diff --git a/bookwyrm/models/fields.py b/bookwyrm/models/fields.py
index b59b61072..3b369e84e 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/models/fields.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/models/fields.py
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ from django.db import models
 from django.forms import ClearableFileInput, ImageField as DjangoImageField
 from django.utils import timezone
 from django.utils.translation import gettext_lazy as _
+
 from bookwyrm import activitypub
 from bookwyrm.connectors import get_image
 from bookwyrm.sanitize_html import InputHtmlParser
@@ -354,7 +355,8 @@ def image_serializer(value, alt):
         url = value.url
     else:
         return None
-    url = "https://%s%s" % (DOMAIN, url)
+    if not url[:4] == "http":
+        url = "https://{:s}{:s}".format(DOMAIN, url)
     return activitypub.Document(url=url, name=alt)
 
 
diff --git a/bookwyrm/tests/models/test_fields.py b/bookwyrm/tests/models/test_fields.py
index a8a6096be..c234ffd08 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/tests/models/test_fields.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/tests/models/test_fields.py
@@ -426,6 +426,15 @@ class ActivitypubFields(TestCase):
         self.assertIsInstance(loaded_image, list)
         self.assertIsInstance(loaded_image[1], ContentFile)
 
+    def test_image_serialize(self):
+        """make sure we're creating sensible image paths"""
+        ValueMock = namedtuple("ValueMock", ("url"))
+        value_mock = ValueMock("/images/fish.jpg")
+        result = fields.image_serializer(value_mock, "hello")
+        self.assertEqual(result.type, "Document")
+        self.assertEqual(result.url, "https://your.domain.here/images/fish.jpg")
+        self.assertEqual(result.name, "hello")
+
     def test_datetime_field(self):
         """this one is pretty simple, it just has to use isoformat"""
         instance = fields.DateTimeField()
diff --git a/pytest.ini b/pytest.ini
index fa9dbc59f..8539d1167 100644
--- a/pytest.ini
+++ b/pytest.ini
@@ -4,3 +4,19 @@ python_files = tests.py test_*.py *_tests.py
 addopts = --cov=bookwyrm --cov-config=.coveragerc
 markers =
     integration: marks tests as requiring external resources (deselect with '-m "not integration"')
+
+env =
+    DEBUG = false
+    DOMAIN = your.domain.here
+    BOOKWYRM_DATABASE_BACKEND = postgres
+    MEDIA_ROOT = images/
+    CELERY_BROKER = ""
+    REDIS_BROKER_PORT = 6379
+    FLOWER_PORT = 8888
+    EMAIL_HOST = "smtp.mailgun.org"
+    EMAIL_PORT = 587
+    EMAIL_HOST_USER = ""
+    EMAIL_HOST_PASSWORD = ""
+    EMAIL_USE_TLS = true
+    ENABLE_PREVIEW_IMAGES = false
+    USE_S3 = false
diff --git a/requirements.txt b/requirements.txt
index 4a8c15aa1..ec0eb1a81 100644
--- a/requirements.txt
+++ b/requirements.txt
@@ -23,4 +23,5 @@ coverage==5.1
 pytest-django==4.1.0
 pytest==6.1.2
 pytest-cov==2.10.1
+pytest-env==0.6.2
 pytest-xdist==2.3.0