diff --git a/images/dashboard/src/models/boxes.py b/images/dashboard/src/models/boxes.py
index 5a93b24..a12a021 100644
--- a/images/dashboard/src/models/boxes.py
+++ b/images/dashboard/src/models/boxes.py
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ class Boxes(Base):
     name = Column(String, nullable=False)
     subdomain = Column(String, nullable=False)
     resource_label = Column(String, nullable=False)
+    seed_data_file_url = Column(String, nullable=False)
     owner = Column(String, nullable=False)
     description = Column(String, nullable=False)
     state = Column(SQLEnum(StateEnum), nullable=False)
diff --git a/images/dashboard/src/routes/boxes_routes.py b/images/dashboard/src/routes/boxes_routes.py
index 1896257..5a9d63b 100644
--- a/images/dashboard/src/routes/boxes_routes.py
+++ b/images/dashboard/src/routes/boxes_routes.py
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ async def create_box(
         )
 
     # Create values file
-    values_file = replace_placeholders_and_save(box.name, box.resource_label)
+    values_file = replace_placeholders_and_save(box.name, box.resource_label, box.seed_data_file_url)
 
     # Create a new box
     try:
@@ -73,6 +73,7 @@ async def create_box(
         name=box.name,
         subdomain=f"{box.name}.{SANDBOX_DOMAIN}",
         resource_label=box.resource_label,
+        seed_data_file_url=box.seed_data_file_url,
         owner=token.username,
         description=box.description,
         state=StateEnum[state],
@@ -228,6 +229,7 @@ async def get_boxes_history(
                 state=box.state,
                 age=box.age,
                 resource_label=box.resource_label,
+                seed_data_file_url=box.seed_data_file_url,
                 description=box.description,
                 owner=box.owner,
                 subdomain=box.subdomain,
diff --git a/images/dashboard/src/schemas/boxes.py b/images/dashboard/src/schemas/boxes.py
index 95554fa..187cee7 100644
--- a/images/dashboard/src/schemas/boxes.py
+++ b/images/dashboard/src/schemas/boxes.py
@@ -23,6 +23,12 @@ class BoxBase(BaseModel):
         description="Box's description",
         example="My new osm sandbox",
     )
+    seed_data_file_url: Optional[str] = Field(
+        ...,
+        title="Seed data file URL",
+        description="(Optional) An absolute public URL to a PBF file or bzipped OSM XML file to seed the database with upon startup.",
+        example="https://example.com/template.pbf",
+    )
 
     @validator("name")
     def validate_name(cls, value):
@@ -39,6 +45,7 @@ class BoxResponse(BaseModel):
     name: str
     subdomain: str
     resource_label: str
+    seed_data_file_url: Optional[str]
     description: str
     owner: str
     state: str
@@ -59,6 +66,7 @@ def from_orm(box: "Boxes") -> "BoxResponse":
             name=box.name,
             subdomain=box.subdomain,
             resource_label=box.resource_label,
+            seed_data_file_url=box.seed_data_file_url,
             description=box.description,
             owner=box.owner,
             state=box.state,
diff --git a/images/dashboard/src/utils/helm.py b/images/dashboard/src/utils/helm.py
index d6d4522..cec4a72 100644
--- a/images/dashboard/src/utils/helm.py
+++ b/images/dashboard/src/utils/helm.py
@@ -32,10 +32,13 @@ async def list_releases(namespace):
     return release_list
 
 
-def replace_placeholders_and_save(box_name, label_value):
+def replace_placeholders_and_save(box_name, label_value, seed_data_file_url):
     """Take a template YAML file and update it with the necessary values to deploy a box."""
     os.environ["BOX_NAME"] = box_name
     os.environ["LABEL_VALUE"] = label_value
+    os.environ["SHOULD_POPULATE_DB"] = bool(seed_data_file_url)
+    os.environ["URL_FILE_TO_IMPORT"] = seed_data_file_url
+    
     values_file = f"values/values_{box_name}.yaml"
     with open("values/osm-seed.template.yaml", "r") as file:
         file_content = file.read()
diff --git a/images/dashboard/src/values/osm-seed.template.yaml b/images/dashboard/src/values/osm-seed.template.yaml
index a9b1ea9..a1ecd3c 100644
--- a/images/dashboard/src/values/osm-seed.template.yaml
+++ b/images/dashboard/src/values/osm-seed.template.yaml
@@ -62,13 +62,13 @@ osm-seed:
       cpuUtilization: 80
     sharedMemorySize: 16Mi
   populateApidb:
-    enabled: true
+    enabled: {{SHOULD_POPULATE_DB}}
     nodeSelector:
       enabled: true
       label_key: nodegroup_type
       label_value: {{LABEL_VALUE}}
     env:
-      URL_FILE_TO_IMPORT: "https://github.com/osmus/osm-sandbox-data/raw/refs/heads/main/ncem/cumberland_buildings.osm.bz2" 
+      URL_FILE_TO_IMPORT: {{URL_FILE_TO_IMPORT}}
     resources:
       enabled: false
   memcached: