diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 198c2927233d914554f57971c9a0559c301424ae..8820d3311193696168bba901cf7fc84890f1671e 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -17,8 +17,9 @@ A very simple container to redirect HTTP traffic to another server, based on `ng
    if not set nginx var `$request_uri` is used
 - `SERVER_REDIRECT_SCHEME` - optionally define scheme to redirect to 
    if not set nginx var `$scheme` is used
-- `SERVER_REDIRECT_CODE` - optionally define the http code to use for redirection
-   if not set nginx 301 - is used
+- `SERVER_REDIRECT_CODE` - optionally define the http status code to use for redirection
+   - if not set or not in list of allowed codes 301 is used as default
+   - allowed Codes are: 301, 302, 303, 307, 308
 
 See also `docker-compose.yml` file.
 
diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
index 7f5304b2f73c3c307c1b625f22cfcf528e09ac67..31f0501ef998f560804bc5a877e6ac8a2abc5656 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -10,3 +10,6 @@ to:
     # optionally define schema to redirect all requests
     # if not set nginx var $scheme is used
     #- SERVER_REDIRECT_SCHEME=https
+    # optionally define the http code to use for redirection
+    # allowed Codes are: 301, 302, 303, 307, 308, default is 301
+    #- SERVER_REDIRECT_CODE=302
diff --git a/run.sh b/run.sh
index d06824bda1ab9c46a5e45e041e814152ea5e95f2..a366e5e695a4baeb5a21aa0b09bed600d861f4df 100644
--- a/run.sh
+++ b/run.sh
@@ -11,9 +11,8 @@ if [ ! -n "$SERVER_NAME" ] ; then
 fi
 
 # set redirect code from optional ENV var
-if [ "$SERVER_REDIRECT_CODE" != '302' ] ; then
-    SERVER_REDIRECT_CODE='301'
-fi
+# allowed Status Codes are: 301, 302, 303, 307, 308
+expr match "$SERVER_REDIRECT_CODE" '30[12378]$' > /dev/null || SERVER_REDIRECT_CODE='301'
 
 # set redirect path from optional ENV var
 if [ ! -n "$SERVER_REDIRECT_PATH" ] ; then