diff --git a/odoo_scripts/docker_dev_start.py b/odoo_scripts/docker_dev_start.py
index 2378b2d027b33aacad8f898fcb757d1cd5b35a5a_b2Rvb19zY3JpcHRzL2RvY2tlcl9kZXZfc3RhcnQucHk=..2c2abe2a21c047d90c31c88ac45e218bd4a171a4_b2Rvb19zY3JpcHRzL2RvY2tlcl9kZXZfc3RhcnQucHk= 100755
--- a/odoo_scripts/docker_dev_start.py
+++ b/odoo_scripts/docker_dev_start.py
@@ -86,6 +86,10 @@
         default=None,
     )
     parser.add_argument(
+        "--db_host",
+        help="database host address",
+    )
+    parser.add_argument(
         "--max-cron-threads",
         help="max cron threads [default: %(default)s]",
         default=None,
@@ -449,18 +453,6 @@
 
         _logger.debug("IP found %s", local_ip)
 
-    arg.append("--db_host")
-    if start_postgresql:
-        arg.append("/var/run/postgresql")
-    else:
-        arg.append(local_ip)
-
-    dbport = None
-    if nmspc.dbport:
-        dbport = str(nmspc.dbport)
-        arg.append("--db_port")
-        arg.append(dbport)
-
     # auto detect local conf
     local_conf_path = nmspc.config
     user = db_user
@@ -499,9 +491,17 @@
     # default values if nothing else
     if not user:
         # Odoo uses default if nothing is set (including in PGUSER env var)
-        _logger.info("No user defined, using odoo")
-        user = "odoo"
-    arg.append("--db_user %s" % user)
+        if start_postgresql:
+            _logger.info("No user defined, using odoo when starting postgres")
+            user = "odoo"
+        else:
+            # use environment variable
+            user = os.getenv("PGUSER")
+            # defaulting to odoo
+            if not user:
+                user = "odoo"
+    arg.append("--db_user")
+    arg.append(user)
 
     # data volume handling
     base_data_volume_name = "{}_data".format(project_name)
@@ -590,11 +590,5 @@
         options["extra_hosts"]["py3o"] = local_ip
         options["extra_hosts"]["py3o-fusion-server"] = local_ip
 
-    if start_postgresql and not odoo_help:
-        # Use socket rather than export port (avoid having to find a free port
-        # number)
-        pg, stop_postgresql, socket_path = docker_run_postgresql(
-            project_name, postgresql_version, host_pg_port=None
-        )
-        mounts.append(Mount("/var/run/postgresql", socket_path, "bind"))
+    # Database connection
 
@@ -600,4 +594,11 @@
 
+    dbport = None
+    if nmspc.dbport:
+        dbport = str(nmspc.dbport)
+        arg.append("--db_port")
+        arg.append(dbport)
+
+    db_host = nmspc.db_host
     # Check that connection can be done, try to create user if asked to
     # TODO: handle the case where the database is still starting up
     # TODO: (and remove the sleep)
@@ -601,5 +602,4 @@
     # Check that connection can be done, try to create user if asked to
     # TODO: handle the case where the database is still starting up
     # TODO: (and remove the sleep)
-    _logger.info("Testing database connection on base postgres")
     if not odoo_help:
@@ -605,4 +605,22 @@
     if not odoo_help:
+        if start_postgresql:
+            if db_host:
+                _logger.warning(
+                    "Ignoring given db_host when starting postgres"
+                )
+            if dbport:
+                _logger.warning(
+                    "Ignoring given db_port when starting postgres"
+                )
+            db_host = "/var/run/postgresql"
+            dbport = 5432
+            # Use socket rather than export port (avoid having to find a
+            # free port number)
+            pg, stop_postgresql, socket_path = docker_run_postgresql(
+                project_name, postgresql_version, host_pg_port=None
+            )
+            mounts.append(Mount(db_host, socket_path, "bind"))
+        _logger.info("Testing database connection on base postgres")
         try:
             if start_postgresql:
                 connect(
@@ -610,5 +628,5 @@
                     password=password,
                     database="postgres",
                     host=socket_path,
-                    port=5432,
+                    port=dbport,
                 )
@@ -614,7 +632,21 @@
                 )
-            elif local_ip:
-                # TODO test this too
+                _logger.info("Connection successful")
+            else:
+                # psql uses PGHOST if provided and a socket otherwise
+                if db_host:
+                    pass
+                elif "PGHOST" in os.environ:
+                    db_host = os.getenv("PGHOST")
+                    _logger.debug("Using PGHOST=%s", db_host)
+                else:
+                    # use socket, trying to guess it
+                    # db_host = "/var/run/postgresql"
+                    # _logger.debug("Defaulting to host %s", db_host)
+                    db_host = local_ip
+                if db_host.startswith("/"):
+                    # mount the path inside the docker
+                    mounts.append(Mount(db_host, db_host, "bind"))
                 connect(
                     user=user,
                     password=password,
                     database="postgres",
@@ -617,7 +649,7 @@
                 connect(
                     user=user,
                     password=password,
                     database="postgres",
-                    host=local_ip,
+                    host=db_host,
                     port=dbport,
                 )
@@ -622,7 +654,5 @@
                     port=dbport,
                 )
-            else:
-                connect(user=user, password=password, database="postgres")
 
         except OperationalError as exception:
             if nmspc.create_user:
@@ -633,7 +663,7 @@
                     connection = connect(
                         user="postgres",
                         database="postgres",
-                        host=socket_path,
+                        host=db_host,
                         port=5432,
                         password=POSTGRES_PASSWORD,
                     )
@@ -659,6 +689,9 @@
                 )
                 return 16
 
+    arg.append("--db_host")
+    arg.append(db_host)
+
     # --- restore ---
     # TODO find out why odoo_help would stop us from restoring
     if start_postgresql and not odoo_help and restore_filename: