diff --git a/stix2/datastore/relational_db/relational_db.py b/stix2/datastore/relational_db/relational_db.py
index aa1a391c..0fa674f5 100644
--- a/stix2/datastore/relational_db/relational_db.py
+++ b/stix2/datastore/relational_db/relational_db.py
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ def _add(store, stix_data, allow_custom=True, version="2.1"):
 class RelationalDBStore(DataStoreMixin):
     def __init__(
         self, database_connection_url, allow_custom=True, version=None,
-        create_db=True, instantiate_database=True, *stix_object_classes,
+        instantiate_database=True, force_recreate=False, *stix_object_classes,
     ):
         """
         Initialize this store.
@@ -68,6 +68,8 @@ def __init__(
             version: TODO: unused so far
             instantiate_database: Whether tables, etc should be created in the
                 database (only necessary the first time)
+            force_recreate: Drops old database and creates new one (useful if
+                the schema has changed and the tables need to be updated)
             *stix_object_classes: STIX object classes to map into table schemas
                 (and ultimately database tables, if instantiation is desired).
                 This can be used to limit which table schemas are created, if
@@ -76,38 +78,32 @@ def __init__(
                 them.
         """
         database_connection = create_engine(database_connection_url)
-        self.database_exists = database_exists(database_connection.url)
-        if create_db:
-            if self.database_exists:
-                drop_database(database_connection_url)
-            create_database(database_connection_url)
-            self.database_exists = database_exists(database_connection.url)
 
-        if self.database_exists:
-            self.metadata = MetaData()
-            create_table_objects(
-                self.metadata, stix_object_classes,
-            )
+        self.metadata = MetaData()
+        create_table_objects(
+            self.metadata, stix_object_classes,
+        )
 
-            super().__init__(
-                source=RelationalDBSource(
-                    database_connection,
-                    metadata=self.metadata,
-                ),
-                sink=RelationalDBSink(
-                    database_connection,
-                    allow_custom=allow_custom,
-                    version=version,
-                    instantiate_database=instantiate_database,
-                    metadata=self.metadata,
-                ),
-            )
+        super().__init__(
+            source=RelationalDBSource(
+                database_connection,
+                metadata=self.metadata,
+            ),
+            sink=RelationalDBSink(
+                database_connection,
+                allow_custom=allow_custom,
+                version=version,
+                instantiate_database=instantiate_database,
+                force_recreate=force_recreate,
+                metadata=self.metadata,
+            ),
+        )
 
 
 class RelationalDBSink(DataSink):
     def __init__(
         self, database_connection_or_url, allow_custom=True, version=None,
-        instantiate_database=True, *stix_object_classes, metadata=None,
+        instantiate_database=True, force_recreate=False, *stix_object_classes, metadata=None,
     ):
         """
         Initialize this sink.  Only one of stix_object_classes and metadata
@@ -119,8 +115,10 @@ def __init__(
             allow_custom: Whether custom content is allowed when processing
                 dict content to be added to the sink
             version: TODO: unused so far
-            instantiate_database: Whether tables, etc should be created in the
-                database (only necessary the first time)
+            instantiate_database: Whether the database, tables, etc should be
+                created (only necessary the first time)
+            force_recreate: Drops old database and creates new one (useful if
+                the schema has changed and the tables need to be updated)
             *stix_object_classes: STIX object classes to map into table schemas
                 (and ultimately database tables, if instantiation is desired).
                 This can be used to limit which table schemas are created, if
@@ -140,6 +138,10 @@ def __init__(
         else:
             self.database_connection = database_connection_or_url
 
+        self.database_exists = database_exists(self.database_connection.url)
+        if force_recreate:
+            self._create_database()
+
         if metadata:
             self.metadata = metadata
         else:
@@ -156,6 +158,8 @@ def __init__(
             self.tables_dictionary[canonicalize_table_name(t.name, t.schema)] = t
 
         if instantiate_database:
+            if not self.database_exists:
+                self._create_database()
             self._create_schemas()
             self._instantiate_database()
 
@@ -169,6 +173,12 @@ def _create_schemas(self):
     def _instantiate_database(self):
         self.metadata.create_all(self.database_connection)
 
+    def _create_database(self):
+        if self.database_exists:
+            drop_database(self.database_connection.url)
+        create_database(self.database_connection.url)
+        self.database_exists = database_exists(self.database_connection.url)
+
     def generate_stix_schema(self):
         for t in self.metadata.tables.values():
             print(CreateTable(t).compile(self.database_connection))
diff --git a/stix2/datastore/relational_db/relational_db_testing.py b/stix2/datastore/relational_db/relational_db_testing.py
index e948b929..853d5d9f 100644
--- a/stix2/datastore/relational_db/relational_db_testing.py
+++ b/stix2/datastore/relational_db/relational_db_testing.py
@@ -101,10 +101,11 @@ def main():
         False,
         None,
         True,
-        True,
+        False,
         stix2.Directory,
     )
-    if store.database_exists:
+
+    if store.sink.database_exists:
         store.sink.generate_stix_schema()
         store.sink.clear_tables()