diff --git a/lib/chef/knife/cloud/openstack_service.rb b/lib/chef/knife/cloud/openstack_service.rb
index e109f6d6..8b3ace76 100644
--- a/lib/chef/knife/cloud/openstack_service.rb
+++ b/lib/chef/knife/cloud/openstack_service.rb
@@ -29,6 +29,11 @@ def initialize(options = {})
                                 }
                 }}))
         end
+
+        # add alternate user defined api_endpoint value.
+        def add_api_endpoint
+          @auth_params.merge!({:openstack_auth_url => Chef::Config[:knife][:api_endpoint]}) unless Chef::Config[:knife][:api_endpoint].nil?
+        end
       end
     end
   end
diff --git a/spec/unit/openstack_service_spec.rb b/spec/unit/openstack_service_spec.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ff5f2856
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/unit/openstack_service_spec.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+#
+# Copyright:: Copyright (c) 2011-2013 Opscode, Inc.
+# License:: Apache License, Version 2.0
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+#
+
+require 'spec_helper'
+require 'chef/knife/cloud/openstack_service'
+
+describe Chef::Knife::Cloud::OpenstackService do
+  describe "#add_api_endpoint" do
+    before(:each) do
+      @api_endpoint = "https://test_openstack_api_endpoint"
+      Chef::Config[:knife][:api_endpoint] = @api_endpoint
+      @instance = Chef::Knife::Cloud::OpenstackService.new
+    end
+
+    after(:each) do
+      Chef::Config[:knife].delete(:api_endpoint)
+    end
+
+    it "sets the api_endpoint in auth params" do
+      @instance.instance_variable_get(:@auth_params)[:openstack_auth_url].should == nil
+      @instance.add_api_endpoint
+      @instance.instance_variable_get(:@auth_params)[:openstack_auth_url].should == @api_endpoint
+    end
+
+    it "does not set the endpoint when --api-endpoint option is missing" do
+      Chef::Config[:knife][:api_endpoint] = nil
+      @instance.instance_variable_get(:@auth_params)[:openstack_auth_url].should == nil
+      @instance.add_api_endpoint
+      @instance.instance_variable_get(:@auth_params)[:openstack_auth_url].should_not == @api_endpoint
+      @instance.instance_variable_get(:@auth_params)[:openstack_auth_url].should == nil
+    end
+  end
+end