diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 5d3020e..ad22de2 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -164,6 +164,7 @@ module "rs_loader" {
 | Name | Description | Type | Default | Required |
 |------|-------------|------|---------|:--------:|
 | <a name="input_name"></a> [name](#input\_name) | A name which will be prepended to the resources created | `string` | n/a | yes |
+| <a name="input_app_version"></a> [app\_version](#input\_app\_version) | Version of rdb-loader-redshift | `string` | "5.8.0" | no |
 | <a name="input_redshift_aws_s3_bucket_name"></a> [redshift\_aws\_s3\_bucket\_name](#input\_redshift\_aws\_s3\_bucket\_name) | AWS bucket name where data to load is stored | `string` | n/a | yes |
 | <a name="input_redshift_database"></a> [redshift\_database](#input\_redshift\_database) | Redshift database name | `string` | n/a | yes |
 | <a name="input_redshift_host"></a> [redshift\_host](#input\_redshift\_host) | Redshift cluster hostname | `string` | n/a | yes |
@@ -215,6 +216,7 @@ module "rs_loader" {
 | <a name="input_user_provided_id"></a> [user\_provided\_id](#input\_user\_provided\_id) | An optional unique identifier to identify the telemetry events emitted by this stack | `string` | `""` | no |
 | <a name="input_webhook_collector"></a> [webhook\_collector](#input\_webhook\_collector) | URL of webhook collector | `string` | `""` | no |
 | <a name="input_webhook_enabled"></a> [webhook\_enabled](#input\_webhook\_enabled) | Whether webhook should be enabled or not | `bool` | `false` | no |
+| <a name="input_config_override_b64"></a> [config\_override\_b64](#input\_config\_override\_b64) | App config uploaded as a base64 encoded blob. This variable facilitates dev flow, if config is incorrect this can break the deployment. | `string` | `""` | no |
 
 ## Outputs
 
diff --git a/main.tf b/main.tf
index a142d28..d3c85cf 100644
--- a/main.tf
+++ b/main.tf
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ locals {
   module_version = "0.1.1"
 
   app_name    = "rdb-loader-redshift"
-  app_version = "5.6.0"
+  app_version = var.app_version
 
   local_tags = {
     Name           = var.name
@@ -364,7 +364,7 @@ locals {
   })
 
   user_data = templatefile("${path.module}/templates/user-data.sh.tmpl", {
-    config_b64        = base64encode(local.config)
+    config_b64        = var.config_override_b64 == "" ? base64encode(local.config) : var.config_override_b64
     iglu_resolver_b64 = base64encode(local.iglu_resolver)
     version           = local.app_version
 
diff --git a/variables.tf b/variables.tf
index 08d0473..dd8a34d 100644
--- a/variables.tf
+++ b/variables.tf
@@ -3,6 +3,18 @@ variable "name" {
   type        = string
 }
 
+variable "app_version" {
+  description = "Version of rdb loader redshift"
+  type        = string
+  default     = "5.8.0"
+}
+
+variable "config_override_b64" {
+  description = "App config uploaded as a base64 encoded blob. This variable facilitates dev flow, if config is incorrect this can break the deployment."
+  type        = string
+  default     = ""
+}
+
 variable "iam_permissions_boundary" {
   description = "The permissions boundary ARN to set on IAM roles created"
   default     = ""