diff --git a/selene/config.py b/selene/config.py
index a8534998..16efcafb 100644
--- a/selene/config.py
+++ b/selene/config.py
@@ -4,24 +4,37 @@
 import time
 
 from selene.browsers import Browser
+from selene.helpers import env
 
-timeout = 4
-poll_during_waits = 0.1
-app_host = ''
+SELENE_TIMEOUT = "selene_timeout"
+SELENE_POOLING_INTERVAL = "selene_polling_interval"
+SELENE_BASE_URL = 'selene_base_url'
+SELENE_BROWSER = 'selene_browser'
+SELENE_START_MAXIMIZED = "selene_start_maximized"
+SELENE_HOLD_BROWSER_OPEN = "selene_hold_browser_open"
+SELENE_CACHE_ELEMENTS = "selene_cache_elements"
+SELENE_SCREENSHOT_FOLDER = "selene_screenshot_folder"
+
+timeout = env(SELENE_TIMEOUT) or 4
+poll_during_waits = env(SELENE_POOLING_INTERVAL) or 0.1
+app_host = env(SELENE_BASE_URL) or ''
 
 # todo: make cashing work (currently will not work...)
-cash_elements = False
+cash_elements = env(SELENE_CACHE_ELEMENTS) == "True" or False
 """To cash all elements after first successful find
       config.cash_elements = True"""
 
-browser_name = Browser.FIREFOX
-maximize_window = True
-hold_browser_open = False
+browser_name = env(SELENE_BROWSER) or Browser.FIREFOX
+
+maximize_window = False if env(SELENE_START_MAXIMIZED) == "False" else True
+
+hold_browser_open = env(SELENE_HOLD_BROWSER_OPEN) == "True" or False
+
 counter = itertools.count(start=int(round(time.time() * 1000)))
 
-screenshot_folder = os.path.join(os.path.expanduser("~"),
-                                 ".selene",
-                                 "screenshots",
-                                 str(next(counter)))
+screenshot_folder = env(SELENE_SCREENSHOT_FOLDER) or os.path.join(os.path.expanduser("~"),
+                                                                  ".selene",
+                                                                  "screenshots",
+                                                                  str(next(counter)))
 
 desired_capabilities = None
diff --git a/selene/helpers.py b/selene/helpers.py
index 418edb3f..98265bb1 100644
--- a/selene/helpers.py
+++ b/selene/helpers.py
@@ -50,3 +50,10 @@ def css_or_by_to_by(css_selector_or_by):
     if isinstance(css_selector_or_by, str):
         return (By.CSS_SELECTOR, css_selector_or_by)
     raise TypeError('css_selector_or_by should be str with CSS selector or Tuple[by:str, value:str]')
+
+
+def env(key):
+    try:
+        return os.environ[key]
+    except KeyError:
+        return None