diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index f14ec43..2feab79 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -3,7 +3,11 @@ All notable changes to this project will be documented in this file.
 
 The format is based on [Keep a Changelog](http://keepachangelog.com/en/1.0.0/) and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](http://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0.html). 
 
-## [5.0.0] - 2024-06-19
+## [5.0.1] - 2024-06-19
+### Fixed
+- Added `MYSQL_DRIVER_JAR` to add the driver connector JAR to the system classpath. By default it is now using `/usr/share/java/mysql-connector-java.jar`.
+
+## [5.0.0] - 2024-06-19 [YANKED]
 ### Changed
 - Switch from mariadb driver to default mysql driver. (Override settings to keep using mariadb driver).
 ### Added
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index de1bee5..02bf4b6 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ For more information please refer to the main [Apiary](https://github.com/Expedi
 |MYSQL_SECRET_ARN|Yes| Hive Metastore MySQL SecretsManager secret ARN.                                                                                                                                                                                                       |
 |MYSQL_SECRET_USERNAME_KEY|No (defaults to `username`)| Hive Metastore MySQL SecretsManager secret username key.                                                                                                                                                                                              |
 |MYSQL_TYPE|No (defaults to `mysql`)| Hive Metastore MySQL database Type (mariadb, mysql).                                                                                                                                                                                                               |
+|MYSQL_DRIVER_JAR|No (defaults to `/usr/share/java/mysql-connector-java.jar`)| Hive Metastore MySQL connector JAR location                                                                                                                                                                                                               |
 |RANGER_AUDIT_DB_URL|No| Ranger audit database JDBC URL.                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |
 |RANGER_AUDIT_SECRET_ARN|No| Ranger audit database secret ARN.                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |
 |RANGER_AUDIT_SOLR_URL|No| Ranger Solr audit URL.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
diff --git a/files/startup.sh b/files/startup.sh
index 2ebb1ad..66d301f 100755
--- a/files/startup.sh
+++ b/files/startup.sh
@@ -182,7 +182,7 @@ sed "s/METASTORE_PRELISTENERS/${METASTORE_PRELISTENERS}/" -i /etc/hive/conf/hive
 #required to debug ranger plugin, todo: send apache common logs to cloudwatch
 #export HADOOP_OPTS="$HADOOP_OPTS -Dorg.apache.commons.logging.LogFactory=org.apache.commons.logging.impl.LogFactoryImpl -Dorg.apache.commons.logging.Log=org.apache.commons.logging.impl.SimpleLog"
 
-export AUX_CLASSPATH="/usr/share/java/mariadb-connector-java.jar"
+export AUX_CLASSPATH="${MYSQL_DRIVER_JAR:-/usr/share/java/mysql-connector-java.jar}"
 [[ ! -z $SNS_ARN ]] && export AUX_CLASSPATH="$AUX_CLASSPATH:/usr/lib/apiary/apiary-metastore-listener-${APIARY_EXTENSIONS_VERSION}-all.jar"
 [[ ! -z $KAFKA_BOOTSTRAP_SERVERS ]] && export AUX_CLASSPATH="$AUX_CLASSPATH:/usr/lib/apiary/kafka-metastore-listener-${APIARY_EXTENSIONS_VERSION}-all.jar:/usr/lib/apiary/kafka-clients-${KAFKA_VERSION}.jar"
 [[ ! -z $ENABLE_GLUESYNC ]] && export AUX_CLASSPATH="$AUX_CLASSPATH:/usr/lib/apiary/apiary-gluesync-listener-${APIARY_GLUESYNC_LISTENER_VERSION}-all.jar"