diff --git a/solvebio/__init__.py b/solvebio/__init__.py
index 48120c78..8f5cd14b 100644
--- a/solvebio/__init__.py
+++ b/solvebio/__init__.py
@@ -84,6 +84,19 @@ def emit(self, record):
 
 _init_logging()
 
+
+"""
+This is a cached value of client._host, and is kept in for backwards compatibility
+Use this with caution, as you should prefer relying on get_api_host() instead
+"""
+api_host = None
+
+
+def _set_cached_api_host(host):
+    global api_host
+    api_host = host
+
+
 from .version import VERSION  # noqa
 from .errors import SolveError
 from .query import Query, BatchQuery, Filter, GenomicFilter
@@ -178,9 +191,15 @@ def whoami():
 
 
 def get_api_host():
+    global api_host
+    api_host = client._host
+
     return client._host
 
 
+get_api_host()
+
+
 __all__ = [
     'Annotator',
     'Application',
diff --git a/solvebio/auth.py b/solvebio/auth.py
index 5c054574..ac39e284 100644
--- a/solvebio/auth.py
+++ b/solvebio/auth.py
@@ -158,7 +158,8 @@ def authenticate(
 
     # TODO: warn user if WWW url is provided in edp_login!
 
-    # @TODO: remove references to solvebio.api_host, etc...
+    from solvebio import _set_cached_api_host
+    _set_cached_api_host(host)
 
     return host, auth