@@ -52,8 +52,13 @@ func main() {

 		return

 	}

 	if flHosts.Len() == 0 {

-		// If we do not have a host, default to unix socket

-		flHosts.Set(fmt.Sprintf("unix://%s", docker.DEFAULTUNIXSOCKET))

+		defaultHost := os.Getenv("DOCKER_HOST")

+

+		if defaultHost == "" || *flDaemon {

+			// If we do not have a host, default to unix socket

+			defaultHost = fmt.Sprintf("unix://%s", docker.DEFAULTUNIXSOCKET)

+		}

+		flHosts.Set(defaultHost)

 	}

 	if *bridgeName != "" && *bridgeIp != "" {

@@ -52,6 +52,18 @@ To set the DNS server for all Docker containers, use ``docker -d -dns 8.8.8.8``.

 To run the daemon with debug output, use ``docker -d -D``.

+The docker client will also honor the ``DOCKER_HOST`` environment variable to set

+the ``-H`` flag for the client.  

+

+::

+ 

+        docker -H tcp://0.0.0.0:4243 ps

+        # or

+        export DOCKER_HOST="tcp://0.0.0.0:4243"

+        docker ps

+        # both are equal

+

+

 .. _cli_attach:

 ``attach``