diff --git a/server/src/index.ts b/server/src/index.ts
index 955aaa16..cabc20b3 100644
--- a/server/src/index.ts
+++ b/server/src/index.ts
@@ -553,7 +553,9 @@ export async function startServer(): Promise<StartedServer> {
       : runtimeListenHost;
   process.env.PAPERCLIP_LISTEN_HOST = runtimeListenHost;
   process.env.PAPERCLIP_LISTEN_PORT = String(listenPort);
-  process.env.PAPERCLIP_API_URL = `http://${runtimeApiHost}:${listenPort}`;
+  if (!process.env.PAPERCLIP_API_URL) {
+    process.env.PAPERCLIP_API_URL = `http://${runtimeApiHost}:${listenPort}`;
+  }
   
   setupLiveEventsWebSocketServer(server, db as any, {
     deploymentMode: config.deploymentMode,