diff --git a/deploy.py b/deploy.py
index be71093f1..4ce207c97 100755
--- a/deploy.py
+++ b/deploy.py
@@ -102,6 +102,14 @@
     help="Generate config files to point to the live cluster so we don`t need to run the cluster locally, only the website",
 )
 
+config_parser.add_argument(
+    "--live-host",
+    default="main.loculus.org",
+    help="The live server that should be pointed to, if --from-live is set",
+)
+
+
+
 args = parser.parse_args()
 
 
@@ -128,7 +136,7 @@ def main():
     elif args.subcommand == "upgrade":
         handle_helm_upgrade()
     elif args.subcommand == "config":
-        generate_configs(args.from_live)
+        generate_configs(args.from_live, args.live_host)
 
 
 def handle_cluster():
@@ -247,9 +255,10 @@ def get_codespace_name():
     return os.environ.get("CODESPACE_NAME", None)
 
 
-def generate_configs(from_live=False):
+def generate_configs(from_live, live_host):
     temp_dir_path = Path(tempfile.mkdtemp())
 
+
     print(f"Unprocessed config available in temp dir: {temp_dir_path}")
 
     helm_chart = str(HELM_CHART_DIR)
@@ -264,6 +273,7 @@ def generate_configs(from_live=False):
         backend_config_path,
         codespace_name,
         from_live,
+        live_host
     )
 
     website_config_path = temp_dir_path / "website_config.json"
@@ -273,6 +283,7 @@ def generate_configs(from_live=False):
         website_config_path,
         codespace_name,
         from_live,
+        live_host
     )
 
     runtime_config_path = temp_dir_path / "runtime_config.json"
@@ -282,6 +293,7 @@ def generate_configs(from_live=False):
         runtime_config_path,
         codespace_name,
         from_live,
+        live_host
     )
 
     ingest_configmap_path = temp_dir_path / "config.yaml"
@@ -293,7 +305,8 @@ def generate_configs(from_live=False):
         ingest_configmap_path,
         codespace_name,
         from_live,
-        ingest_configout_path,
+        live_host,
+        ingest_configout_path
     )
 
     prepro_configmap_path = temp_dir_path / "preprocessing-config.yaml"
@@ -305,7 +318,8 @@ def generate_configs(from_live=False):
         prepro_configmap_path,
         codespace_name,
         from_live,
-        prepro_configout_path,
+        live_host,
+        prepro_configout_path
     )
 
     run_command(
@@ -325,8 +339,14 @@ def generate_config(
     configmap_path,
     codespace_name=None,
     from_live=False,
+    live_host=None,
     output_path=None,
 ):
+    if from_live and live_host:
+        number_of_dots = live_host.count(".")
+        if number_of_dots <= 2: # this is an imperfect hack
+            raise ValueError("Currently only subdomains are supported as live-hosts")
+            # To be able to cope with top level domains we need more logic to use the right subdomain separator - but we should probably avoid this anyway as we shouldn't use production domains
     helm_template_cmd = [
         "helm",
         "template",
@@ -346,7 +366,7 @@ def generate_config(
     helm_template_cmd.extend(["--set", "disableBackend=true"])
     if from_live:
         helm_template_cmd.extend(["--set", "environment=server"])
-        helm_template_cmd.extend(["--set", "host=main.loculus.org"])
+        helm_template_cmd.extend(["--set", f"host={live_host}"])
         helm_template_cmd.extend(["--set", "usePublicRuntimeConfigAsServerSide=true"])
     else:
         helm_template_cmd.extend(["--set", "environment=local"])