diff --git a/Branch-TestBed/Branch-SDK-Tests/BNCPreferenceHelperTests.m b/Branch-TestBed/Branch-SDK-Tests/BNCPreferenceHelperTests.m
index 249fbe2de..5269501b3 100644
--- a/Branch-TestBed/Branch-SDK-Tests/BNCPreferenceHelperTests.m
+++ b/Branch-TestBed/Branch-SDK-Tests/BNCPreferenceHelperTests.m
@@ -199,34 +199,6 @@ - (void)testURLSkipList {
     XCTAssert([filterDesc isEqualToString:valueDesc]);
 }
 
-- (void)testSetAPIURL_Example {
-    
-    NSString *url = @"https://www.example.com/";
-    [self.prefHelper setBranchAPIURL:url] ;
-    
-    NSString *urlStored = self.prefHelper.branchAPIURL ;
-    XCTAssert([url isEqualToString:urlStored]);
-}
-
-- (void)testSetAPIURL_InvalidHttp {
-    
-    NSString *url = @"Invalid://www.example.com/";
-    [self.prefHelper setBranchAPIURL:url] ;
-    
-    NSString *urlStored = self.prefHelper.branchAPIURL ;
-    XCTAssert(![url isEqualToString:urlStored]);
-    XCTAssert([urlStored isEqualToString:BNC_API_URL]);
-}
-
-- (void)testSetAPIURL_InvalidEmpty {
-    
-    [self.prefHelper setBranchAPIURL:@""] ;
-    
-    NSString *urlStored = self.prefHelper.branchAPIURL ;
-    XCTAssert(![urlStored isEqualToString:@""]);
-    XCTAssert([urlStored isEqualToString:BNC_API_URL]);
-}
-
 - (void)testSetCDNBaseURL_Example {
     
     NSString *url = @"https://www.example.com/";
diff --git a/Branch-TestBed/Branch-TestBed/AppDelegate.m b/Branch-TestBed/Branch-TestBed/AppDelegate.m
index d59683f7d..d02c3a6cd 100644
--- a/Branch-TestBed/Branch-TestBed/AppDelegate.m
+++ b/Branch-TestBed/Branch-TestBed/AppDelegate.m
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ - (BOOL)application:(UIApplication *)application
     Branch *branch = [Branch getInstance];
     
     // Change the Branch base API URL
-    //[branch setAPIUrl:@"https://api3.branch.io"];
+    //[Branch setAPIUrl:@"https://api3.branch.io"];
     
     // test pre init support
     //[self testDispatchToIsolationQueue:branch]
diff --git a/BranchSDK/BNCPreferenceHelper.h b/BranchSDK/BNCPreferenceHelper.h
index d7f56047b..336012609 100644
--- a/BranchSDK/BNCPreferenceHelper.h
+++ b/BranchSDK/BNCPreferenceHelper.h
@@ -51,7 +51,6 @@ NSURL* /* _Nonnull */ BNCURLForBranchDirectory(void);
 @property (copy, nonatomic) NSString *lastSystemBuildVersion;
 @property (copy, nonatomic) NSString *browserUserAgentString;
 @property (copy, nonatomic) NSString *referringURL;
-@property (copy, nonatomic) NSString *branchAPIURL;
 @property (assign, nonatomic) BOOL limitFacebookTracking;
 @property (strong, nonatomic) NSDate *previousAppBuildDate;
 @property (assign, nonatomic, readwrite) BOOL disableAdNetworkCallouts;
@@ -77,7 +76,6 @@ NSURL* /* _Nonnull */ BNCURLForBranchDirectory(void);
 
 + (BNCPreferenceHelper *)sharedInstance;
 
-- (void)setBranchAPIURL:(NSString *)url;
 - (void)setPatternListURL:(NSString *)url;
 
 - (void)setRequestMetadataKey:(NSString *)key value:(NSObject *)value;
diff --git a/BranchSDK/BNCPreferenceHelper.m b/BranchSDK/BNCPreferenceHelper.m
index dfb9e27cd..486df900a 100644
--- a/BranchSDK/BNCPreferenceHelper.m
+++ b/BranchSDK/BNCPreferenceHelper.m
@@ -26,7 +26,6 @@
 static NSString * const BRANCH_PREFS_KEY_LAST_RUN_BRANCH_KEY = @"bnc_last_run_branch_key";
 static NSString * const BRANCH_PREFS_KEY_LAST_STRONG_MATCH_DATE = @"bnc_strong_match_created_date";
 
-static NSString * const BRANCH_PREFS_KEY_CUSTOM_API_URL = @"bnc_custom_api_url";
 static NSString * const BRANCH_PREFS_KEY_PATTERN_LIST_URL = @"bnc_pattern_list_url";
 
 static NSString * const BRANCH_PREFS_KEY_RANDOMIZED_DEVICE_TOKEN = @"bnc_randomized_device_token";
@@ -68,7 +67,6 @@ @interface BNCPreferenceHelper () {
     NSOperationQueue *_persistPrefsQueue;
     NSString         *_lastSystemBuildVersion;
     NSString         *_browserUserAgentString;
-    NSString         *_branchAPIURL;
     NSString         *_referringURL;
 }
 
@@ -156,33 +154,6 @@ - (void) dealloc {
 
 #pragma mark - API methods
 
-- (void)setBranchAPIURL:(NSString *)url {
-    if ([url hasPrefix:@"http://"] || [url hasPrefix:@"https://"] ){
-        @synchronized (self) {
-            _branchAPIURL = [url copy];
-            [self writeObjectToDefaults:BRANCH_PREFS_KEY_CUSTOM_API_URL value:_branchAPIURL];
-        }
-    } else {
-        BNCLogWarning(@"Ignoring invalid custom API URL");
-    }
-}
-
-- (NSString *)branchAPIURL {
-    @synchronized (self) {
-        if (!_branchAPIURL) {
-            _branchAPIURL = [self readStringFromDefaults:BRANCH_PREFS_KEY_CUSTOM_API_URL];
-        }
-        
-        // return the default URL in the event there's nothing in storage
-        if (_branchAPIURL == nil || [_branchAPIURL isEqualToString:@""]) {
-            _branchAPIURL = [BNC_API_URL copy];
-            [self writeObjectToDefaults:BRANCH_PREFS_KEY_CUSTOM_API_URL value:_branchAPIURL];
-        }
-
-        return _branchAPIURL;
-    }
-}
-
 - (void)setPatternListURL:(NSString *)url {
     if ([url hasPrefix:@"http://"] || [url hasPrefix:@"https://"] ){
         @synchronized (self) {
diff --git a/BranchSDK/BNCServerAPI.h b/BranchSDK/BNCServerAPI.h
index 6fc218e65..c44c80577 100644
--- a/BranchSDK/BNCServerAPI.h
+++ b/BranchSDK/BNCServerAPI.h
@@ -33,6 +33,8 @@ NS_ASSUME_NONNULL_BEGIN
 // Used to enable unit tests without regard for ATT authorization status
 @property (nonatomic, assign, readwrite) BOOL automaticallyEnableTrackingDomain;
 
+@property (nonatomic, copy, readwrite, nullable) NSString *customAPIURL;
+
 @end
 
 NS_ASSUME_NONNULL_END
diff --git a/BranchSDK/BNCServerAPI.m b/BranchSDK/BNCServerAPI.m
index 6c7900911..7d7e33768 100644
--- a/BranchSDK/BNCServerAPI.m
+++ b/BranchSDK/BNCServerAPI.m
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ - (instancetype)init {
         self.useTrackingDomain = NO;
         self.useEUServers = NO;
         self.automaticallyEnableTrackingDomain = YES;
+        self.customAPIURL = NULL;
     }
     return self;
 }
@@ -78,6 +79,10 @@ - (BOOL)optedIntoIDFA {
 
 // Linking endpoints are not used for Ads tracking
 - (NSString *)getBaseURLForLinkingEndpoints {
+    if (self.customAPIURL) {
+        return self.customAPIURL;
+    }
+    
     NSString * urlString;
     if (self.useEUServers){
         urlString = BNC_EU_API_URL;
@@ -90,9 +95,8 @@ - (NSString *)getBaseURLForLinkingEndpoints {
 
 - (NSString *)getBaseURL {
     //Check if user has set a custom API base URL
-    NSString *url = [[BNCPreferenceHelper sharedInstance] branchAPIURL];
-    if (url && ![url isEqualToString:BNC_API_URL]) {
-        return url;
+    if (self.customAPIURL) {
+        return self.customAPIURL;
     }
     
     if (self.automaticallyEnableTrackingDomain) {
diff --git a/BranchSDK/Branch.h b/BranchSDK/Branch.h
index f3701460d..134877928 100644
--- a/BranchSDK/Branch.h
+++ b/BranchSDK/Branch.h
@@ -579,7 +579,7 @@ extern NSString * __nonnull const BNCSpotlightFeature;
 Sets a custom base URL for all calls to the Branch API.
 @param url  Base URL that the Branch API will use.
 */
-- (void)setAPIUrl:(NSString *)url;
++ (void)setAPIUrl:(NSString *)url;
 
 /**
  setDebug is deprecated and all functionality has been disabled.
diff --git a/BranchSDK/Branch.m b/BranchSDK/Branch.m
index 1d2254a75..feece0a22 100644
--- a/BranchSDK/Branch.m
+++ b/BranchSDK/Branch.m
@@ -426,8 +426,12 @@ - (void)useEUEndpoints {
     [BNCServerAPI sharedInstance].useEUServers = YES;
 }
 
-- (void)setAPIUrl:(NSString *)url {
-    [[BNCPreferenceHelper sharedInstance] setBranchAPIURL:url];
++ (void)setAPIUrl:(NSString *)url {
+    if ([url hasPrefix:@"http://"] || [url hasPrefix:@"https://"] ){
+        [BNCServerAPI sharedInstance].customAPIURL = url;
+    } else {
+        BNCLogWarning(@"Ignoring invalid custom API URL");
+    }
 }
 
 - (void)setDebug {