diff --git a/API.md b/API.md
index c36ce7508..68387ac40 100644
--- a/API.md
+++ b/API.md
@@ -101,6 +101,15 @@ In addition, the following parameters are available as **URL query parameters**:
 * __`gpx`__ - Expects a trace ID of a [public gps trace](https://www.openstreetmap.org/traces) uploaded on OpenStreetMap.<br/>
   _Example:_ `https://www.openstreetmap.org/edit?editor=id&gpx=4009513`<br/>
 
+
+## Environment variables
+
+Environment variables or a dotenv file can be used to configure certain aspects of iD at build time.
+
+* __`ID_PRESETS_CDN_URL`__ - The URL where iD should fetch it's tagging presets from. Needs to point to a CORS enabled web server which is serving the `package.json` and `dist` folder of a repository built on [`@ideditor/schema-builder`](https://github.com/ideditor/schema-builder).
+* __`ID_API_CONNECTION_URL`__, __`ID_API_CONNECTION_CLIENT_ID`__, __`ID_API_CONNECTION_CLIENT_SECRET`__ - custom [Oauth2](https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/OAuth#OAuth_2.0_2) connection details to an OSM API server
+* __`ID_API_CONNECTION`__ - either `live` or `dev`, if only either one should be made offered for editing
+
 ## CSS selectors
 
 iD has a documented and stable set of classes that can be used to apply style or
diff --git a/config/envs.mjs b/config/envs.mjs
index d70969849..4485813a3 100644
--- a/config/envs.mjs
+++ b/config/envs.mjs
@@ -2,7 +2,11 @@ import dotenv from 'dotenv';
 
 dotenv.config();
 const envs = {
-  ENV__ID_PRESETS_CDN_URL: JSON.stringify(process.env.ID_PRESETS_CDN_URL || null)
+  ENV__ID_PRESETS_CDN_URL: JSON.stringify(process.env.ID_PRESETS_CDN_URL || null),
+  ENV__ID_API_CONNECTION_URL: JSON.stringify(process.env.ID_API_CONNECTION_URL || null),
+  ENV__ID_API_CONNECTION_CLIENT_ID: JSON.stringify(process.env.ID_API_CONNECTION_CLIENT_ID || null),
+  ENV__ID_API_CONNECTION_CLIENT_SECRET: JSON.stringify(process.env.ID_API_CONNECTION_CLIENT_SECRET || null),
+  ENV__ID_API_CONNECTION: JSON.stringify(process.env.ID_API_CONNECTION || null)
 }
 
 export default envs;
diff --git a/config/id.js b/config/id.js
index 7ce496caf..d8dcfa12b 100644
--- a/config/id.js
+++ b/config/id.js
@@ -7,17 +7,41 @@ const wmfSitematrixCdnUrl = 'https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/wmf-sitematrix@{versio
 const nsiCdnUrl = 'https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/name-suggestion-index@{version}/';
 
 // api urls and settings
-const osmApiConnections = [
-  { // "live" db
+const defaultOsmApiConnections = {
+  "live": {
     url: 'https://www.openstreetmap.org',
     client_id: '0tmNTmd0Jo1dQp4AUmMBLtGiD9YpMuXzHefitcuVStc',
     client_secret: 'BTlNrNxIPitHdL4sP2clHw5KLoee9aKkA7dQbc0Bj7Q'
-  }, { // "dev" db
+  },
+  "dev": {
     url: 'https://api06.dev.openstreetmap.org',
     client_id: 'Ee1wWJ6UlpERbF6BfTNOpwn0R8k_06mvMXdDUkeHMgw',
     client_secret: 'OnfWFC-JkZNHyYdr_viNn_h_RTZXRslKcUxllOXqf5g'
   }
-];
+};
+const osmApiConnections = [];
+if (ENV__ID_API_CONNECTION_URL !== null &&
+    ENV__ID_API_CONNECTION_CLIENT_ID !== null &&
+    ENV__ID_API_CONNECTION_CLIENT_SECRET !== null) {
+  // user specified API Oauth2 connection details
+  // see https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/OAuth#OAuth_2.0_2
+  osmApiConnections.push({
+    url: ENV__ID_API_CONNECTION_URL,
+    client_id: ENV__ID_API_CONNECTION_CLIENT_ID,
+    client_secret: ENV__ID_API_CONNECTION_CLIENT_SECRET
+  });
+} else if (ENV__ID_API_CONNECTION !== null &&
+  defaultOsmApiConnections[ENV__ID_API_CONNECTION] !== undefined) {
+  // if environment variable ID_API_CONNECTION is either "live" or "dev":
+  // only allow to connect to the respective OSM server
+    osmApiConnections.push(defaultOsmApiConnections[ENV__ID_API_CONNECTION]);
+} else {
+  // offer both "live" and "dev" servers by default
+  osmApiConnections.push(defaultOsmApiConnections.live);
+  osmApiConnections.push(defaultOsmApiConnections.dev);
+}
+
+// auxiliary OSM services
 const taginfoApiUrl = 'https://taginfo.openstreetmap.org/api/4/';
 const nominatimApiUrl = 'https://nominatim.openstreetmap.org/';