diff --git a/src/pathcomp/frontend/tests/test_unitary.py b/src/pathcomp/frontend/tests/test_unitary.py
index f452a5b6563662d4bac31d0206d55db7a9ee2096..e21fe8209d6e07eff6edfcf6f85880a5de01b0a7 100644
--- a/src/pathcomp/frontend/tests/test_unitary.py
+++ b/src/pathcomp/frontend/tests/test_unitary.py
@@ -32,10 +32,20 @@ DEFAULT_PATHCOMP_BACKEND_PORT    = '8081'
 DEFAULT_PATHCOMP_BACKEND_BASEURL = '/pathComp/api/v1/compRoute'
 
 os.environ['PATHCOMP_BACKEND_SCHEME'] = os.environ.get('PATHCOMP_BACKEND_SCHEME', DEFAULT_PATHCOMP_BACKEND_SCHEME)
-os.environ['PATHCOMP_BACKEND_HOST'] = os.environ.get('PATHCOMPSERVICE_SERVICE_HOST', DEFAULT_PATHCOMP_BACKEND_HOST)
-os.environ['PATHCOMP_BACKEND_PORT'] = os.environ.get('PATHCOMPSERVICE_SERVICE_PORT_HTTP', DEFAULT_PATHCOMP_BACKEND_PORT)
 os.environ['PATHCOMP_BACKEND_BASEURL'] = os.environ.get('PATHCOMP_BACKEND_BASEURL', DEFAULT_PATHCOMP_BACKEND_BASEURL)
 
+# Find IP:port of backend container as follows:
+# - first check env vars PATHCOMP_BACKEND_HOST & PATHCOMP_BACKEND_PORT
+# - if not set, check env vars PATHCOMPSERVICE_SERVICE_HOST & PATHCOMPSERVICE_SERVICE_PORT_HTTP
+# - if not set, use DEFAULT_PATHCOMP_BACKEND_HOST & DEFAULT_PATHCOMP_BACKEND_PORT
+backend_host = DEFAULT_PATHCOMP_BACKEND_HOST
+backend_host = os.environ.get('PATHCOMPSERVICE_SERVICE_HOST', backend_host)
+os.environ['PATHCOMP_BACKEND_HOST'] = os.environ.get('PATHCOMP_BACKEND_HOST', backend_host)
+
+backend_port = DEFAULT_PATHCOMP_BACKEND_PORT
+backend_port = os.environ.get('PATHCOMPSERVICE_SERVICE_PORT_HTTP', backend_port)
+os.environ['PATHCOMP_BACKEND_PORT'] = os.environ.get('PATHCOMP_BACKEND_PORT', backend_port)
+
 from .PrepareTestScenario import ( # pylint: disable=unused-import
     # be careful, order of symbols is important here!
     mock_service, pathcomp_service, context_client, device_client, pathcomp_client)