diff --git a/docker/entrypoint.sh b/docker/entrypoint.sh
index 84cf19576..42379a3fe 100644
--- a/docker/entrypoint.sh
+++ b/docker/entrypoint.sh
@@ -20,10 +20,15 @@ else
   touch /app/var/.env
 
   ## manually generate a key because key generate --force fails
-  echo -e "Generating key."
-  APP_KEY=$(cat /dev/urandom | tr -dc 'a-zA-Z0-9' | fold -w 32 | head -n 1)
-  echo -e "Generated app key: $APP_KEY"
-  echo -e "APP_KEY=$APP_KEY" > /app/var/.env
+  if [ -z "$APP_KEY" ]; then
+      echo -e "Generating key."
+      APP_KEY=$(cat /dev/urandom | tr -dc 'a-zA-Z0-9' | fold -w 32 | head -n 1)
+      echo -e "Generated app key: $APP_KEY"
+      echo -e "APP_KEY=$APP_KEY" > /app/var/.env
+  else
+    echo -e "APP_KEY exists in environment, using that."
+    echo -e "APP_KEY=$APP_KEY" > /app/var/.env
+  fi
 
   ln -s /app/var/.env /app/
 fi
@@ -77,4 +82,4 @@ yarn add cross-env
 yarn run build:production
 
 echo -e "Starting supervisord."
-exec "$@"
\ No newline at end of file
+exec "$@"