diff --git a/examples/integration_testing.rs b/examples/integration_testing.rs
index abe29b34e6..8004835269 100644
--- a/examples/integration_testing.rs
+++ b/examples/integration_testing.rs
@@ -12,25 +12,76 @@ use std::error::Error as StdError;
 use std::{env, str};
 use std::sync::atomic::{self, AtomicUsize};
 
+// Example trait to allow custom databases to be used within the integration tests
+// to test different behaviours without touching a real database.
+trait Database : Send + Sync + 'static {
+    fn get_users(&self) -> Vec<String>;
+}
+
+impl Database for Vec<String> {
+    fn get_users(&self) -> Vec<String> {
+        self.clone()
+    }
+}
+
+struct ServerData {
+    hits: AtomicUsize,
+
+    // FIXME: The `middleware` macro typehinting doesn't support hinting with
+    // typeparams, i.e. the hint can't be `< ServerData<T> >` where T is a
+    // typeparam from the enclosing function, e.g. `start_server`.
+    //
+    // To counter this limitation, we've boxed the trait so that specifying the
+    // typeparam is unnecessary.
+    database: Box<Database>
+}
+
+impl ServerData {
+    fn hitcount(&self) -> usize {
+        self.hits.load(atomic::Ordering::Relaxed)
+    }
+
+    fn log_hit(&self) -> usize {
+        self.hits.fetch_add(1, atomic::Ordering::Relaxed)
+    }
+
+    fn get_users(&self) -> Vec<String> {
+        self.database.get_users()
+    }
+}
+
 fn main() {
     let port = env::var("PORT").map(|s| s.parse().unwrap()).unwrap_or(3000);
+    let address = &format!("0.0.0.0:{}", port);
+    let database = vec![];
 
-    start_server(&format!("0.0.0.0:{}", port)).unwrap();
+    start_server(address, database).unwrap();
 }
 
-fn start_server(address: &str) -> Result<ListeningServer, Box<StdError>> {
-    let hits = AtomicUsize::new(0);
-    let mut server = Nickel::with_data(hits);
+fn start_server<D>(address: &str, database: D) -> Result<ListeningServer, Box<StdError>>
+where D: Database {
+    let server_data = ServerData {
+        hits: AtomicUsize::new(0),
+        database: Box::new(database),
+    };
+
+    let mut server = Nickel::with_data(server_data);
 
     // Track all hits to the server
-    server.utilize(middleware! { |_req, res| <AtomicUsize>
-        let _hits = res.data().fetch_add(1, atomic::Ordering::Relaxed);
+    server.utilize(middleware! { |_req, res| <ServerData>
+        res.data().log_hit();
         return res.next_middleware()
     });
 
     // Core server
     server.get("/", middleware!( "Hello World" ));
 
+    server.get("/users", middleware! { |_, res| <ServerData>
+        let users = res.data().get_users();
+
+        Json::from_str(&format!(r#"{{ "users": {:?} }}"#, users)).unwrap()
+    });
+
     // Json example
     server.post("/", middleware! { |req, res|
         #[derive(RustcEncodable, RustcDecodable)]
@@ -56,10 +107,8 @@ fn start_server(address: &str) -> Result<ListeningServer, Box<StdError>> {
     });
 
     // Get the hitcount
-    server.get("/hits", middleware!{ |_req, res| <AtomicUsize>
-        let hits = res.data().load(atomic::Ordering::Relaxed);
-
-        hits.to_string()
+    server.get("/hits", middleware!{ |_req, res| <ServerData>
+        res.data().hitcount().to_string()
     });
 
     server.listen(address)
@@ -135,13 +184,47 @@ mod tests {
     #[test]
     fn non_shared_server() {
         let test_local_server = {
-            let server = super::start_server("127.0.0.1:0").unwrap();
+            let server = super::start_server("127.0.0.1:0", vec![]).unwrap();
             Server::new(server)
         };
 
         assert_eq!(get_hits_after_delay(&test_local_server), 1);
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn has_no_users_by_default() {
+        let mut response = get("/users");
+
+        let json = Json::from_str(&response.body()).unwrap();
+
+        assert_eq!(json["users"].as_array().unwrap().len(), 0);
+        assert_eq!(response.status, StatusCode::Ok);
+        assert_eq!(
+            response.headers.get::<header::ContentType>(),
+            Some(&header::ContentType::json())
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn non_shared_server_with_different_database() {
+        let server = {
+            let bots = vec!["bors".into(), "homu".into(), "highfive".into()];
+            let server = super::start_server("127.0.0.1:0", bots).unwrap();
+            Server::new(server)
+        };
+
+        let mut response = server.get("/users");
+
+        let json = Json::from_str(&response.body()).unwrap();
+
+        assert_eq!(json["users"].as_array().unwrap().len(), 3);
+        assert_eq!(response.status, StatusCode::Ok);
+        assert_eq!(
+            response.headers.get::<header::ContentType>(),
+            Some(&header::ContentType::json())
+        );
+    }
+
     mod support {
         use hyper::client::{Client, Response as HyperResponse};
         use nickel::ListeningServer;
@@ -192,7 +275,7 @@ mod tests {
         lazy_static! {
             /// This is a shared instance of the server between all the tests
             pub static ref STATIC_SERVER: Server = {
-                let server = super::super::start_server("127.0.0.1:0").unwrap();
+                let server = super::super::start_server("127.0.0.1:0", vec![]).unwrap();
                 Server::new(server)
             };
         }