diff --git a/lib/common.sh b/lib/common.sh
index fe6450a..d2351af 100644
--- a/lib/common.sh
+++ b/lib/common.sh
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ export GIT_PACKAGING_NAMESPACE=archlinux/packaging/packages
 export GIT_PACKAGING_NAMESPACE_ID=11323
 export GIT_PACKAGING_URL_SSH="ssh://git@${GITLAB_HOST}/${GIT_PACKAGING_NAMESPACE}"
 export GIT_PACKAGING_URL_HTTPS="https://${GITLAB_HOST}/${GIT_PACKAGING_NAMESPACE}"
+export PACKAGING_REPO_RELEASE_HOST=repos.archlinux.org
 
 # check if messages are to be printed using color
 if [[ -t 2 && "$TERM" != dumb ]]; then
diff --git a/src/commitpkg.in b/src/commitpkg.in
index 0c65658..7b6e904 100644
--- a/src/commitpkg.in
+++ b/src/commitpkg.in
@@ -119,6 +119,8 @@ if (( ${#needsversioning[*]} )); then
 	done
 fi
 
+
+server=${PACKAGING_REPO_RELEASE_HOST}
 rsyncopts=(-e ssh -p '--chmod=ug=rw,o=r' -c -h -L --progress --partial -y)
 archreleaseopts=()
 while getopts ':l:a:s:f' flag; do
@@ -155,10 +157,6 @@ done
 # check for PKGBUILD standards
 check_pkgbuild_validity
 
-if [[ -z $server ]]; then
-	server='repos.archlinux.org'
-fi
-
 if [[ -n $(git status --short --untracked-files=no) ]]; then
 	stat_busy 'Staging files'
 	for f in $(git ls-files --modified); do