diff --git a/crates/cdk-mintd/src/env_vars.rs b/crates/cdk-mintd/src/env_vars.rs
index 3147e069..27b815b0 100644
--- a/crates/cdk-mintd/src/env_vars.rs
+++ b/crates/cdk-mintd/src/env_vars.rs
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@ use crate::config::{
     Phoenixd, Settings, Strike,
 };
 
+pub const ENV_WORK_DIR: &str = "CDK_MINTD_WORK_DIR";
+
 pub const DATABASE_ENV_VAR: &str = "CDK_MINTD_DATABASE";
 pub const ENV_URL: &str = "CDK_MINTD_URL";
 pub const ENV_LISTEN_HOST: &str = "CDK_MINTD_LISTEN_HOST";
diff --git a/crates/cdk-mintd/src/main.rs b/crates/cdk-mintd/src/main.rs
index 8c17377f..fc59cfe4 100644
--- a/crates/cdk-mintd/src/main.rs
+++ b/crates/cdk-mintd/src/main.rs
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 #![warn(rustdoc::bare_urls)]
 
 use std::collections::HashMap;
+use std::env;
 use std::path::PathBuf;
 use std::str::FromStr;
 use std::sync::Arc;
@@ -25,6 +26,7 @@ use cdk::types::LnKey;
 use cdk_axum::cache::HttpCache;
 use cdk_mintd::cli::CLIArgs;
 use cdk_mintd::config::{self, DatabaseEngine, LnBackend};
+use cdk_mintd::env_vars::ENV_WORK_DIR;
 use cdk_mintd::setup::LnBackendSetup;
 use cdk_redb::MintRedbDatabase;
 use cdk_sqlite::MintSqliteDatabase;
@@ -54,19 +56,24 @@ async fn main() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
 
     let args = CLIArgs::parse();
 
-    let work_dir = match args.work_dir {
-        Some(w) => w,
-        None => work_dir()?,
+    let work_dir = if let Some(work_dir) = args.work_dir {
+        tracing::info!("Using work dir from cmd arg");
+        work_dir.into()
+    } else if let Ok(env_work_dir) = env::var(ENV_WORK_DIR) {
+        tracing::info!("Using work dir from env var");
+        env_work_dir.into()
+    } else {
+        work_dir()?
     };
 
+    tracing::info!("Using work dir: {}", work_dir.display());
+
     // get config file name from args
     let config_file_arg = match args.config {
         Some(c) => c,
         None => work_dir.join("config.toml"),
     };
 
-    tracing::info!("Using work dir: {}", work_dir.display());
-
     let mut mint_builder = MintBuilder::new();
 
     let mut settings = if config_file_arg.exists() {