diff --git a/.env.template b/.env.template
index bd0c6c52..c37bf68a 100644
--- a/.env.template
+++ b/.env.template
@@ -111,4 +111,9 @@ REVERSE_PROXY_AUTH=0
 # SOCIAL_DEFAULT_ACCESS = 1
 
 # if SOCIAL_DEFAULT_ACCESS is used, which group should be added
-# SOCIAL_DEFAULT_GROUP=guest
\ No newline at end of file
+# SOCIAL_DEFAULT_GROUP=guest
+
+# Django session cookie settings. Can be changed to allow a single django application to authenticate several applications
+# when running under the same database
+# SESSION_COOKIE_DOMAIN=.example.com
+# SESSION_COOKIE_NAME=sessionid # use this only to not interfere with non unified django applications under the same top level domain
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/recipes/settings.py b/recipes/settings.py
index 6e595789..ec5c9556 100644
--- a/recipes/settings.py
+++ b/recipes/settings.py
@@ -126,6 +126,9 @@ ACCOUNT_LOGOUT_ON_GET = True
 SOCIALACCOUNT_PROVIDERS = ast.literal_eval(
     os.getenv('SOCIALACCOUNT_PROVIDERS') if os.getenv('SOCIALACCOUNT_PROVIDERS') else '{}')
 
+SESSION_COOKIE_DOMAIN = os.getenv('SESSION_COOKIE_DOMAIN', None)
+SESSION_COOKIE_NAME = os.getenv('SESSION_COOKIE_DOMAIN', 'sessionid')
+
 ENABLE_SIGNUP = bool(int(os.getenv('ENABLE_SIGNUP', False)))
 
 ENABLE_METRICS = bool(int(os.getenv('ENABLE_METRICS', False)))