diff --git a/doc/source/admin/drivers/sql.rst b/doc/source/admin/drivers/sql.rst
index a269f5d..b9ce24b 100644
--- a/doc/source/admin/drivers/sql.rst
+++ b/doc/source/admin/drivers/sql.rst
@@ -43,6 +43,14 @@
       <http://docs.sqlalchemy.org/en/latest/core/pooling.html#setting-pool-recycle>`_
       for more information.
 
+   .. attr:: table_prefix
+      :default: ''
+
+      The string to prefix the table names. This makes it possible to run
+      several zuul deployments against the same database. This can be useful
+      if you rely on external databases which you don't have under control.
+      The default is to have no prefix.
+
 Reporter Configuration
 ----------------------
 
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/zuul-sql-driver-prefix.conf b/tests/fixtures/zuul-sql-driver-prefix.conf
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1406474
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/fixtures/zuul-sql-driver-prefix.conf
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+[gearman]
+server=127.0.0.1
+
+[scheduler]
+tenant_config=main.yaml
+
+[merger]
+git_dir=/tmp/zuul-test/merger-git
+git_user_email=zuul@example.com
+git_user_name=zuul
+
+[executor]
+git_dir=/tmp/zuul-test/executor-git
+
+[connection gerrit]
+driver=gerrit
+server=review.example.com
+user=jenkins
+sshkey=fake_id_rsa1
+
+[connection resultsdb]
+driver=sql
+dburi=$MYSQL_FIXTURE_DBURI$
+table_prefix=prefix_
+
+[connection resultsdb_failures]
+driver=sql
+dburi=$MYSQL_FIXTURE_DBURI$
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_connection.py b/tests/unit/test_connection.py
index c882d3a..054ee5f 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_connection.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_connection.py
@@ -60,14 +60,19 @@
 class TestSQLConnection(ZuulDBTestCase):
     config_file = 'zuul-sql-driver.conf'
     tenant_config_file = 'config/sql-driver/main.yaml'
+    expected_table_prefix = ''
 
-    def test_sql_tables_created(self, metadata_table=None):
+    def test_sql_tables_created(self):
         "Test the tables for storing results are created properly"
-        buildset_table = 'zuul_buildset'
-        build_table = 'zuul_build'
 
-        insp = sa.engine.reflection.Inspector(
-            self.connections.connections['resultsdb'].engine)
+        connection = self.connections.connections['resultsdb']
+        insp = sa.engine.reflection.Inspector(connection.engine)
+
+        table_prefix = connection.table_prefix
+        self.assertEqual(self.expected_table_prefix, table_prefix)
+
+        buildset_table = table_prefix + 'zuul_buildset'
+        build_table = table_prefix + 'zuul_build'
 
         self.assertEqual(13, len(insp.get_columns(buildset_table)))
         self.assertEqual(10, len(insp.get_columns(build_table)))
@@ -216,6 +221,11 @@
             'Build failed.', buildsets_resultsdb_failures[0]['message'])
 
 
+class TestSQLConnectionPrefix(TestSQLConnection):
+    config_file = 'zuul-sql-driver-prefix.conf'
+    expected_table_prefix = 'prefix_'
+
+
 class TestConnectionsBadSQL(ZuulDBTestCase):
     config_file = 'zuul-sql-driver-bad.conf'
     tenant_config_file = 'config/sql-driver/main.yaml'
diff --git a/zuul/driver/sql/alembic/env.py b/zuul/driver/sql/alembic/env.py
index 4542a22..8cf2ecf 100644
--- a/zuul/driver/sql/alembic/env.py
+++ b/zuul/driver/sql/alembic/env.py
@@ -55,6 +55,13 @@
         prefix='sqlalchemy.',
         poolclass=pool.NullPool)
 
+    # we can get the table prefix via the tag object
+    tag = context.get_tag_argument()
+    if tag and isinstance(tag, dict):
+        table_prefix = tag.get('table_prefix', '')
+    else:
+        table_prefix = ''
+
     with connectable.connect() as connection:
         context.configure(
             connection=connection,
@@ -62,7 +69,7 @@
         )
 
         with context.begin_transaction():
-            context.run_migrations()
+            context.run_migrations(table_prefix=table_prefix)
 
 
 if context.is_offline_mode():
diff --git a/zuul/driver/sql/alembic/versions/1dd914d4a482_allow_score_to_be_null.py b/zuul/driver/sql/alembic/versions/1dd914d4a482_allow_score_to_be_null.py
index b153cab..f42c2f3 100644
--- a/zuul/driver/sql/alembic/versions/1dd914d4a482_allow_score_to_be_null.py
+++ b/zuul/driver/sql/alembic/versions/1dd914d4a482_allow_score_to_be_null.py
@@ -16,8 +16,8 @@
 import sqlalchemy as sa
 
 
-def upgrade():
-    op.alter_column('zuul_buildset', 'score', nullable=True,
+def upgrade(table_prefix=''):
+    op.alter_column(table_prefix + 'zuul_buildset', 'score', nullable=True,
                     existing_type=sa.Integer)
 
 
diff --git a/zuul/driver/sql/alembic/versions/20126015a87d_add_indexes.py b/zuul/driver/sql/alembic/versions/20126015a87d_add_indexes.py
index 12e7c09..906df21 100644
--- a/zuul/driver/sql/alembic/versions/20126015a87d_add_indexes.py
+++ b/zuul/driver/sql/alembic/versions/20126015a87d_add_indexes.py
@@ -32,24 +32,28 @@
 BUILD_TABLE = 'zuul_build'
 
 
-def upgrade():
+def upgrade(table_prefix=''):
+    prefixed_buildset = table_prefix + BUILDSET_TABLE
+    prefixed_build = table_prefix + BUILD_TABLE
+
     # To allow a dashboard to show a per-project view, optionally filtered
     # by pipeline.
     op.create_index(
-        'project_pipeline_idx', BUILDSET_TABLE, ['project', 'pipeline'])
+        'project_pipeline_idx', prefixed_buildset, ['project', 'pipeline'])
 
     # To allow a dashboard to show a per-project-change view
     op.create_index(
-        'project_change_idx', BUILDSET_TABLE, ['project', 'change'])
+        'project_change_idx', prefixed_buildset, ['project', 'change'])
 
     # To allow a dashboard to show a per-change view
-    op.create_index('change_idx', BUILDSET_TABLE, ['change'])
+    op.create_index('change_idx', prefixed_buildset, ['change'])
 
     # To allow a dashboard to show a job lib view. buildset_id is included
     # so that it's a covering index and can satisfy the join back to buildset
     # without an additional lookup.
     op.create_index(
-        'job_name_buildset_id_idx', BUILD_TABLE, ['job_name', 'buildset_id'])
+        'job_name_buildset_id_idx', prefixed_build,
+        ['job_name', 'buildset_id'])
 
 
 def downgrade():
diff --git a/zuul/driver/sql/alembic/versions/4d3ebd7f06b9_set_up_initial_reporter_tables.py b/zuul/driver/sql/alembic/versions/4d3ebd7f06b9_set_up_initial_reporter_tables.py
index 783196f..b78f830 100644
--- a/zuul/driver/sql/alembic/versions/4d3ebd7f06b9_set_up_initial_reporter_tables.py
+++ b/zuul/driver/sql/alembic/versions/4d3ebd7f06b9_set_up_initial_reporter_tables.py
@@ -19,9 +19,9 @@
 BUILD_TABLE = 'zuul_build'
 
 
-def upgrade():
+def upgrade(table_prefix=''):
     op.create_table(
-        BUILDSET_TABLE,
+        table_prefix + BUILDSET_TABLE,
         sa.Column('id', sa.Integer, primary_key=True),
         sa.Column('zuul_ref', sa.String(255)),
         sa.Column('pipeline', sa.String(255)),
@@ -34,10 +34,10 @@
     )
 
     op.create_table(
-        BUILD_TABLE,
+        table_prefix + BUILD_TABLE,
         sa.Column('id', sa.Integer, primary_key=True),
         sa.Column('buildset_id', sa.Integer,
-                  sa.ForeignKey(BUILDSET_TABLE + ".id")),
+                  sa.ForeignKey(table_prefix + BUILDSET_TABLE + ".id")),
         sa.Column('uuid', sa.String(36)),
         sa.Column('job_name', sa.String(255)),
         sa.Column('result', sa.String(255)),
diff --git a/zuul/driver/sql/alembic/versions/5efb477fa963_add_ref_url_column.py b/zuul/driver/sql/alembic/versions/5efb477fa963_add_ref_url_column.py
index f9c3535..5502425 100644
--- a/zuul/driver/sql/alembic/versions/5efb477fa963_add_ref_url_column.py
+++ b/zuul/driver/sql/alembic/versions/5efb477fa963_add_ref_url_column.py
@@ -30,8 +30,9 @@
 import sqlalchemy as sa
 
 
-def upgrade():
-    op.add_column('zuul_buildset', sa.Column('ref_url', sa.String(255)))
+def upgrade(table_prefix=''):
+    op.add_column(
+        table_prefix + 'zuul_buildset', sa.Column('ref_url', sa.String(255)))
 
 
 def downgrade():
diff --git a/zuul/driver/sql/alembic/versions/60c119eb1e3f_use_build_set_results.py b/zuul/driver/sql/alembic/versions/60c119eb1e3f_use_build_set_results.py
index 985eb0c..67581a6 100644
--- a/zuul/driver/sql/alembic/versions/60c119eb1e3f_use_build_set_results.py
+++ b/zuul/driver/sql/alembic/versions/60c119eb1e3f_use_build_set_results.py
@@ -18,8 +18,9 @@
 BUILDSET_TABLE = 'zuul_buildset'
 
 
-def upgrade():
-    op.add_column(BUILDSET_TABLE, sa.Column('result', sa.String(255)))
+def upgrade(table_prefix=''):
+    op.add_column(
+        table_prefix + BUILDSET_TABLE, sa.Column('result', sa.String(255)))
 
     connection = op.get_bind()
     connection.execute(
@@ -29,9 +30,9 @@
              SELECT CASE score
                 WHEN 1 THEN 'SUCCESS'
                 ELSE 'FAILURE' END)
-        """.format(buildset_table=BUILDSET_TABLE))
+        """.format(buildset_table=table_prefix + BUILDSET_TABLE))
 
-    op.drop_column(BUILDSET_TABLE, 'score')
+    op.drop_column(table_prefix + BUILDSET_TABLE, 'score')
 
 
 def downgrade():
diff --git a/zuul/driver/sql/alembic/versions/ba4cdce9b18c_add_rev_columns.py b/zuul/driver/sql/alembic/versions/ba4cdce9b18c_add_rev_columns.py
index dc75983..3e60866 100644
--- a/zuul/driver/sql/alembic/versions/ba4cdce9b18c_add_rev_columns.py
+++ b/zuul/driver/sql/alembic/versions/ba4cdce9b18c_add_rev_columns.py
@@ -16,9 +16,11 @@
 import sqlalchemy as sa
 
 
-def upgrade():
-    op.add_column('zuul_buildset', sa.Column('oldrev', sa.String(255)))
-    op.add_column('zuul_buildset', sa.Column('newrev', sa.String(255)))
+def upgrade(table_prefix=''):
+    op.add_column(
+        table_prefix + 'zuul_buildset', sa.Column('oldrev', sa.String(255)))
+    op.add_column(
+        table_prefix + 'zuul_buildset', sa.Column('newrev', sa.String(255)))
 
 
 def downgrade():
diff --git a/zuul/driver/sql/alembic/versions/f86c9871ee67_add_tenant_column.py b/zuul/driver/sql/alembic/versions/f86c9871ee67_add_tenant_column.py
index 4087af3..84fd0ef 100644
--- a/zuul/driver/sql/alembic/versions/f86c9871ee67_add_tenant_column.py
+++ b/zuul/driver/sql/alembic/versions/f86c9871ee67_add_tenant_column.py
@@ -30,8 +30,9 @@
 import sqlalchemy as sa
 
 
-def upgrade():
-    op.add_column('zuul_buildset', sa.Column('tenant', sa.String(255)))
+def upgrade(table_prefix=''):
+    op.add_column(
+        table_prefix + 'zuul_buildset', sa.Column('tenant', sa.String(255)))
 
 
 def downgrade():
diff --git a/zuul/driver/sql/sqlconnection.py b/zuul/driver/sql/sqlconnection.py
index b964c0b..413c9e6 100644
--- a/zuul/driver/sql/sqlconnection.py
+++ b/zuul/driver/sql/sqlconnection.py
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 import logging
 
 import alembic
+import alembic.command
 import alembic.config
 import sqlalchemy as sa
 import sqlalchemy.pool
@@ -39,6 +40,8 @@
         self.engine = None
         self.connection = None
         self.tables_established = False
+        self.table_prefix = self.connection_config.get('table_prefix', '')
+
         try:
             self.dburi = self.connection_config.get('dburi')
             # Recycle connections if they've been idle for more than 1 second.
@@ -75,14 +78,16 @@
             config.set_main_option("sqlalchemy.url",
                                    self.connection_config.get('dburi'))
 
-            alembic.command.upgrade(config, 'head')
+            # Alembic lets us add arbitrary data in the tag argument. We can
+            # leverage that to tell the upgrade scripts about the table prefix.
+            tag = {'table_prefix': self.table_prefix}
+            alembic.command.upgrade(config, 'head', tag=tag)
 
-    @staticmethod
-    def _setup_tables():
+    def _setup_tables(self):
         metadata = sa.MetaData()
 
         zuul_buildset_table = sa.Table(
-            BUILDSET_TABLE, metadata,
+            self.table_prefix + BUILDSET_TABLE, metadata,
             sa.Column('id', sa.Integer, primary_key=True),
             sa.Column('zuul_ref', sa.String(255)),
             sa.Column('pipeline', sa.String(255)),
@@ -99,10 +104,11 @@
         )
 
         zuul_build_table = sa.Table(
-            BUILD_TABLE, metadata,
+            self.table_prefix + BUILD_TABLE, metadata,
             sa.Column('id', sa.Integer, primary_key=True),
             sa.Column('buildset_id', sa.Integer,
-                      sa.ForeignKey(BUILDSET_TABLE + ".id")),
+                      sa.ForeignKey(self.table_prefix +
+                                    BUILDSET_TABLE + ".id")),
             sa.Column('uuid', sa.String(36)),
             sa.Column('job_name', sa.String(255)),
             sa.Column('result', sa.String(255)),