diff --git a/FAQ.md b/FAQ.md
index 2a4e5e24c9122d839338c15a6bc7a5b351f2d470..f51efe1af956243eecbb280b8a8ecbb93dda8034 100644
--- a/FAQ.md
+++ b/FAQ.md
@@ -55,3 +55,7 @@ x = await User.query().where({username:"0000000210481437"}).first()
 x.admin = true
 x.save()
 ```
+
+## What should PUBLIC_CLIENT_HOST be set to?
+
+This environment variable is currently only needed when deploying a _development_ build to a server (not to localhost). Set it to the server's name, e.g. `subdomain.myserver.com`.
diff --git a/config/custom-environment-variables.js b/config/custom-environment-variables.js
index 344823d928db6ffaa5d97e4b398f0c083cb71cc0..768d4698c3c720f04308fedc709594ae91e16953 100644
--- a/config/custom-environment-variables.js
+++ b/config/custom-environment-variables.js
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ module.exports = {
   },
   'pubsweet-client': {
     protocol: 'CLIENT_PROTOCOL',
-    host: 'CLIENT_HOST',
+    host: 'PUBLIC_CLIENT_HOST',
     port: 'CLIENT_PORT',
   },
   'pubsweet-server': {
diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
index a9e21fb04ac462009a8ac256e22b817d7620495d..ba141465cf0f85cc35f11367efaabcd3b5124bf5 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ services:
       - SERVER_PROTOCOL=http
       - SERVER_HOST=server
       - SERVER_PORT=${SERVER_PORT:-3000}
+      - PUBLIC_CLIENT_HOST=${PUBLIC_CLIENT_HOST:-0.0.0.0}
     volumes:
       - ./app:/home/node/app/app
       - ./config:/home/node/app/config
diff --git a/webpack/plugins.js b/webpack/plugins.js
index c0c78395ce80326b96001043bb93e8b3ef25124a..17ed23a7ad9972e443380bccc57ba347d1e20db5 100644
--- a/webpack/plugins.js
+++ b/webpack/plugins.js
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ module.exports = (opts = {}) => {
       'CLIENT_PROTOCOL',
       'CLIENT_HOST',
       'CLIENT_PORT',
+      'PUBLIC_CLIENT_HOST',
     ]),
   )