diff --git a/stable/mysql/Chart.yaml b/stable/mysql/Chart.yaml
index 46959e1dc2..9b2e6de173 100644
--- a/stable/mysql/Chart.yaml
+++ b/stable/mysql/Chart.yaml
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 name: mysql
-version: 0.3.2
+version: 0.3.3
 description: Fast, reliable, scalable, and easy to use open-source relational database
   system.
 keywords:
diff --git a/stable/mysql/templates/NOTES.txt b/stable/mysql/templates/NOTES.txt
index f6372e9803..077b1a80eb 100644
--- a/stable/mysql/templates/NOTES.txt
+++ b/stable/mysql/templates/NOTES.txt
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ MySQL can be accessed via port 3306 on the following DNS name from within your c
 
 To get your root password run:
 
-    kubectl get secret --namespace {{ .Release.Namespace }} {{ template "mysql.fullname" . }} -o jsonpath="{.data.mysql-root-password}" | base64 --decode; echo
+    MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD=$(kubectl get secret --namespace {{ .Release.Namespace }} {{ template "mysql.fullname" . }} -o jsonpath="{.data.mysql-root-password}" | base64 --decode; echo)
 
 To connect to your database:
 
@@ -17,3 +17,20 @@ To connect to your database:
 
 3. Connect using the mysql cli, then provide your password:
     $ mysql -h {{ template "mysql.fullname" . }} -p
+
+To connect to your database directly from outside the K8s cluster:
+    {{- if contains "NodePort" .Values.service.type }}
+    MYSQL_HOST=$(kubectl get nodes --namespace {{ .Release.Namespace }} -o jsonpath='{.items[0].status.addresses[0].address}')
+    MYSQL_PORT=$(kubectl get svc --namespace {{ .Release.Namespace }} {{ template "mysql.fullname" . }} -o jsonpath='{.spec.ports[0].nodePort}')
+
+    {{- else if contains "ClusterIP" .Values.service.type }}
+    MYSQL_HOST=127.0.0.1
+    MYSQL_PORT={{ default "3306" .Values.service.port }}
+
+    # Execute the following commands to route the connection:
+    export POD_NAME=$(kubectl get pods --namespace {{ .Release.Namespace }} -l "app={{ template "mysql.fullname" . }}" -o jsonpath="{.items[0].metadata.name}")
+    kubectl port-forward $POD_NAME {{ default "3306" .Values.service.port }}:{{ default "3306" .Values.service.port }}
+
+    {{- end }}
+
+    mysql -h ${MYSQL_HOST} -P${MYSQL_PORT} -u root -p${MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD}
diff --git a/stable/mysql/templates/svc.yaml b/stable/mysql/templates/svc.yaml
index cba389b2a9..6178ee048d 100644
--- a/stable/mysql/templates/svc.yaml
+++ b/stable/mysql/templates/svc.yaml
@@ -8,9 +8,10 @@ metadata:
     release: "{{ .Release.Name }}"
     heritage: "{{ .Release.Service }}"
 spec:
+  type: {{ .Values.service.type }}
   ports:
   - name: mysql
-    port: 3306
+    port: {{ .Values.service.port }}
     targetPort: mysql
   selector:
     app: {{ template "mysql.fullname" . }}
diff --git a/stable/mysql/values.yaml b/stable/mysql/values.yaml
index cad2b28acb..2518e14ab1 100644
--- a/stable/mysql/values.yaml
+++ b/stable/mysql/values.yaml
@@ -69,3 +69,12 @@ configurationFiles:
 #  mysql.cnf: |-
 #    [mysqld]
 #    skip-name-resolve
+
+
+## Configure the service
+## ref: http://kubernetes.io/docs/user-guide/services/
+service:
+  ## Specify a service type
+  ## ref: https://kubernetes.io/docs/concepts/services-networking/service/#publishing-services---service-types
+  type: ClusterIP
+  port: 3306