diff --git a/run.sh b/run.sh
index ac303cf..9a5c8a7 100755
--- a/run.sh
+++ b/run.sh
@@ -1,10 +1,15 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
+: ${KAFKA_REST_INSTANCE_ID_VARIABLE}
 : ${KAFKA_REST_INSTANCE_ID}
 : ${ADVERTISED_HOSTNAME}
 : ${SCHEMA_REGISTRY_URL}
 : ${ZOOKEEPER_URL}
 
+if [ -n "${KAFKA_REST_INSTANCE_ID_VARIABLE}" ]; then
+  KAFKA_REST_INSTANCE_ID=${!KAFKA_REST_INSTANCE_ID_VARIABLE}
+fi
+
 cat >/etc/kafka-rest/kafka-rest.properties <<EOF
 id=${KAFKA_REST_INSTANCE_ID:-1}
 schema.registry.url=${SCHEMA_REGISTRY_URL:-http://localhost:8081}