diff --git a/docs/run-an-instance.md b/docs/run-an-instance.md
index 9e607942..d89d506c 100644
--- a/docs/run-an-instance.md
+++ b/docs/run-an-instance.md
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ sudo service nscd start
 | variable name         | default   | example                 | description |
 |:----------------------|:----------|:------------------------|:------------|
 | `API_PORT`            | `9000`    |  `9000`                 | changes port from which api server is accessible. |
+| `API_LISTEN_ADDRESS`  | `0.0.0.0` |  `127.0.0.1`            | changes address from which api server is accessible. **if you are using docker, you usually don't need to configure this.** |
 | `API_URL`             | ➖        | `https://co.wuk.sh/`    | changes url from which api server is accessible. <br> ***REQUIRED TO RUN API***. |
 | `API_NAME`            | `unknown` | `ams-1`                 | api server name that is shown in `/api/serverInfo`. |
 | `CORS_WILDCARD`       | `1`       | `0`                     | toggles cross-origin resource sharing. <br> `0`: disabled. `1`: enabled. |
diff --git a/src/core/api.js b/src/core/api.js
index 440c25c2..31ed7dd5 100644
--- a/src/core/api.js
+++ b/src/core/api.js
@@ -194,7 +194,7 @@ export function runAPI(express, app, gitCommit, gitBranch, __dirname) {
         res.redirect('/api/json')
     });
 
-    app.listen(env.apiPort, () => {
+    app.listen(env.apiPort, env.listenAddress, () => {
         console.log(`\n` +
             `${Cyan("cobalt")} API ${Bright(`v.${version}-${gitCommit} (${gitBranch})`)}\n` +
             `Start time: ${Bright(`${startTime.toUTCString()} (${startTimestamp})`)}\n\n` +
diff --git a/src/modules/config.js b/src/modules/config.js
index 93347ad4..89ac1b33 100644
--- a/src/modules/config.js
+++ b/src/modules/config.js
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ const
     apiEnvs = {
         apiPort: process.env.API_PORT || 9000,
         apiName: process.env.API_NAME || 'unknown',
+        listenAddress: process.env.API_LISTEN_ADDRESS,
         corsWildcard: process.env.CORS_WILDCARD !== '0',
         corsURL: process.env.CORS_URL,
         cookiePath: process.env.COOKIE_PATH,