diff --git a/etcd3gw/client.py b/etcd3gw/client.py
index 0f43ea4..43690ce 100644
--- a/etcd3gw/client.py
+++ b/etcd3gw/client.py
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 #    under the License.
 
 import json
+import os
 import queue
 import threading
 import uuid
@@ -37,7 +38,7 @@ _EXCEPTIONS_BY_CODE = {
     requests.codes['precondition_failed']: exceptions.PreconditionFailedError,
 }
 
-DEFAULT_API_PATH = '/v3alpha/'
+DEFAULT_API_PATH = os.getenv('ETCD3GW_API_PATH', '/v3alpha/')
 
 
 class Etcd3Client(object):
diff --git a/etcd3gw/tests/test_client.py b/etcd3gw/tests/test_client.py
index 39a6df3..7c36c94 100644
--- a/etcd3gw/tests/test_client.py
+++ b/etcd3gw/tests/test_client.py
@@ -22,17 +22,20 @@ class TestEtcd3Gateway(base.TestCase):
 
     def test_client_default(self):
         client = Etcd3Client()
-        self.assertEqual("http://localhost:2379/v3alpha/lease/grant",
+        self.assertEqual("http://localhost:2379%slease/grant" %
+                         client.api_path,
                          client.get_url("/lease/grant"))
 
     def test_client_ipv4(self):
         client = Etcd3Client(host="127.0.0.1")
-        self.assertEqual("http://127.0.0.1:2379/v3alpha/lease/grant",
+        self.assertEqual("http://127.0.0.1:2379%slease/grant" %
+                         client.api_path,
                          client.get_url("/lease/grant"))
 
     def test_client_ipv6(self):
         client = Etcd3Client(host="::1")
-        self.assertEqual("http://[::1]:2379/v3alpha/lease/grant",
+        self.assertEqual("http://[::1]:2379%slease/grant" %
+                         client.api_path,
                          client.get_url("/lease/grant"))
 
     def test_client_bad_request(self):