diff --git a/.env.example b/.env.example
index dd7bec4f2..4c1c2eefe 100644
--- a/.env.example
+++ b/.env.example
@@ -32,6 +32,8 @@ REDIS_ACTIVITY_PORT=6379
 REDIS_ACTIVITY_PASSWORD=redispassword345
 # Optional, use a different redis database (defaults to 0)
 # REDIS_ACTIVITY_DB_INDEX=0
+# Alternatively specify the full redis url, i.e. if you need to use a unix:// socket
+# REDIS_ACTIVITY_URL=
 
 # Redis as celery broker
 REDIS_BROKER_HOST=redis_broker
@@ -39,6 +41,8 @@ REDIS_BROKER_PORT=6379
 REDIS_BROKER_PASSWORD=redispassword123
 # Optional, use a different redis database (defaults to 0)
 # REDIS_BROKER_DB_INDEX=0
+# Alternatively specify the full redis url, i.e. if you need to use a unix:// socket
+# REDIS_BROKER_URL=
 
 # Monitoring for celery
 FLOWER_PORT=8888
diff --git a/bookwyrm/management/commands/erase_streams.py b/bookwyrm/management/commands/erase_streams.py
index 9d971d699..ecd36006c 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/management/commands/erase_streams.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/management/commands/erase_streams.py
@@ -4,12 +4,7 @@ import redis
 
 from bookwyrm import settings
 
-r = redis.Redis(
-    host=settings.REDIS_ACTIVITY_HOST,
-    port=settings.REDIS_ACTIVITY_PORT,
-    password=settings.REDIS_ACTIVITY_PASSWORD,
-    db=settings.REDIS_ACTIVITY_DB_INDEX,
-)
+r = redis.from_url(settings.REDIS_ACTIVITY_URL)
 
 
 def erase_streams():
diff --git a/bookwyrm/redis_store.py b/bookwyrm/redis_store.py
index ae50db2ee..f25829f5c 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/redis_store.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/redis_store.py
@@ -4,12 +4,7 @@ import redis
 
 from bookwyrm import settings
 
-r = redis.Redis(
-    host=settings.REDIS_ACTIVITY_HOST,
-    port=settings.REDIS_ACTIVITY_PORT,
-    password=settings.REDIS_ACTIVITY_PASSWORD,
-    db=settings.REDIS_ACTIVITY_DB_INDEX,
-)
+r = redis.from_url(settings.REDIS_ACTIVITY_URL)
 
 
 class RedisStore(ABC):
diff --git a/bookwyrm/settings.py b/bookwyrm/settings.py
index 74ef7d313..3090d27f5 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/settings.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/settings.py
@@ -207,7 +207,7 @@ REDIS_ACTIVITY_HOST = env("REDIS_ACTIVITY_HOST", "localhost")
 REDIS_ACTIVITY_PORT = env("REDIS_ACTIVITY_PORT", 6379)
 REDIS_ACTIVITY_PASSWORD = env("REDIS_ACTIVITY_PASSWORD", None)
 REDIS_ACTIVITY_DB_INDEX = env("REDIS_ACTIVITY_DB_INDEX", 0)
-
+REDIS_ACTIVITY_URL = env("REDIS_ACTIVITY_URL", f"redis://:{REDIS_ACTIVITY_PASSWORD}@{REDIS_ACTIVITY_HOST}:{REDIS_ACTIVITY_PORT}/{REDIS_ACTIVITY_DB_INDEX}")
 MAX_STREAM_LENGTH = int(env("MAX_STREAM_LENGTH", 200))
 
 STREAMS = [
@@ -232,7 +232,7 @@ else:
     CACHES = {
         "default": {
             "BACKEND": "django_redis.cache.RedisCache",
-            "LOCATION": f"redis://:{REDIS_ACTIVITY_PASSWORD}@{REDIS_ACTIVITY_HOST}:{REDIS_ACTIVITY_PORT}/{REDIS_ACTIVITY_DB_INDEX}",
+            "LOCATION": REDIS_ACTIVITY_URL,
             "OPTIONS": {
                 "CLIENT_CLASS": "django_redis.client.DefaultClient",
             },
diff --git a/bookwyrm/views/admin/celery_status.py b/bookwyrm/views/admin/celery_status.py
index 7da148a06..5221fd619 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/views/admin/celery_status.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/views/admin/celery_status.py
@@ -8,12 +8,7 @@ import redis
 from celerywyrm import settings
 from bookwyrm.tasks import app as celery
 
-r = redis.Redis(
-    host=settings.REDIS_BROKER_HOST,
-    port=settings.REDIS_BROKER_PORT,
-    password=settings.REDIS_BROKER_PASSWORD,
-    db=settings.REDIS_BROKER_DB_INDEX,
-)
+r = redis.from_url(settings.REDIS_BROKER_URL)
 
 # pylint: disable= no-self-use
 @method_decorator(login_required, name="dispatch")
diff --git a/celerywyrm/settings.py b/celerywyrm/settings.py
index 94e530221..3b6dc998a 100644
--- a/celerywyrm/settings.py
+++ b/celerywyrm/settings.py
@@ -8,9 +8,10 @@ REDIS_BROKER_PASSWORD = requests.utils.quote(env("REDIS_BROKER_PASSWORD", None))
 REDIS_BROKER_HOST = env("REDIS_BROKER_HOST", "redis_broker")
 REDIS_BROKER_PORT = env("REDIS_BROKER_PORT", 6379)
 REDIS_BROKER_DB_INDEX = env("REDIS_BROKER_DB_INDEX", 0)
+REDIS_BROKER_URL = env("REDIS_BROKER_URL",f"redis://:{REDIS_BROKER_PASSWORD}@{REDIS_BROKER_HOST}:{REDIS_BROKER_PORT}/{REDIS_BROKER_DB_INDEX}")
 
-CELERY_BROKER_URL = f"redis://:{REDIS_BROKER_PASSWORD}@{REDIS_BROKER_HOST}:{REDIS_BROKER_PORT}/{REDIS_BROKER_DB_INDEX}"
-CELERY_RESULT_BACKEND = f"redis://:{REDIS_BROKER_PASSWORD}@{REDIS_BROKER_HOST}:{REDIS_BROKER_PORT}/{REDIS_BROKER_DB_INDEX}"
+CELERY_BROKER_URL = REDIS_BROKER_URL.replace("unix:","redis+socket:")
+CELERY_RESULT_BACKEND = REDIS_BROKER_URL.replace("unix:","redis+socket:")
 
 CELERY_DEFAULT_QUEUE = "low_priority"
 CELERY_CREATE_MISSING_QUEUES = True