diff --git a/testutil/testutil.go b/testutil/testutil.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..71c3ce0c2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testutil/testutil.go
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+package testutil
+
+import "os"
+
+var localhost = "localhost"
+
+func GetLocalHost() string {
+	if dockerHostVar := os.Getenv("DOCKER_HOST"); dockerHostVar != "" {
+		return dockerHostVar
+	}
+	return localhost
+}
diff --git a/testutil/testutil_test.go b/testutil/testutil_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..39f548c0f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testutil/testutil_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+package testutil
+
+import (
+	"os"
+	"testing"
+)
+
+func TestDockerHost(t *testing.T) {
+
+	os.Unsetenv("DOCKER_HOST")
+
+	host := GetLocalHost()
+
+	if host != localhost {
+		t.Fatalf("Host should be localhost when DOCKER_HOST is not set. Current value [%s]", host)
+	}
+
+	os.Setenv("DOCKER_HOST", "1.1.1.1")
+
+	host = GetLocalHost()
+
+	if host != "1.1.1.1" {
+		t.Fatalf("Host should take DOCKER_HOST value when set. Current value is [%s] and DOCKER_HOST is [%s]", host, os.Getenv("DOCKER_HOST"))
+	}
+
+}