diff --git a/frappe/tests/test_commands.py b/frappe/tests/test_commands.py
index 0786a0e14f..c214dbace6 100644
--- a/frappe/tests/test_commands.py
+++ b/frappe/tests/test_commands.py
@@ -382,3 +382,10 @@ class TestCommands(BaseTestCommands):
 
 		os.remove(test1_path)
 		os.remove(test2_path)
+
+	def test_frappe_site_env(self):
+		os.putenv('FRAPPE_SITE', frappe.local.site)
+		self.execute("bench execute frappe.ping")
+		self.assertEquals(self.returncode, 0)
+		self.assertIn("pong", self.stdout)
+
diff --git a/frappe/utils/bench_helper.py b/frappe/utils/bench_helper.py
index c46b42b132..633d867306 100644
--- a/frappe/utils/bench_helper.py
+++ b/frappe/utils/bench_helper.py
@@ -54,6 +54,8 @@ def get_sites(site_arg):
 		return frappe.utils.get_sites()
 	elif site_arg:
 		return [site_arg]
+	elif os.environ.get('FRAPPE_SITE'):
+		return [os.environ.get('FRAPPE_SITE')]
 	elif os.path.exists('currentsite.txt'):
 		with open('currentsite.txt') as f:
 			site = f.read().strip()