diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 7a6e807..4a9c647 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 This mod adds docker and docker-compose binaries to code-server.
 
-**IMPORTANT NOTE**: For docker access inside code-server, a volume mapping needs to be added for `/var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock` in code-server docker run/create/compose.
+**IMPORTANT NOTE**: For docker access inside code-server, a volume mapping needs to be added for `/var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock` in code-server docker run/create/compose. If you'd like to connect to a remote docker service instead, you don't have to map the docker sock; you can either set an env var for `DOCKER_HOST=remoteaddress` or use the docker cli option `-H`.
 
 In code-server docker arguments, set an environment variable `DOCKER_MODS=linuxserver/mods:code-server-docker` to enable.
 
diff --git a/root/etc/cont-init.d/98-docker b/root/etc/cont-init.d/98-docker
index 0028ffb..4670554 100644
--- a/root/etc/cont-init.d/98-docker
+++ b/root/etc/cont-init.d/98-docker
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@ if [ -S /var/run/docker.sock ]; then
     fi
     usermod -aG "${DOCKER_NAME}" abc
   fi
+elif [ -n "$DOCKER_HOST" ]; then
+  echo "**** /var/run/docker.sock is not mapped, therefore, docker client will only work with a remote docker service ****"
 else
-  echo "**** Please map /var/run/docker.sock or docker won't work inside this container ****"
+  echo "**** Please map /var/run/docker.sock for access to docker service on host. Alternatively you can manually define a remote host address with the docker cli option -H ****"
 fi