diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index dbbed0bf..daf6b32d 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -172,6 +172,26 @@ Awspec.configure do |config|
 end
 ```
 
+### Advanced Tips: Setting A Custom Endpoint
+
+Set the `endpoint` environment variable to tell awspec to use a different
+endpoint to connect to aws. Common use cases are connecting to aws through a
+proxy, using a different service with an aws compatible interface, or
+connecting to a local mock aws environment.
+
+For example, first create a resource on a local aws service using the aws cli:
+
+```
+AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY=dummy AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID=dummy \
+    aws --endpoint-url http://localhost:5000 s3 mb s3://my-bucket
+```
+
+Then you can tell awspec to run the test suite using the same custom endpoint:
+
+```
+endpoint=http://localhost:5000 bundle exec rake spec
+```
+
 ## Support AWS Resources
 
 [Resource Types information here](doc/resource_types.md)
diff --git a/lib/awspec/helper/finder.rb b/lib/awspec/helper/finder.rb
index 849b883f..8106307e 100644
--- a/lib/awspec/helper/finder.rb
+++ b/lib/awspec/helper/finder.rb
@@ -173,6 +173,13 @@ module Finder
       http_wire_trace: ENV['http_wire_trace'] || false
     }
 
+    # We have to set this conditionally after defining `CLIENT_OPTIONS`,
+    # because setting the `endpoint` argument to `nil` results in an error from
+    # the aws sdk.
+    if ENV.key?('endpoint')
+      CLIENT_OPTIONS[:endpoint] = ENV['endpoint']
+    end
+
     check_configuration = ENV['DISABLE_AWS_CLIENT_CHECK'] != 'true' if ENV.key?('DISABLE_AWS_CLIENT_CHECK')
 
     # define_method below will "hide" any exception that comes from bad