diff --git a/doc/environment-vars.txt b/doc/environment-vars.txt
index 14936a596..579869a3c 100644
--- a/doc/environment-vars.txt
+++ b/doc/environment-vars.txt
@@ -45,6 +45,11 @@ CAMLI_DEBUG_CONFIG (bool):
 CAMLI_DEBUG_UPLOADS (bool):
   Used by pkg/client to enable additional logging.
 
+CAMLI_DEFAULT_SERVER (string):
+  The server alias to use by default. The string is the server's alias key
+  in the client-config.json "servers" object. If set, the CAMLI_DEFAULT_SERVER
+  takes precedence over the "default" bool in client-config.json.
+
 CAMLI_DEV_CAMLI_ROOT (string):
   If set, the base directory of Camlistore when in dev mode.
   Used by pkg/server for finding static assests (js, css, html).
diff --git a/pkg/client/config.go b/pkg/client/config.go
index 808d292b0..b53ab8997 100644
--- a/pkg/client/config.go
+++ b/pkg/client/config.go
@@ -257,8 +257,9 @@ func serverOrDie() string {
 
 func defaultServer() string {
 	configOnce.Do(parseConfig)
-	for _, serverConf := range config.Servers {
-		if serverConf.IsDefault {
+	wantAlias := os.Getenv("CAMLI_DEFAULT_SERVER")
+	for alias, serverConf := range config.Servers {
+		if (wantAlias != "" && wantAlias == alias) || (wantAlias == "" && serverConf.IsDefault) {
 			return cleanServer(serverConf.Server)
 		}
 	}