diff --git a/ec2-metadata b/ec2-metadata
index 8405682..ca84f96 100755
--- a/ec2-metadata
+++ b/ec2-metadata
@@ -41,7 +41,8 @@ Options:
 -s/--security-groups      Names of the security groups the instance is launched in. Only available if supplied at instance launch time
 -d/--user-data            User-supplied data.Only available if supplied at instance launch time.
 -g/--tags                 Tags assigned to this instance.
---quiet                   Suppress tag keys from the output."
+--quiet                   Suppress tag keys from the output.
+--url                     Override base URL for metadata server (default http://169.254.169.254)"
 }
 
 METADATA_BASEURL="http://169.254.169.254"
@@ -156,9 +157,6 @@ function print_all()
 	print_tags
 }
 
-#check if run inside an EC2 instance
-set_imds_token
-
 #command called in default mode
 if [ "$#" -eq 0 ]; then
 	print_all
@@ -169,7 +167,7 @@ shortopts=almnbithokzPcpvuresdgR
 longopts=(ami-id ami-launch-index ami-manifest-path ancestor-ami-ids block-device-mapping
           instance-id instance-type local-hostname local-ipv4 kernel-id availability-zone
           partition product-codes public-hostname public-ipv4 public-keys ramdisk-id
-          reservation-id security-groups user-data tags region help all quiet)
+          reservation-id security-groups user-data tags region help all quiet url:)
 
 oldIFS="$IFS"
 IFS=,
@@ -192,6 +190,10 @@ while true; do
         --quiet)
             QUIET=1 ; shift
             ;;
+        --url)
+            shift
+            METADATA_BASEURL=$1; shift
+            ;;
         --)
             shift ; break
             ;;
@@ -207,6 +209,9 @@ while true; do
     esac
 done
 
+#check if run inside an EC2 instance
+set_imds_token
+
 #start processing command line arguments
 for action in "${actions[@]}"; do
 	case "$action" in