diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index 504b8e3..173f5e4 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -34,10 +34,12 @@ ENV SITE_NAME="lis" \
     GCV_URL="http://localhost:8100" \
     TRIPAL_URL="https://legumeinfo.org" \
     DEBUG="false" \
-    HOST="gcv"
+    HOST="gcv" \
+    USE_GENE_UNAME="false"
 
 # Patch needed for external links to tripal_phylotree
 ADD PR131.diff /opt/
+ADD gene_uname.diff /opt/
 
 RUN mkdir -p /opt/gcv && \
     mkdir -p /etc/gcv && \
@@ -46,7 +48,8 @@ RUN mkdir -p /opt/gcv && \
     git checkout b195bf434fb9bc7f280c62c1dbd82642eca63448 && \
     patch -p1 < /opt/PR131.diff && \
     cd server && \
-    pip install -r requirements.txt
+    pip install -r requirements.txt && \
+    cp services/views.py /etc/gcv/original_views.py
 
 ADD config.json.template /etc/gcv/config.json.template
 ADD settings.py /opt/gcv/server/server/settings.py
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index ca79e7a..f47faa3 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ The following environment variables are available:
 |TRIPAL_URL|Address of a Tripal instance installed with tripal_phylotree module and a tripal_linkout module|https://legumeinfo.org|
 |DEBUG|Set to 'true' to activate the debug mode|false|
 |HOST|Hostname|gcv|
+|USE_GENE_UNAME|Set to 'true' if you prefer GCV to look for genes using their uniquename|false|
 
 ## Contributing
 
diff --git a/entrypoint.sh b/entrypoint.sh
index ea8b2cc..437ade0 100755
--- a/entrypoint.sh
+++ b/entrypoint.sh
@@ -84,6 +84,12 @@ npm run build
 
 cd /opt/gcv/server/
 
+cp /etc/gcv/original_views.py services/views.py
+if [ "$USE_GENE_UNAME" == "true" ]
+then
+    patch -p1 < /opt/gene_uname.diff
+fi
+
 # Run nginx in background
 nginx -g "daemon on;"
 
diff --git a/gene_uname.diff b/gene_uname.diff
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..738c9e5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/gene_uname.diff
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+diff --git a/services/views.py b/services/views.py
+index 895f92b..4d7bc7f 100644
+--- a/services/views.py
++++ b/services/views.py
+@@ -302,7 +302,7 @@ def v1_gene_to_query_track(request):
+     # make sure the request type is POST and that it contains a focus gene name
+     if request.method == 'POST' and 'gene' in POST and 'neighbors' in POST:
+         # get the focus gene of the query track
+-        focus = get_object_or_404(Feature, name=POST['gene'])
++        focus = get_object_or_404(Feature, uniquename=POST['gene'])
+         focus_id = focus.pk
+         focus_order = list(GeneOrder.objects.filter(gene=focus))
+         if len(focus_order) == 0: