diff --git a/app/config.py b/app/config.py
index 063ebc7e9..a9e95f930 100644
--- a/app/config.py
+++ b/app/config.py
@@ -432,7 +432,7 @@ class Development(Config):
 
     ANTIVIRUS_ENABLED = os.getenv('ANTIVIRUS_ENABLED') == '1'
 
-    API_HOST_NAME = "http://localhost:6011"
+    API_HOST_NAME = os.getenv('API_HOST_NAME', 'http://localhost:6011')
     API_RATE_LIMIT_ENABLED = True
     DVLA_EMAIL_ADDRESSES = ['success@simulator.amazonses.com']
 
diff --git a/scripts/run_with_docker.sh b/scripts/run_with_docker.sh
index 70933d111..eeef272c8 100755
--- a/scripts/run_with_docker.sh
+++ b/scripts/run_with_docker.sh
@@ -8,8 +8,9 @@ source environment.sh
 # this script should be run from within your virtualenv so you can access the aws cli
 AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID=${AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID:-"$(aws configure get aws_access_key_id)"}
 AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY=${AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY:-"$(aws configure get aws_secret_access_key)"}
-: "${SQLALCHEMY_DATABASE_URI:=postgresql://postgres@host.docker.internal/notification_api}"
+SQLALCHEMY_DATABASE_URI="postgresql://postgres@host.docker.internal/notification_api"
 REDIS_URL="redis://host.docker.internal:6379"
+API_HOST_NAME="http://host.docker.internal:6011"
 
 docker run -it --rm \
   -e AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID=$AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID \
@@ -17,6 +18,7 @@ docker run -it --rm \
   -e SQLALCHEMY_DATABASE_URI=$SQLALCHEMY_DATABASE_URI \
   -e REDIS_ENABLED=${REDIS_ENABLED:-0} \
   -e REDIS_URL=$REDIS_URL \
+  -e API_HOST_NAME=$API_HOST_NAME \
   -v $(pwd):/home/vcap/app \
   ${DOCKER_IMAGE_NAME} \
   ${@}