diff --git a/pkg/scalers/rabbitmq_scaler.go b/pkg/scalers/rabbitmq_scaler.go
index 3adffc3db90..1785a0f3bf5 100644
--- a/pkg/scalers/rabbitmq_scaler.go
+++ b/pkg/scalers/rabbitmq_scaler.go
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ type rabbitMQMetadata struct {
 
 // NewRabbitMQScaler creates a new rabbitMQ scaler
 func NewRabbitMQScaler(resolvedEnv, metadata map[string]string) (Scaler, error) {
-	meta, err := parseRabbitMQMetadata(metadata)
+	meta, err := parseRabbitMQMetadata(resolvedEnv, metadata)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("error parsing rabbitmq metadata: %s", err)
 	}
@@ -49,13 +49,19 @@ func NewRabbitMQScaler(resolvedEnv, metadata map[string]string) (Scaler, error)
 	}, nil
 }
 
-func parseRabbitMQMetadata(metadata map[string]string) (*rabbitMQMetadata, error) {
+func parseRabbitMQMetadata(resolvedEnv, metadata map[string]string) (*rabbitMQMetadata, error) {
 	meta := rabbitMQMetadata{}
 
 	if val, ok := metadata["host"]; ok {
-		meta.host = val
-	} else {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("no host given")
+		hostSetting := val
+
+		if val, ok := resolvedEnv[hostSetting]; ok {
+			meta.host = val
+		}
+	}
+
+	if meta.host == "" {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("no host setting given")
 	}
 
 	if val, ok := metadata["queueName"]; ok {
diff --git a/pkg/scalers/rabbitmq_scaler_test.go b/pkg/scalers/rabbitmq_scaler_test.go
index 4a70ab133f1..7711d6e0b87 100644
--- a/pkg/scalers/rabbitmq_scaler_test.go
+++ b/pkg/scalers/rabbitmq_scaler_test.go
@@ -4,27 +4,35 @@ import (
 	"testing"
 )
 
+const (
+	host = "myHostSecret"
+)
+
 type parseRabbitMQMetadataTestData struct {
 	metadata map[string]string
 	isError  bool
 }
 
+var sampleRabbitMqResolvedEnv = map[string]string{
+	host: "none",
+}
+
 var testRabbitMQMetadata = []parseRabbitMQMetadataTestData{
 	// nothing passed
 	{map[string]string{}, true},
 	// properly formed metadata
-	{map[string]string{"queueLength": "10", "queueName": "sample", "host": "amqp://rabbitmq"}, false},
+	{map[string]string{"queueLength": "10", "queueName": "sample", "host": host}, false},
 	// malformed queueLength
-	{map[string]string{"queueLength": "AA", "queueName": "sample", "host": "amqp://rabbitmq"}, true},
+	{map[string]string{"queueLength": "AA", "queueName": "sample", "host": host}, true},
 	// missing host
 	{map[string]string{"queueLength": "AA", "queueName": "sample"}, true},
 	// missing queueName
-	{map[string]string{"queueLength": "10", "host": "amqp://rabbitmq"}, true},
+	{map[string]string{"queueLength": "10", "host": host}, true},
 }
 
 func TestRabbitMQParseMetadata(t *testing.T) {
 	for _, testData := range testRabbitMQMetadata {
-		_, err := parseRabbitMQMetadata(testData.metadata)
+		_, err := parseRabbitMQMetadata(sampleRabbitMqResolvedEnv, testData.metadata)
 		if err != nil && !testData.isError {
 			t.Error("Expected success but got error", err)
 		}