diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index d21d54ac33..b4ae6c884b 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -120,11 +120,6 @@ DSPACE_HOST # The host name of the angular application
 DSPACE_PORT # The port number of the angular application
 DSPACE_NAMESPACE # The namespace of the angular application
 DSPACE_SSL # Whether the angular application uses SSL [true/false]
-
-DSPACE_REST_HOST # The host name of the REST application
-DSPACE_REST_PORT # The port number of the REST application
-DSPACE_REST_NAMESPACE # The namespace of the REST application
-DSPACE_REST_SSL # Whether the angular REST uses SSL [true/false]
 ```
 
 All other settings can be set using the following convention for naming the environment variables:
@@ -134,14 +129,36 @@ All other settings can be set using the following convention for naming the envi
 
 e.g.
 
-```
+```bash
+# The host name of the REST application
+dspace.rest.host => DSPACE_REST_HOST
+
+# The port number of the REST application
+dspace.rest.port => DSPACE_REST_PORT
+
+# The namespace of the REST application
+dspace.rest.nameSpace => DSPACE_REST_NAMESPACE
+
+# Whether the angular REST uses SSL [true/false]
+dspace.rest.ssl => DSPACE_REST_SSL
+
 cache.msToLive.default => CACHE_MSTOLIVE_DEFAULT
 auth.ui.timeUntilIdle => AUTH_UI_TIMEUNTILIDLE
 ```
 
+The equavelant to the non-conventional legacy settings:
+
+```bash
+DSPACE_UI_HOST => DSPACE_HOST
+DSPACE_UI_PORT => DSPACE_PORT
+DSPACE_UI_NAMESPACE => DSPACE_NAMESPACE
+DSPACE_UI_SSL => DSPACE_SSL
+```
+
 The same settings can also be overwritten by setting system environment variables instead, E.g.:
 ```bash
 export DSPACE_HOST=api7.dspace.org
+export DSPACE_UI_PORT=4200
 ```
 
 The priority works as follows: **environment variable** overrides **variable in `.env` file** overrides external config set by `APP_CONFIG_PATH` overrides **`config.(prod or dev).yml`**
diff --git a/docs/Configuration.md b/docs/Configuration.md
index af0efc1f02..193ca0f57d 100644
--- a/docs/Configuration.md
+++ b/docs/Configuration.md
@@ -5,11 +5,11 @@ Default configuration file is located at `config/config.yml`. All configuration
 -	Create a new `config.(dev or development).yml` file in `config/` for `development` environment;
 -	Create a new `config.(prod or production).yml` file in `config/` for `production` environment;
 
-Alternatively, create a desired app config file at an external location and set the path as environment variable `APP_CONFIG_PATH`.
+Alternatively, create a desired app config file at an external location and set the path as environment variable `DSPACE_APP_CONFIG_PATH`.
 
 e.g.
 ```
-APP_CONFIG_PATH=/usr/local/dspace/config/config.yml
+DSPACE_APP_CONFIG_PATH=/usr/local/dspace/config/config.yml
 ```
 
 Configuration options can be overridden by setting environment variables.
@@ -36,10 +36,10 @@ Alternately you can set the following environment variables. If any of these are
 ```
 or
 ```
-  UI_SSL=true
-  UI_HOST=localhost
-  UI_PORT=4000
-  UI_NAMESPACE=/
+  DSPACE_UI_SSL=true
+  DSPACE_UI_HOST=localhost
+  DSPACE_UI_PORT=4000
+  DSPACE_UI_NAMESPACE=/
 ```
 
 ## DSpace's REST endpoint
@@ -61,13 +61,6 @@ Alternately you can set the following environment variables. If any of these are
   DSPACE_REST_PORT=443
   DSPACE_REST_NAMESPACE=/server
 ```
-or
-```
-  REST_SSL=true
-  REST_HOST=api7.dspace.org
-  REST_PORT=443
-  REST_NAMESPACE=/server
-```
 
 ## Environment variable naming convention
 
diff --git a/src/config/config.server.ts b/src/config/config.server.ts
index 25a04c20a7..36d7d1f9d8 100644
--- a/src/config/config.server.ts
+++ b/src/config/config.server.ts
@@ -14,6 +14,14 @@ const CONFIG_PATH = join(process.cwd(), 'config');
 
 type Environment = 'production' | 'development' | 'test';
 
+const DSPACE = (key: string): string => {
+  return `DSPACE_${key}`;
+};
+
+const ENV = (key: string, prefix = false): any => {
+  return prefix ? process.env[DSPACE(key)] : process.env[key];
+};
+
 const getBooleanFromString = (variable: string): boolean => {
   return variable === 'true' || variable === '1';
 };
@@ -24,8 +32,8 @@ const getNumberFromString = (variable: string): number => {
 
 const getEnvironment = (): Environment => {
   let environment: Environment = 'development';
-  if (isNotEmpty(process.env.NODE_ENV)) {
-    switch (process.env.NODE_ENV) {
+  if (isNotEmpty(ENV('NODE_ENV'))) {
+    switch (ENV('NODE_ENV')) {
       case 'prod':
       case 'production':
         environment = 'production';
@@ -37,7 +45,7 @@ const getEnvironment = (): Environment => {
       case 'development':
         break;
       default:
-        console.warn(`Unknown NODE_ENV ${process.env.NODE_ENV}. Defaulting to development`);
+        console.warn(`Unknown NODE_ENV ${ENV('NODE_ENV')}. Defaulting to development`);
     }
   }
 
@@ -102,19 +110,20 @@ const overrideWithEnvironment = (config: Config, key: string = '') => {
       if (typeof innerConfig === 'object') {
         overrideWithEnvironment(innerConfig, variable);
       } else {
-        if (isNotEmpty(process.env[variable])) {
-          console.log(`Applying environment variable ${variable} with value ${process.env[variable]}`);
+        const value = ENV(variable, true);
+        if (isNotEmpty(value)) {
+          console.log(`Applying environment variable ${DSPACE(variable)} with value ${value}`);
           switch (typeof innerConfig) {
             case 'number':
-              config[property] = getNumberFromString(process.env[variable]);
+              config[property] = getNumberFromString(value);
               break;
             case 'boolean':
-              config[property] = getBooleanFromString(process.env[variable]);
+              config[property] = getBooleanFromString(value);
               break;
             case 'string':
-              config[property] = process.env[variable];
+              config[property] = value;
             default:
-              console.warn(`Unsupported environment variable type ${typeof innerConfig} ${variable}`);
+              console.warn(`Unsupported environment variable type ${typeof innerConfig} ${DSPACE(variable)}`);
           }
         }
       }
@@ -122,6 +131,8 @@ const overrideWithEnvironment = (config: Config, key: string = '') => {
   }
 };
 
+
+
 const buildBaseUrl = (config: ServerConfig): void => {
   config.baseUrl = [
     config.ssl ? 'https://' : 'http://',
@@ -168,7 +179,7 @@ export const buildAppConfig = (destConfigPath?: string): AppConfig => {
   }
 
   // override with external config if specified by environment variable `APP_CONFIG_PATH`
-  const externalConfigPath = process.env.APP_CONFIG_PATH;
+  const externalConfigPath = ENV('APP_CONFIG_PATH', true);
   if (isNotEmpty(externalConfigPath)) {
     if (fs.existsSync(externalConfigPath)) {
       overrideWithConfig(appConfig, externalConfigPath);
@@ -181,16 +192,16 @@ export const buildAppConfig = (destConfigPath?: string): AppConfig => {
   overrideWithEnvironment(appConfig);
 
   // apply existing non convention UI environment variables
-  appConfig.ui.host = isNotEmpty(process.env.DSPACE_HOST) ? process.env.DSPACE_HOST : appConfig.ui.host;
-  appConfig.ui.port = isNotEmpty(process.env.DSPACE_PORT) ? getNumberFromString(process.env.DSPACE_PORT) : appConfig.ui.port;
-  appConfig.ui.nameSpace = isNotEmpty(process.env.DSPACE_NAMESPACE) ? process.env.DSPACE_NAMESPACE : appConfig.ui.nameSpace;
-  appConfig.ui.ssl = isNotEmpty(process.env.DSPACE_SSL) ? getBooleanFromString(process.env.DSPACE_SSL) : appConfig.ui.ssl;
+  appConfig.ui.host = isNotEmpty(ENV('HOST', true)) ? ENV('HOST', true) : appConfig.ui.host;
+  appConfig.ui.port = isNotEmpty(ENV('PORT', true)) ? getNumberFromString(ENV('PORT', true)) : appConfig.ui.port;
+  appConfig.ui.nameSpace = isNotEmpty(ENV('NAMESPACE', true)) ? ENV('NAMESPACE', true) : appConfig.ui.nameSpace;
+  appConfig.ui.ssl = isNotEmpty(ENV('SSL', true)) ? getBooleanFromString(ENV('SSL', true)) : appConfig.ui.ssl;
 
   // apply existing non convention REST environment variables
-  appConfig.rest.host = isNotEmpty(process.env.DSPACE_REST_HOST) ? process.env.DSPACE_REST_HOST : appConfig.rest.host;
-  appConfig.rest.port = isNotEmpty(process.env.DSPACE_REST_PORT) ? getNumberFromString(process.env.DSPACE_REST_PORT) : appConfig.rest.port;
-  appConfig.rest.nameSpace = isNotEmpty(process.env.DSPACE_REST_NAMESPACE) ? process.env.DSPACE_REST_NAMESPACE : appConfig.rest.nameSpace;
-  appConfig.rest.ssl = isNotEmpty(process.env.DSPACE_REST_SSL) ? getBooleanFromString(process.env.DSPACE_REST_SSL) : appConfig.rest.ssl;
+  appConfig.rest.host = isNotEmpty(ENV('REST_HOST', true)) ? ENV('REST_HOST', true) : appConfig.rest.host;
+  appConfig.rest.port = isNotEmpty(ENV('REST_PORT', true)) ? getNumberFromString(ENV('REST_PORT', true)) : appConfig.rest.port;
+  appConfig.rest.nameSpace = isNotEmpty(ENV('REST_NAMESPACE', true)) ? ENV('REST_NAMESPACE', true) : appConfig.rest.nameSpace;
+  appConfig.rest.ssl = isNotEmpty(ENV('REST_SSL', true)) ? getBooleanFromString(ENV('REST_SSL', true)) : appConfig.rest.ssl;
 
   // apply build defined production
   appConfig.production = env === 'production';