diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 2a7505192..c4931849c 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -50,11 +50,12 @@ Setup Successful!
 ```
 
 ### Authentication
-By default running `npm start` when developing the API will be set to `http://portal.gdc.nci.nih.gov:5000` as that
-is the new default for it to ensure authentication calls receive their proper cookies. If you need to change this you
-can do so by creating a custom `.env` file in the root of the repository with overriding keys like those in `env.dist`.
+In order to properly run the UI and login to test the auth you will need to run the application
+in a specific way. This includes `sudo` and running the app on port `80`. You will need to ensure
+that you don't have something else using that port (like a local apache setup).
 
-It is important that this keeps in sync with the host the API is set to. Changing one requires keeping both up to date.
+The following command should work:
+`sudo GDC_API=http://portal.gdc.nci.nih.gov:5000 GDC_PORT=80 npm start`
 
 #### Modifying /etc/hosts
 In order to support local use of the login system we need to add the following
diff --git a/app/scripts/app.ts b/app/scripts/app.ts
index a7c689566..ea20b9a19 100755
--- a/app/scripts/app.ts
+++ b/app/scripts/app.ts
@@ -108,7 +108,9 @@ function appRun(gettextCatalog: any,
     notify.closeAll();
     notify({
       message: "",
-      messageTemplate: "<span>Unable to connect to the GDC API. Make sure you have accepted the Security Certificate. <br>If not, please click <a target='_blank' href='"+config.api+"/status'>here</a> and accept the Security Certificate</span>",
+      messageTemplate: "<span>Unable to connect to the GDC API. Make sure you have " +
+                       "accepted the Security Certificate. <br>If not, please click " +
+                       "<a target='_blank' href='"+config.api+"/status'>here</a> and accept the Security Certificate</span>",
       container: "#notification",
       classes: "alert-danger"
     });
diff --git a/gulpfile.js b/gulpfile.js
index ebf3f215a..cd13243cb 100755
--- a/gulpfile.js
+++ b/gulpfile.js
@@ -13,8 +13,9 @@ var mkdirp = require("mkdirp");
 
 var env = {
   api: process.env.GDC_API || "http://localhost:5000",
-  auth: process.env.GDC_AUTH || "http://localhost:8000",
-  base: process.env.GDC_BASE || "/"
+  auth: process.env.GDC_AUTH || "https://gdc.nci.nih.gov",
+  base: process.env.GDC_BASE || "/",
+  port: process.env.GDC_PORT || 3000
 };
 
 var AUTOPREFIXER_BROWSERS = [
@@ -393,6 +394,7 @@ gulp.task('serve:web', function (cb) {
       ],
       baseDir: 'dist'
     },
+    port: env.port,
     host: "portal.gdc.nci.nih.gov"
 //    open: "external"
   };