diff --git a/scripts/init_db.sh b/scripts/init_db.sh
index 2a773b2..c32c8f4 100755
--- a/scripts/init_db.sh
+++ b/scripts/init_db.sh
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@ DB_PASSWORD="${POSTGRES_PASSWORD:=password}"
 DB_NAME="${POSTGRES_DB:=newsletter}"
 # Check if a custom port has been set, otherwise default to '5432'
 DB_PORT="${POSTGRES_PORT:=5432}"
+# Check if a custom host has been set, otherwise default to 'localhost'
+DB_HOST="${POSTGRES_HOST:=localhost}"
 
 # Allow to skip Docker if a dockerized Postgres database is already running
 if [[ -z "${SKIP_DOCKER}" ]]
@@ -21,21 +23,20 @@ then
     echo >&2 "    docker kill ${RUNNING_POSTGRES_CONTAINER}"
     exit 1
   fi
-
   # Launch postgres using Docker
   docker run \
       -e POSTGRES_USER=${DB_USER} \
       -e POSTGRES_PASSWORD=${DB_PASSWORD} \
       -e POSTGRES_DB=${DB_NAME} \
       -p "${DB_PORT}":5432 \
-      --name "postgres_$(date '+%s')" \
       -d postgres \
+      --name "postgres_$(date '+%s')" \
       postgres -N 1000
       # ^ Increased maximum number of connections for testing purposes
 fi
 
 # Keep pinging Postgres until it's ready to accept commands
-until PGPASSWORD="${DB_PASSWORD}" psql -h "localhost" -U "${DB_USER}" -p "${DB_PORT}" -d "postgres" -c '\q'; do
+until PGPASSWORD="${DB_PASSWORD}" psql -h "${DB_HOST}" -U "${DB_USER}" -p "${DB_PORT}" -d "postgres" -c '\q'; do
   >&2 echo "Postgres is still unavailable - sleeping"
   sleep 1
 done