: actions/checkout@v4
       with:
@@ -137,11 +137,13 @@ jobs:
       uses: actions/setup-node@v4
       with:
         node-version: ${{ matrix.node-version }}
+
     - name: Start MongoDB ${{ matrix.mongodb-version }} Replica Set
-      uses: supercharge/mongodb-github-action@1.3.0
+      uses: supercharge/mongodb-github-action@1.11.0
       with:
         mongodb-version: ${{ matrix.mongodb-version }}
         mongodb-replica-set: rs
+
     - run: sudo apt update
     - run: sudo apt -y install libkrb5-dev
     - run: cp config.json.example config.json
@@ -151,15 +153,19 @@ jobs:
       env:
         CI: true
         NODE_ENV: test
+
+    #- run: npm run mongo:dev -- -d
     - run: npm run test:api:unit
       env:
         REQUIRES_SERVER=true: true
+
+    #- run: npm run mongo:dev:down
   api-v3-integration:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     strategy:
       matrix:
         node-version: [21.x]
-        mongodb-version: [4.2]
+        mongodb-version: [7.0]
     steps:
     - uses: actions/checkout@v4
       with:
@@ -169,10 +175,11 @@ jobs:
       with:
         node-version: ${{ matrix.node-version }}
     - name: Start MongoDB ${{ matrix.mongodb-version }} Replica Set
-      uses: supercharge/mongodb-github-action@1.3.0
+      uses: supercharge/mongodb-github-action@1.11.0
       with:
         mongodb-version: ${{ matrix.mongodb-version }}
         mongodb-replica-set: rs
+
     - run: sudo apt update
     - run: sudo apt -y install libkrb5-dev
     - run: cp config.json.example config.json
@@ -182,15 +189,20 @@ jobs:
       env:
         CI: true
         NODE_ENV: test
+
+    #- run: npm run mongo:dev -- -d
     - run: npm run test:api-v3:integration
       env:
         REQUIRES_SERVER=true: true
+
+    #- run: npm run mongo:dev:down
   api-v4-integration:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     strategy:
       matrix:
         node-version: [21.x]
-        mongodb-version: [4.2]
+        mongodb-version: [7.0]
+
     steps:
     - uses: actions/checkout@v4
       with:
@@ -200,10 +212,11 @@ jobs:
       with:
         node-version: ${{ matrix.node-version }}
     - name: Start MongoDB ${{ matrix.mongodb-version }} Replica Set
-      uses: supercharge/mongodb-github-action@1.3.0
+      uses: supercharge/mongodb-github-action@1.11.0
       with:
         mongodb-version: ${{ matrix.mongodb-version }}
         mongodb-replica-set: rs
+
     - run: sudo apt update
     - run: sudo apt -y install libkrb5-dev
     - run: cp config.json.example config.json
@@ -213,10 +226,13 @@ jobs:
       env:
         CI: true
         NODE_ENV: test
+    #- run: npm run mongo:dev -- -d
     - run: npm run test:api-v4:integration
       env:
         REQUIRES_SERVER=true: true
 
+
+    #- run: npm run mongo:dev:down
   client-unit:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     strategy:
diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index f80fc6ce3dc..817161d4153 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -47,5 +47,5 @@ webpack.webstorm.config
 
 # mongodb replica set for local dev
 mongodb-*.tgz
-/mongodb-data
+/mongodb-data*
 /.nyc_output
diff --git a/config.json.example b/config.json.example
index 9a50e86a222..7db0787a524 100644
--- a/config.json.example
+++ b/config.json.example
@@ -34,8 +34,8 @@
   "LOGGLY_TOKEN": "example-token",
   "LOG_REQUESTS_EXCESSIVE_MODE": "false",
   "MAINTENANCE_MODE": "false",
-  "NODE_DB_URI": "mongodb://localhost:27017/habitica-dev?replicaSet=rs",
-  "TEST_DB_URI": "mongodb://localhost:27017/habitica-test?replicaSet=rs",
+  "NODE_DB_URI": "mongodb://localhost:27017/habitica-dev?replicaSet=rs&directConnection=true&readPreference=secondary",
+  "TEST_DB_URI": "mongodb://localhost:27017/habitica-test?replicaSet=rs&directConnection=true&readPreference=secondary",
   "MONGODB_POOL_SIZE": "10",
   "MONGODB_SOCKET_TIMEOUT": "20000",
   "NODE_ENV": "development",
diff --git a/docker-compose.dev.yml b/docker-compose.dev.yml
index 56dba30aeb0..483f6292c89 100644
--- a/docker-compose.dev.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.dev.yml
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ services:
       - .:/usr/src/habitica
       - /usr/src/habitica/node_modules
   mongo:
-    image: mongo:5.0.23
+    image: mongo:7.0
     restart: unless-stopped
     command: ["--replSet", "rs", "--bind_ip_all", "--port", "27017"]
     healthcheck:
diff --git a/docker-compose.mongo-local.yml b/docker-compose.mongo-local.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..7a6dd4de29f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docker-compose.mongo-local.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+# big thanks to https://pakisan.github.io/posts/docker-compose-mongodb-single-node-replica-set/ <3
+
+version: "3.9"
+networks:
+  mongodb-network:
+    name: "mongodb-network"
+    driver: bridge
+services:
+  mongodb:
+    image: "mongo:7.0"
+    container_name: "mongodb"
+    networks:
+      - mongodb-network
+    hostname: "mongodb"
+    ports:
+      - "27017:27017"
+    restart: "unless-stopped"
+    volumes:
+      - "./mongodb-data:/data/db"
+    entrypoint: [ "/usr/bin/mongod", "--bind_ip_all", "--replSet", "rs" ]
+  mongoinit:
+    image: "mongo:7.0"
+    container_name: "mongodb_replSet_initializer"
+    restart: "on-failure" # WITHOUT THIS, the initializer tries only once and fails
+    depends_on:
+      - mongodb
+    networks:
+      - mongodb-network
+
+    command: >
+      mongosh --host mongodb:27017 --eval "rs.initiate({
+       _id: \"rs\",
+       members: [
+         {_id: 0, host: \"mongodb\"}
+       ]
+      })"
+
diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
index 8ef78d4eea8..1b35748435e 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ services:
       - mongo
 
   mongo:
-    image: mongo:3.6
+    image: mongo:7.0
     ports:
       - "27017:27017"
     networks:
diff --git a/gulp/gulp-build.js b/gulp/gulp-build.js
index 11f91b454f2..2db606debe5 100644
--- a/gulp/gulp-build.js
+++ b/gulp/gulp-build.js
@@ -5,8 +5,8 @@ import path from 'path';
 import babel from 'gulp-babel';
 import os from 'os';
 import fs from 'fs';
-import spawn from 'cross-spawn'; // eslint-disable-line import/no-extraneous-dependencies
-import clean from 'rimraf';
+/* import spawn from 'cross-spawn'; // eslint-disable-line import/no-extraneous-dependencies
+import clean from 'rimraf'; */
 
 gulp.task('build:babel:server', () => gulp.src('website/server/**/*.js')
   .pipe(babel())
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ gulp.task('build:prepare-mongo', async () => {
   console.log('MongoDB data folder is missing, setting up.'); // eslint-disable-line no-console
 
   // use run-rs without --keep, kill it as soon as the replica set starts
-  const runRsProcess = spawn('run-rs', ['-v', '4.1.1', '-l', 'ubuntu1804', '--dbpath', 'mongodb-data', '--number', '1', '--quiet']);
+  /* const runRsProcess = spawn('node', ['../scripts/start-local-mongo.mjs --build-db']);
 
   for await (const chunk of runRsProcess.stdout) {
     const stringChunk = chunk.toString();
@@ -79,6 +79,8 @@ gulp.task('build:prepare-mongo', async () => {
 
     throw new Error(`Error running run-rs: ${error}`);
   }
+
+   */
 });
 
 gulp.task('build:dev', gulp.series(
diff --git a/gulp/gulp-tests.js b/gulp/gulp-tests.js
index 64ac63902f5..1c9673f1e68 100644
--- a/gulp/gulp-tests.js
+++ b/gulp/gulp-tests.js
@@ -59,6 +59,11 @@ gulp.task('test:prepare:mongo', cb => {
   const mongooseOptions = getDefaultConnectionOptions();
   const connectionUrl = getDevelopmentConnectionUrl(TEST_DB_URI);
 
+  console.info({
+    mongooseOptions,
+    connectionUrl,
+  });
+
   mongoose.connect(connectionUrl, mongooseOptions)
     .then(() => mongoose.connection.dropDatabase())
     .then(() => mongoose.connection.close()).then(() => {
diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index 7ed876e630a..753361bf685 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -94,6 +94,7 @@
         "chalk": "^5.3.0",
         "cross-spawn": "^7.0.3",
         "mocha": "^5.1.1",
+        "mongodb-memory-server": "^10.1.2",
         "monk": "^7.3.4",
         "nyc": "^15.1.0",
         "require-again": "^2.0.0",
@@ -3044,10 +3045,10 @@
       "integrity": "sha512-3wdGidZyq5PB084XLES5TpOSRA3wjXAlIWMhum2kRcv/41Sn2emQ0dycQW4uZXLejwKvg6EsvbdlVL+FYEct7A=="
     },
     "node_modules/@mongodb-js/saslprep": {
-      "version": "1.1.4",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@mongodb-js/saslprep/-/saslprep-1.1.4.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-8zJ8N1x51xo9hwPh6AWnKdLGEC5N3lDa6kms1YHmFBoRhTpJR6HG8wWk0td1MVCu9cD4YBrvjZEtd5Obw0Fbnw==",
-      "optional": true,
+      "version": "1.1.9",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@mongodb-js/saslprep/-/saslprep-1.1.9.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-tVkljjeEaAhCqTzajSdgbQ6gE6f3oneVwa3iXR6csiEwXXOFsiC6Uh9iAjAhXPtqa/XMDHWjjeNH/77m/Yq2dw==",
+      "devOptional": true,
       "dependencies": {
         "sparse-bitfield": "^3.0.3"
       }
@@ -4725,6 +4726,21 @@
         "semver": "bin/semver"
       }
     },
+    "node_modules/async-mutex": {
+      "version": "0.5.0",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/async-mutex/-/async-mutex-0.5.0.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-1A94B18jkJ3DYq284ohPxoXbfTA5HsQ7/Mf4DEhcyLx3Bz27Rh59iScbB6EPiP+B+joue6YCxcMXSbFC1tZKwA==",
+      "dev": true,
+      "dependencies": {
+        "tslib": "^2.4.0"
+      }
+    },
+    "node_modules/async-mutex/node_modules/tslib": {
+      "version": "2.8.0",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/tslib/-/tslib-2.8.0.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-jWVzBLplnCmoaTr13V9dYbiQ99wvZRd0vNWaDRg+aVYRcjDF3nDksxFDE/+fkXnKhpnUUkmx5pK/v8mCtLVqZA==",
+      "dev": true
+    },
     "node_modules/async-retry": {
       "version": "1.3.3",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/async-retry/-/async-retry-1.3.3.tgz",
@@ -4796,6 +4812,12 @@
         "proxy-from-env": "^1.1.0"
       }
     },
+    "node_modules/b4a": {
+      "version": "1.6.7",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/b4a/-/b4a-1.6.7.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-OnAYlL5b7LEkALw87fUVafQw5rVR9RjwGd4KUwNQ6DrrNmaVaUCgLipfVlzrPQ4tWOR9P0IXGNOx50jYCCdSJg==",
+      "dev": true
+    },
     "node_modules/babel-code-frame": {
       "version": "6.26.0",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/babel-code-frame/-/babel-code-frame-6.26.0.tgz",
@@ -5505,6 +5527,13 @@
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/balanced-match/-/balanced-match-1.0.2.tgz",
       "integrity": "sha512-3oSeUO0TMV67hN1AmbXsK4yaqU7tjiHlbxRDZOpH0KW9+CeX4bRAaX0Anxt0tx2MrpRpWwQaPwIlISEJhYU5Pw=="
     },
+    "node_modules/bare-events": {
+      "version": "2.5.0",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/bare-events/-/bare-events-2.5.0.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-/E8dDe9dsbLyh2qrZ64PEPadOQ0F4gbl1sUJOrmph7xOiIxfY8vwab/4bFLh4Y88/Hk/ujKcrQKc+ps0mv873A==",
+      "dev": true,
+      "optional": true
+    },
     "node_modules/base": {
       "version": "0.11.2",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/base/-/base-0.11.2.tgz",
@@ -6401,9 +6430,9 @@
       }
     },
     "node_modules/bson": {
-      "version": "6.3.0",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/bson/-/bson-6.3.0.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-balJfqwwTBddxfnidJZagCBPP/f48zj9Sdp3OJswREOgsJzHiQSaOIAtApSgDQFYgHqAvFkp53AFSqjMDZoTFw==",
+      "version": "6.9.0",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/bson/-/bson-6.9.0.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-X9hJeyeM0//Fus+0pc5dSUMhhrrmWwQUtdavaQeF3Ta6m69matZkGWV/MrBcnwUeLC8W9kwwc2hfkZgUuCX3Ig==",
       "dev": true,
       "engines": {
         "node": ">=16.20.1"
@@ -7650,11 +7679,11 @@
       "integrity": "sha512-XRRe6Glud4rd/ZGQfiV1ruXSfbvfJedlV9Y6zOlP+2K04vBYiJEte6stfFkCP03aMnY5tsipamumUjL14fofug=="
     },
     "node_modules/debug": {
-      "version": "4.3.4",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/debug/-/debug-4.3.4.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-PRWFHuSU3eDtQJPvnNY7Jcket1j0t5OuOsFzPPzsekD52Zl8qUfFIPEiswXqIvHWGVHOgX+7G/vCNNhehwxfkQ==",
+      "version": "4.3.7",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/debug/-/debug-4.3.7.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-Er2nc/H7RrMXZBFCEim6TCmMk02Z8vLC2Rbi1KEBggpo0fS6l0S1nnapwmIi3yW/+GOJap1Krg4w0Hg80oCqgQ==",
       "dependencies": {
-        "ms": "2.1.2"
+        "ms": "^2.1.3"
       },
       "engines": {
         "node": ">=6.0"
@@ -7665,6 +7694,11 @@
         }
       }
     },
+    "node_modules/debug/node_modules/ms": {
+      "version": "2.1.3",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/ms/-/ms-2.1.3.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-6FlzubTLZG3J2a/NVCAleEhjzq5oxgHyaCU9yYXvcLsvoVaHJq/s5xXI6/XXP6tz7R9xAOtHnSO/tXtF3WRTlA=="
+    },
     "node_modules/decamelize": {
       "version": "1.2.0",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/decamelize/-/decamelize-1.2.0.tgz",
@@ -10347,6 +10381,12 @@
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/fast-deep-equal/-/fast-deep-equal-3.1.3.tgz",
       "integrity": "sha512-f3qQ9oQy9j2AhBe/H9VC91wLmKBCCU/gDOnKNAYG5hswO7BLKj09Hc5HYNz9cGI++xlpDCIgDaitVs03ATR84Q=="
     },
+    "node_modules/fast-fifo": {
+      "version": "1.3.2",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/fast-fifo/-/fast-fifo-1.3.2.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-/d9sfos4yxzpwkDkuN7k2SqFKtYNmCTzgfEpz82x34IM9/zc8KGxQoXg1liNC/izpRM/MBdt44Nmx41ZWqk+FQ==",
+      "dev": true
+    },
     "node_modules/fast-glob": {
       "version": "3.3.2",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/fast-glob/-/fast-glob-3.3.2.tgz",
@@ -10765,9 +10805,9 @@
       "integrity": "sha512-GRnmB5gPyJpAhTQdSZTSp9uaPSvl09KoYcMQtsB9rQoOmzs9dH6ffeccH+Z+cv6P68Hu5bC6JjRh4Ah/mHSNRw=="
     },
     "node_modules/follow-redirects": {
-      "version": "1.15.6",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/follow-redirects/-/follow-redirects-1.15.6.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-wWN62YITEaOpSK584EZXJafH1AGpO8RVgElfkuXbTOrPX4fIfOyEpW/CsiNd8JdYrAoOvafRTOEnvsO++qCqFA==",
+      "version": "1.15.9",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/follow-redirects/-/follow-redirects-1.15.9.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-gew4GsXizNgdoRyqmyfMHyAmXsZDk6mHkSxZFCzW9gwlbtOW44CDtYavM+y+72qD/Vq2l550kMF52DT8fOLJqQ==",
       "funding": [
         {
           "type": "individual",
@@ -14937,7 +14977,7 @@
       "version": "1.5.0",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/memory-pager/-/memory-pager-1.5.0.tgz",
       "integrity": "sha512-ZS4Bp4r/Zoeq6+NLJpP+0Zzm0pR8whtGPf1XExKLJBAczGMnSi3It14OiNCStjQjM6NU1okjQGSxgEZN8eBYKg==",
-      "optional": true
+      "devOptional": true
     },
     "node_modules/meow": {
       "version": "3.7.0",
@@ -15505,6 +15545,420 @@
         "node": ">=0.6.19"
       }
     },
+    "node_modules/mongodb-memory-server": {
+      "version": "10.1.2",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/mongodb-memory-server/-/mongodb-memory-server-10.1.2.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-aDGEWuUVHTiBvaaq03LbpvvSk8IVtepbvp314p1cq7f2xdSpl7igMnYpPfYY5nkks1I5I6OL2ypHjaJj4kBp+g==",
+      "dev": true,
+      "hasInstallScript": true,
+      "dependencies": {
+        "mongodb-memory-server-core": "10.1.2",
+        "tslib": "^2.7.0"
+      },
+      "engines": {
+        "node": ">=16.20.1"
+      }
+    },
+    "node_modules/mongodb-memory-server-core": {
+      "version": "10.1.2",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/mongodb-memory-server-core/-/mongodb-memory-server-core-10.1.2.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-5Wpz712CuDCKTn/40UZ+kMZlav4Y2imbpWuJU5wjuZk6s3+Jg8akTIBW9jQiFS8wgymu6iTg99Iw0XcypsLyQA==",
+      "dev": true,
+      "dependencies": {
+        "async-mutex": "^0.5.0",
+        "camelcase": "^6.3.0",
+        "debug": "^4.3.7",
+        "find-cache-dir": "^3.3.2",
+        "follow-redirects": "^1.15.9",
+        "https-proxy-agent": "^7.0.5",
+        "mongodb": "^6.9.0",
+        "new-find-package-json": "^2.0.0",
+        "semver": "^7.6.3",
+        "tar-stream": "^3.1.7",
+        "tslib": "^2.7.0",
+        "yauzl": "^3.1.3"
+      },
+      "engines": {
+        "node": ">=16.20.1"
+      }
+    },
+    "node_modules/mongodb-memory-server-core/node_modules/@types/whatwg-url": {
+      "version": "11.0.5",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@types/whatwg-url/-/whatwg-url-11.0.5.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-coYR071JRaHa+xoEvvYqvnIHaVqaYrLPbsufM9BF63HkwI5Lgmy2QR8Q5K/lYDYo5AK82wOvSOS0UsLTpTG7uQ==",
+      "dev": true,
+      "dependencies": {
+        "@types/webidl-conversions": "*"
+      }
+    },
+    "node_modules/mongodb-memory-server-core/node_modules/agent-base": {
+      "version": "7.1.1",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/agent-base/-/agent-base-7.1.1.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-H0TSyFNDMomMNJQBn8wFV5YC/2eJ+VXECwOadZJT554xP6cODZHPX3H9QMQECxvrgiSOP1pHjy1sMWQVYJOUOA==",
+      "dev": true,
+      "dependencies": {
+        "debug": "^4.3.4"
+      },
+      "engines": {
+        "node": ">= 14"
+      }
+    },
+    "node_modules/mongodb-memory-server-core/node_modules/camelcase": {
+      "version": "6.3.0",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/camelcase/-/camelcase-6.3.0.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-Gmy6FhYlCY7uOElZUSbxo2UCDH8owEk996gkbrpsgGtrJLM3J7jGxl9Ic7Qwwj4ivOE5AWZWRMecDdF7hqGjFA==",
+      "dev": true,
+      "engines": {
+        "node": ">=10"
+      },
+      "funding": {
+        "url": "https://github.com/sponsors/sindresorhus"
+      }
+    },
+    "node_modules/mongodb-memory-server-core/node_modules/find-cache-dir": {
+      "version": "3.3.2",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/find-cache-dir/-/find-cache-dir-3.3.2.tgz",
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+      "dev": true,
+      "dependencies": {
+        "buffer-crc32": "~0.2.3",
+        "pend": "~1.2.0"
+      },
+      "engines": {
+        "node": ">=12"
+      }
+    },
+    "node_modules/mongodb-memory-server/node_modules/tslib": {
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+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/tslib/-/tslib-2.8.0.tgz",
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+      "dev": true
+    },
     "node_modules/mongodb-topology-manager": {
       "version": "2.1.0",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/mongodb-topology-manager/-/mongodb-topology-manager-2.1.0.tgz",
@@ -16011,6 +16465,18 @@
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     },
+    "node_modules/new-find-package-json": {
+      "version": "2.0.0",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/new-find-package-json/-/new-find-package-json-2.0.0.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-lDcBsjBSMlj3LXH2v/FW3txlh2pYTjmbOXPYJD93HI5EwuLzI11tdHSIpUMmfq/IOsldj4Ps8M8flhm+pCK4Ew==",
+      "dev": true,
+      "dependencies": {
+        "debug": "^4.3.4"
+      },
+      "engines": {
+        "node": ">=12.22.0"
+      }
+    },
     "node_modules/next-tick": {
       "version": "1.1.0",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/next-tick/-/next-tick-1.1.0.tgz",
@@ -17663,7 +18129,7 @@
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-      "optional": true
+      "devOptional": true
     },
     "node_modules/performance-now": {
       "version": "2.1.0",
@@ -18324,6 +18790,12 @@
         }
       ]
     },
+    "node_modules/queue-tick": {
+      "version": "1.0.1",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/queue-tick/-/queue-tick-1.0.1.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-kJt5qhMxoszgU/62PLP1CJytzd2NKetjSRnyuj31fDd3Rlcz3fzlFdFLD1SItunPwyqEOkca6GbV612BWfaBag==",
+      "dev": true
+    },
     "node_modules/quick-lru": {
       "version": "5.1.1",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/quick-lru/-/quick-lru-5.1.1.tgz",
@@ -19950,7 +20422,7 @@
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-      "optional": true,
+      "devOptional": true,
       "dependencies": {
         "memory-pager": "^1.0.2"
       }
@@ -20288,6 +20760,20 @@
         "node": ">=8.12.0"
       }
     },
+    "node_modules/streamx": {
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+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/streamx/-/streamx-2.20.1.tgz",
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+      "dependencies": {
+        "fast-fifo": "^1.3.2",
+        "queue-tick": "^1.0.1",
+        "text-decoder": "^1.1.0"
+      },
+      "optionalDependencies": {
+        "bare-events": "^2.2.0"
+      }
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     "node_modules/strict-uri-encode": {
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       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/strict-uri-encode/-/strict-uri-encode-1.1.0.tgz",
@@ -21036,6 +21522,12 @@
         "url": "https://github.com/sponsors/isaacs"
       }
     },
+    "node_modules/text-decoder": {
+      "version": "1.2.1",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/text-decoder/-/text-decoder-1.2.1.tgz",
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diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 20b1819241c..11bdf7d4d70 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -109,7 +109,10 @@
     "start": "gulp nodemon",
     "start:simple": "node ./website/server/index.js",
     "debug": "gulp nodemon --inspect",
-    "mongo:dev": "run-rs -v 5.0.23 -l ubuntu1804 --keep --dbpath mongodb-data --number 1 --quiet",
+    "mongo:dev_": "node scripts/start-local-mongo.mjs",
+    "mongo:dev": "docker compose -f docker-compose.mongo-local.yml up",
+    "mongo:dev:down": "docker compose -f docker-compose.mongo-local.yml down",
+    "mongo:test": "node scripts/start-local-mongo.mjs --test-db",
     "postinstall": "git config --global url.\"https://\".insteadOf git:// && gulp build && cd website/client && npm install",
     "apidoc": "gulp apidoc",
     "heroku-postbuild": ".heroku/report_deploy.sh"
@@ -122,10 +125,10 @@
     "chalk": "^5.3.0",
     "cross-spawn": "^7.0.3",
     "mocha": "^5.1.1",
+    "mongodb-memory-server": "^10.1.2",
     "monk": "^7.3.4",
     "nyc": "^15.1.0",
     "require-again": "^2.0.0",
-    "run-rs": "^0.7.7",
     "sinon-chai": "^3.7.0",
     "sinon-stub-promise": "^4.0.0"
   }
diff --git a/scripts/start-local-mongo.mjs b/scripts/start-local-mongo.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..fc7c096a9cd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/start-local-mongo.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+/* eslint-disable-file */
+import { MongoMemoryReplSet } from 'mongodb-memory-server';
+
+import { dirname } from 'node:path';
+import { existsSync, mkdirSync } from 'node:fs';
+import { fileURLToPath } from 'node:url';
+
+const TEST_MODE = process.argv.includes('--test-db');
+const BUILD_MODE = process.argv.includes('--build-db');
+
+const __dirname = dirname(fileURLToPath(import.meta.url));
+
+const pathSuffix = TEST_MODE ? '-test' : BUILD_MODE ? '-build' : '';
+
+const mongoDbPath = `${__dirname}/../mongodb-data`+pathSuffix;
+
+if (!existsSync(mongoDbPath)) {
+  mkdirSync(mongoDbPath);
+}
+
+(async () => {
+  // async code in where
+
+  // This will create an new instance of "MongoMemoryServer" and automatically start it
+  const mongod = await MongoMemoryReplSet.create({
+    replSet: {
+      count: 3,
+      dbName: TEST_MODE ? 'habitica-test' : 'habitica-dev',
+      dbPath: mongoDbPath,
+      name: 'rs',
+    },
+    instanceOpts: [
+      {
+        port: 27017,
+      },
+      {
+        port: 27018,
+      },
+      {
+        port: 27019,
+      },
+    ],
+    dispose: {
+      cleanup: !BUILD_MODE && !TEST_MODE,
+    }
+  });
+
+  const uri = mongod.getUri();
+
+  console.log(`MongoDB running at ${uri}`, mongod.state);
+
+  // Keep the Node.js process running
+  setInterval(() => {}, 1000);
+})();
diff --git a/test/helpers/mongo.js b/test/helpers/mongo.js
index c67a00cb57a..ca053e01fc7 100644
--- a/test/helpers/mongo.js
+++ b/test/helpers/mongo.js
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ export async function getProperty (collectionName, id, path) {
 // Specifically helpful for the GET /groups tests,
 // resets the db to an empty state and creates a tavern document
 export async function resetHabiticaDB () {
+  console.info('Resetting Habitica DB');
   const groups = mongoose.connection.db.collection('groups');
   const users = mongoose.connection.db.collection('users');
   return mongoose.connection.dropDatabase()