diff --git a/LCS/Messaging/python/messaging/config.py b/LCS/Messaging/python/messaging/config.py
index e7f350333f565688590b9849f9146643e86fc12f..ee97f517ef733c69bf71f28a8891c6bfd58fcf0c 100644
--- a/LCS/Messaging/python/messaging/config.py
+++ b/LCS/Messaging/python/messaging/config.py
@@ -61,4 +61,4 @@ for port in possible_ports:
                      DEFAULT_BROKER, port, DEFAULT_USER, e)
 
 # default exchange to use for publishing messages
-DEFAULT_BUSNAME = adaptNameToEnvironment("lofar")
+DEFAULT_BUSNAME = os.environ.get('LOFAR_DEFAULT_BUSNAME', adaptNameToEnvironment("lofar"))