diff --git a/apps/terminal/automations/deploy_applet_host/__init__.py b/apps/terminal/automations/deploy_applet_host/__init__.py
index c5e903f35..00f63463b 100644
--- a/apps/terminal/automations/deploy_applet_host/__init__.py
+++ b/apps/terminal/automations/deploy_applet_host/__init__.py
@@ -53,14 +53,15 @@ class DeployAppletHostManager:
         if not download_host:
             download_host = site_url
         options = self.deployment.host.deploy_options
-        site_url = site_url.rstrip("/")
+        core_host = options.get("CORE_HOST", site_url)
+        core_host = core_host.rstrip("/")
         download_host = download_host.rstrip("/")
 
         def handler(plays):
             for play in plays:
                 play["vars"].update(options)
                 play["vars"]["APPLET_DOWNLOAD_HOST"] = download_host
-                play["vars"]["CORE_HOST"] = site_url
+                play["vars"]["CORE_HOST"] = core_host
                 play["vars"]["BOOTSTRAP_TOKEN"] = bootstrap_token
                 play["vars"]["HOST_ID"] = host_id
                 play["vars"]["HOST_NAME"] = self.deployment.host.name
diff --git a/apps/terminal/serializers/applet_host.py b/apps/terminal/serializers/applet_host.py
index 9ec4b8104..cf7895a71 100644
--- a/apps/terminal/serializers/applet_host.py
+++ b/apps/terminal/serializers/applet_host.py
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+from django.conf import settings
 from django.utils.translation import gettext_lazy as _
 from rest_framework import serializers
 
@@ -27,6 +28,8 @@ class DeployOptionsSerializer(serializers.Serializer):
         (1, _("Disabled")),
         (0, _("Enabled")),
     )
+
+    CORE_HOST = serializers.CharField(default=settings.SITE_URL, label=_('API Server'), max_length=1024)
     RDS_Licensing = serializers.BooleanField(default=False, label=_("RDS Licensing"))
     RDS_LicenseServer = serializers.CharField(default='127.0.0.1', label=_('RDS License Server'), max_length=1024)
     RDS_LicensingMode = serializers.ChoiceField(choices=LICENSE_MODE_CHOICES, default=4, label=_('RDS Licensing Mode'))