diff --git a/subunit2sql/shell.py b/subunit2sql/shell.py
index 77d4ab7..512a2ea 100644
--- a/subunit2sql/shell.py
+++ b/subunit2sql/shell.py
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@
 # See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 # limitations under the License.
 
-import os
 import sys
 
 from oslo.config import cfg
@@ -41,19 +40,8 @@ def cli_opts():
         CONF.register_cli_opt(opt)
 
 
-def state_path_def(*args):
-    """Return an uninterpolated path relative to $state_path."""
-    return os.path.join('$state_path', *args)
-
-
-_DEFAULT_SQL_CONNECTION = 'sqlite:///' + state_path_def('subunit2sql.sqlite')
-
-
 def parse_args(argv, default_config_files=None):
     cfg.CONF.register_cli_opts(options.database_opts, group='database')
-    cfg.CONF.set_default('connection', _DEFAULT_SQL_CONNECTION,
-                         group='database')
-    cfg.CONF.set_default('sqlite_db', 'subunit2sql.sqlite', group='database')
     cfg.CONF(argv[1:], project='subunit2sql',
              default_config_files=default_config_files)