diff --git a/Gemfile b/Gemfile
index 2489bf6c..31e67e64 100644
--- a/Gemfile
+++ b/Gemfile
@@ -263,6 +263,8 @@ group :test do
   gem 'json-schema'
   # For using 'assigns' in tests
   gem 'rails-controller-testing'
+  # For managing the environment
+  gem 'climate_control'
 end
 
 group :development, :test do
diff --git a/Gemfile.lock b/Gemfile.lock
index 65e2d3e0..47e31962 100644
--- a/Gemfile.lock
+++ b/Gemfile.lock
@@ -113,6 +113,7 @@ GEM
       railties (> 3.1)
     chronic (0.10.2)
     chunky_png (1.3.8)
+    climate_control (0.2.0)
     cliver (0.3.2)
     cloudinary (1.1.6)
       aws_cf_signer
@@ -586,6 +587,7 @@ DEPENDENCIES
   carrierwave
   carrierwave-bombshelter
   chart-js-rails
+  climate_control
   cloudinary
   cocoon
   countable-rails (~> 0.0.1)
diff --git a/config/routes.rb b/config/routes.rb
index 4e2fca74..ce1881e0 100644
--- a/config/routes.rb
+++ b/config/routes.rb
@@ -214,5 +214,9 @@ Osem::Application.routes.draw do
 
   get '/admin' => redirect('/admin/conferences')
 
-  root to: 'conferences#index', via: [:get, :options]
+  unless ENV['OSEM_ROOT_CONFERENCE'].blank?
+    root to: redirect("/conferences/#{ENV['OSEM_ROOT_CONFERENCE']}")
+  else
+    root to: 'conferences#index', via: [:get, :options]
+  end
 end
diff --git a/dotenv.example b/dotenv.example
index 6d8dd025..10b5680b 100644
--- a/dotenv.example
+++ b/dotenv.example
@@ -16,6 +16,9 @@ OSEM_HOSTNAME="localhost:3000"
 # The address OSEM uses for sending mails
 OSEM_EMAIL_ADDRESS="no-reply@localhost"
 
+# (Optional) The Conference#short_title to redirect the root URL to
+#OSEM_ROOT_CONFERENCE=''
+
 # The api key for transifex.com.
 # See TRANSLATION.md for details
 OSEM_TRANSIFEX_APIKEY=""
diff --git a/spec/routing/routing_spec.rb b/spec/routing/routing_spec.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..1875150f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/routing/routing_spec.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+require 'spec_helper'
+
+feature 'Routing', type: :routing do
+  let(:conference) { create(:conference) }
+
+  context 'the root URL' do
+    it 'routes to conferences#index' do
+      expect(get: '/').to route_to(
+        controller: 'conferences',
+        action:     'index'
+      )
+    end
+
+    # FIXME: this doesn't work due to routes being statically loaded
+    # See https://github.com/rspec/rspec-rails/issues/817 for example
+    # context 'with OSEM_ROOT_CONFERENCE set' do
+    #   it 'redirects to the conference' do
+    #     ClimateControl.modify OSEM_ROOT_CONFERENCE: conference.short_title do
+    #       expect(get: '/').to route_to(
+    #         controller: 'conferences',
+    #         action:     'show',
+    #         id:         conference.short_title
+    #       )
+    #     end
+    #   end
+    # end
+  end
+end