diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 7d47df8..8f60a78 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -99,6 +99,12 @@ foundry:
 
 Now, instead of launching a local process, it will attempt to connect to the remote anvil node and use this plugin as the ape interface.
 
+To connect to a remote anvil node using an environment variable, set `APE_FOUNDRY_HOST`:
+
+```bash
+export APE_FOUNDRY_HOST=https://your-anvil.example.com`
+```
+
 ## Impersonate Accounts
 
 You can impersonate accounts using the `ape-foundry` plugin.
diff --git a/ape_foundry/provider.py b/ape_foundry/provider.py
index a57b961..b37570d 100644
--- a/ape_foundry/provider.py
+++ b/ape_foundry/provider.py
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import os
 import random
 import shutil
 from bisect import bisect_right
@@ -144,7 +145,11 @@ def timeout(self) -> int:
 
     @property
     def _clean_uri(self) -> str:
-        return str(URL(self.uri).with_user(None).with_password(None))
+        try:
+            return str(URL(self.uri).with_user(None).with_password(None))
+        except ValueError:
+            # Likely isn't a real URI.
+            return self.uri
 
     @property
     def _port(self) -> Optional[int]:
@@ -271,6 +276,9 @@ def connect(self):
         elif "host" in self.provider_settings:
             self._host = self.provider_settings["host"]
 
+        elif "APE_FOUNDRY_HOST" in os.environ:
+            self._host = os.environ["APE_FOUNDRY_HOST"]
+
         elif self._host is None:
             self._host = self.uri
 
@@ -278,8 +286,11 @@ def connect(self):
             # Connects to already running process
             self._start()
 
-        elif self.config.manage_process:
+        elif self.config.manage_process and (
+            "localhost" in self._host or "127.0.0.1" in self._host or self._host == "auto"
+        ):
             # Only do base-process setup if not connecting to already-running process
+            # and is running on localhost.
             super().connect()
             if self._host:
                 self._set_web3()
diff --git a/tests/test_provider.py b/tests/test_provider.py
index 7166615..4c7fd8d 100644
--- a/tests/test_provider.py
+++ b/tests/test_provider.py
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import os
 import tempfile
 from pathlib import Path
 
@@ -301,7 +302,25 @@ def test_remote_host(temp_config, networks, no_anvil_bin):
     with temp_config(data):
         with pytest.raises(
             FoundryProviderError,
-            match=r"Failed to connect to Anvil node at 'https://example.com'\.",
+            match=r"Failed to connect to remote Anvil node at 'https://example.com'\.",
         ):
             with networks.ethereum.local.use_provider("foundry"):
                 assert True
+
+
+def test_remote_host_using_env_var(temp_config, networks, no_anvil_bin):
+    original = os.environ.get("APE_FOUNDRY_HOST")
+    os.environ["APE_FOUNDRY_HOST"] = "https://example2.com"
+    try:
+        with pytest.raises(
+            FoundryProviderError,
+            match=r"Failed to connect to remote Anvil node at 'https://example2.com'\.",
+        ):
+            with networks.ethereum.local.use_provider("foundry"):
+                assert True
+
+    finally:
+        if original is None:
+            del os.environ["APE_FOUNDRY_HOST"]
+        else:
+            os.environ["APE_FOUNDRY_HOST"] = original