diff --git a/sheepdog/api.py b/sheepdog/api.py
index 65c3a00b..79d9e493 100644
--- a/sheepdog/api.py
+++ b/sheepdog/api.py
@@ -149,8 +149,10 @@ def app_init(app):
     except KeyError:
         app.logger.error("Secret key not set in config! Authentication will not work")
 
-    if app.config.get("ARBORIST"):
-        app.auth = ArboristClient(arborist_base_url=app.config["ARBORIST"])
+    # ARBORIST deprecated, replaced by ARBORIST_URL
+    arborist_url = os.environ.get("ARBORIST_URL", os.environ.get("ARBORIST"))
+    if arborist_url:
+        app.auth = ArboristClient(arborist_base_url=arborist_url)
     else:
         app.logger.info("Using default Arborist base URL")
         app.auth = ArboristClient()
diff --git a/sheepdog/dev_settings.py b/sheepdog/dev_settings.py
index 6611bc6e..bea3eef7 100644
--- a/sheepdog/dev_settings.py
+++ b/sheepdog/dev_settings.py
@@ -21,8 +21,6 @@
     "user_domain_name": env.get("KEYSTONE_DOMAIN"),
 }
 
-ARBORIST = "http://arborist-service/"
-
 # Storage
 CLEVERSAFE_HOST = env.get("CLEVERSAFE_HOST", "cleversafe.service.consul")
 
diff --git a/sheepdog/test_settings.py b/sheepdog/test_settings.py
index b5b76146..2842d61a 100644
--- a/sheepdog/test_settings.py
+++ b/sheepdog/test_settings.py
@@ -16,8 +16,6 @@
     "user_domain_name": "some_domain",
 }
 
-ARBORIST = "http://arborist-service/"
-
 SUBMISSION = {"bucket": "test_submission", "host": "host"}