diff --git a/controllers/instance/statefulset.go b/controllers/instance/statefulset.go
index 5cb3c8d..b5f259c 100644
--- a/controllers/instance/statefulset.go
+++ b/controllers/instance/statefulset.go
@@ -39,8 +39,8 @@ then
 
   sleep 5
 
-  export BIND_ADDRESS="{{.IP}}"
-  echo "BIND_ADDRESS=${BIND_ADDRESS}"
+  echo -n "BIND_ADDRESS={{.IP}}" > {{.File}}
+  cat {{.File}}
   exit 0
 fi
 
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ const (
 type initScriptData struct {
 	Host string
 	IP   string
+	File string
 }
 
 func (r *Reconciler) reconcileStatefulSet(ctx context.Context, instance *proxyv1alpha1.Instance, checksum string) error {
@@ -218,6 +219,8 @@ func (r *Reconciler) reconcileStatefulSet(ctx context.Context, instance *proxyv1
 		}
 
 		if len(instance.Spec.Network.HostIPs) > 0 {
+			file := "/var/lib/haproxy/run/env"
+
 			var hosts []string
 			for host := range instance.Spec.Network.HostIPs {
 				hosts = append(hosts, host)
@@ -229,6 +232,7 @@ func (r *Reconciler) reconcileStatefulSet(ctx context.Context, instance *proxyv1
 				data := initScriptData{
 					Host: host,
 					IP:   instance.Spec.Network.HostIPs[host],
+					File: file,
 				}
 
 				tmpl, err := template.New("initScript").Parse(initContainerScript)
@@ -258,6 +262,11 @@ func (r *Reconciler) reconcileStatefulSet(ctx context.Context, instance *proxyv1
 					},
 				},
 			})
+
+			statefulset.Spec.Template.Spec.Containers[0].Env = append(statefulset.Spec.Template.Spec.Containers[0].Env, corev1.EnvVar{
+				Name:  "ENV_FILE",
+				Value: file,
+			})
 		}
 
 		return nil
diff --git a/controllers/instance/statefulset_test.go b/controllers/instance/statefulset_test.go
index 12c607c..bd92da5 100644
--- a/controllers/instance/statefulset_test.go
+++ b/controllers/instance/statefulset_test.go
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ var _ = Describe("Reconcile", Label("controller"), func() {
 				"then\n  i=0\n  while [ $(ip a show to '10.158.182.27' | wc -l) -eq 0 ]\n  do\n    ((i=i+1))\n    if [ \"$i\" -gt \"20\" ]\n" +
 				"      then echo 'timeout waiting for IP 10.158.182.27, aborting'\n      exit 1\n    fi\n    echo 'waiting for IP 10.158.182.27 to be assigned...'\n" +
 				"    sleep 5\n  done\n\n  echo 'IP 10.158.182.27 assignment verified, waiting 5 seconds before continuing...'\n\n" +
-				"  sleep 5\n\n  export BIND_ADDRESS=\"10.158.182.27\"\n  echo \"BIND_ADDRESS=${BIND_ADDRESS}\"\n  exit 0\nfi\n\nexit 1\n"))
+				"  sleep 5\n\n  echo -n \"BIND_ADDRESS=10.158.182.27\" > /var/lib/haproxy/run/env\n  cat /var/lib/haproxy/run/env\n  exit 0\nfi\n\nexit 1\n"))
 		})
 	})
 })