diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index abed858dd..0329647a2 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,5 +1,11 @@
 # @qawolf/cli
 
+## 1.3.1
+
+### Patch Changes
+
+- ac2d20d: Allow `QAWOLF_HOST_URL` to target a custom QA Wolf deployment host.
+
 ## 1.3.0
 
 ### Minor Changes
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index cbaf3642b..cb9db7e37 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@qawolf/cli",
-  "version": "1.3.0",
+  "version": "1.3.1",
   "description": "Run and manage QA Wolf flows from the terminal, CI, or an AI agent",
   "keywords": [
     "automation",
diff --git a/skills/qawolf-cli/SKILL.md b/skills/qawolf-cli/SKILL.md
index 2b8688762..b7b677565 100644
--- a/skills/qawolf-cli/SKILL.md
+++ b/skills/qawolf-cli/SKILL.md
@@ -19,6 +19,11 @@ environment variable (or stored credentials from `qawolf auth login`).
 their table entry notes a flag that switches them to `read`.
 Verify with `qawolf auth whoami`. Never print or log the key.
 
+Commands use `https://app.qawolf.com` by default. Set `QAWOLF_HOST_URL` to
+target another deployment host, for example
+`https://app.staging.example.com`. `QAWOLF_API_URL` is a separate API endpoint
+and does not select the deployment host used by CLI commands.
+
 ## Output
 
 When consuming output programmatically, always pass `--json` (or `--agent`).
diff --git a/src/commands/context.ts b/src/commands/context.ts
index 7247ffab4..9190396a5 100644
--- a/src/commands/context.ts
+++ b/src/commands/context.ts
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import { authMessages } from "~/core/messages/index.js";
 import { getConfigDir } from "~/core/paths.js";
 import { exitCodes } from "~/shell/exit.js";
 import { makeDefaultFs } from "~/shell/fs.js";
+import { resolveHostUrl } from "~/shell/resolveHostUrl.js";
 import { requireApiKey } from "~/domains/auth/index.js";
 import {
   createLoggingSystem,
@@ -59,8 +60,7 @@ export function buildBaseContext(
     logPath: defaultLogPath(),
     ...(verboseWrite ? { verboseWrite } : {}),
   });
-  const apiBaseUrl =
-    env["QAWOLF_API_URL"]?.replace(/\/+$/, "") || "https://app.qawolf.com";
+  const apiBaseUrl = resolveHostUrl(env);
   return {
     ctx: {
       ui: createUI(outputMode, {
diff --git a/src/commands/flows/runWorker.register.ts b/src/commands/flows/runWorker.register.ts
index 4559535e4..ce3163b04 100644
--- a/src/commands/flows/runWorker.register.ts
+++ b/src/commands/flows/runWorker.register.ts
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import type { Reporter } from "~/shell/reporter/types.js";
 import type { SignalRegistry } from "~/shell/signals/createSignalRegistry.js";
 import { getConfigDir } from "~/core/paths.js";
 import { makeDefaultFs } from "~/shell/fs.js";
+import { resolveHostUrl } from "~/shell/resolveHostUrl.js";
 import { configureTestkit } from "~/shell/testkit.js";
 import { executeWorkerFlow } from "~/domains/runner/executeWorkerFlow.js";
 import { runAndroidFlow as defaultRunAndroidFlow } from "~/domains/runner/runAndroidFlow.js";
@@ -34,9 +35,7 @@ async function runWorker(signals: SignalRegistry): Promise<void> {
 
     await configureTestkit(input.resolvedDir);
     const fs = makeDefaultFs();
-    const apiBaseUrl =
-      process.env["QAWOLF_API_URL"]?.replace(/\/+$/, "") ||
-      "https://app.qawolf.com";
+    const apiBaseUrl = resolveHostUrl(process.env);
     const flowRuntimeDeps = await createFlowRuntimeDeps({
       envDir: input.resolvedDir,
       ctx: { apiBaseUrl, configDir: getConfigDir(), fs },
diff --git a/src/core/messages/auth.ts b/src/core/messages/auth.ts
index 7e3ffb374..9c93f68d8 100644
--- a/src/core/messages/auth.ts
+++ b/src/core/messages/auth.ts
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ export const authMessages = {
       failedWithStatus: (status: number, noun: string | undefined) =>
         `QA Wolf API${noun ? ` ${noun}` : ""} request failed (HTTP ${status}).`,
       networkUnreachable: (baseUrl: string, noun: string | undefined) =>
-        `Could not reach the QA Wolf API at ${baseUrl}${noun ? ` to fetch ${noun}` : ""}. Check your network connection and QAWOLF_API_URL.`,
+        `Could not reach the QA Wolf API at ${baseUrl}${noun ? ` to fetch ${noun}` : ""}. Check your network connection and QAWOLF_HOST_URL.`,
       unexpectedResponse: (noun: string | undefined) =>
         `Unexpected${noun ? ` ${noun}` : ""} response from the QA Wolf API.`,
     },
diff --git a/src/shell/resolveHostUrl.test.ts b/src/shell/resolveHostUrl.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..66e8d43a9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/shell/resolveHostUrl.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from "bun:test";
+
+import { resolveHostUrl } from "./resolveHostUrl.js";
+
+describe("resolveHostUrl", () => {
+  it("returns the production host when QAWOLF_HOST_URL is unset", () => {
+    expect(resolveHostUrl({})).toBe("https://app.qawolf.com");
+  });
+
+  it("accepts a custom host", () => {
+    expect(
+      resolveHostUrl({
+        QAWOLF_HOST_URL: "https://app.preview.example.com",
+      }),
+    ).toBe("https://app.preview.example.com");
+  });
+
+  it("does not treat QAWOLF_API_URL as the host URL", () => {
+    expect(
+      resolveHostUrl({
+        QAWOLF_API_URL: "https://api.staging.example.com/api",
+      }),
+    ).toBe("https://app.qawolf.com");
+  });
+
+  it("trims whitespace and trailing slashes", () => {
+    expect(
+      resolveHostUrl({
+        QAWOLF_HOST_URL: "  http://localhost:3000///  ",
+      }),
+    ).toBe("http://localhost:3000");
+  });
+
+  it("falls back to the production host for whitespace", () => {
+    expect(resolveHostUrl({ QAWOLF_HOST_URL: "  " })).toBe(
+      "https://app.qawolf.com",
+    );
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/shell/resolveHostUrl.ts b/src/shell/resolveHostUrl.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f6a2d8470
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/shell/resolveHostUrl.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+const defaultHostUrl = "https://app.qawolf.com";
+
+export function resolveHostUrl(
+  env: Record<string, string | undefined>,
+): string {
+  const configuredHostUrl = env["QAWOLF_HOST_URL"]?.trim();
+  if (!configuredHostUrl) return defaultHostUrl;
+
+  return configuredHostUrl.replace(/\/+$/, "");
+}