diff --git a/services/web/server/src/simcore_service_webserver/payments/_api.py b/services/web/server/src/simcore_service_webserver/payments/_api.py
index 0628c200f84..1eaceb6b75b 100644
--- a/services/web/server/src/simcore_service_webserver/payments/_api.py
+++ b/services/web/server/src/simcore_service_webserver/payments/_api.py
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
 from ..wallets.api import get_wallet_by_user, get_wallet_with_permissions_by_user
 from ..wallets.errors import WalletAccessForbiddenError
 from . import _db
-from ._client import get_payments_service_api
+from ._client import create_fake_payment, get_payments_service_api
 from ._socketio import notify_payment_completed
 
 _logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
@@ -89,8 +89,9 @@ async def create_payment_to_wallet(
     initiated_at = arrow.utcnow().datetime
 
     # payment service
-    payment_service_api = get_payments_service_api(app)
-    submission_link, payment_id = await payment_service_api.create_payment(
+    # FAKE ------------
+    submission_link, payment_id = await create_fake_payment(
+        app,
         price_dollars=price_dollars,
         product_name=product_name,
         user_id=user_id,
@@ -98,6 +99,7 @@ async def create_payment_to_wallet(
         email=user.email,
         osparc_credits=osparc_credits,
     )
+    # -----
     # gateway responded, we store the transaction
     await _db.create_payment_transaction(
         app,
diff --git a/services/web/server/src/simcore_service_webserver/payments/_client.py b/services/web/server/src/simcore_service_webserver/payments/_client.py
index c31923bdabd..75ccf7c44a7 100644
--- a/services/web/server/src/simcore_service_webserver/payments/_client.py
+++ b/services/web/server/src/simcore_service_webserver/payments/_client.py
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 import asyncio
 import contextlib
 import logging
-import os
 from dataclasses import dataclass
 from decimal import Decimal
 from uuid import uuid4
@@ -12,7 +11,7 @@
 from yarl import URL
 
 from .._constants import APP_SETTINGS_KEY
-from .settings import PaymentsSettings
+from .settings import PaymentsSettings, get_plugin_settings
 
 _logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
@@ -70,41 +69,42 @@ async def is_healthy(self) -> bool:
             _logger.debug("Payments service is not healty: %s", err)
             return False
 
-    # NOTE: Functions below FAKE behaviour of payments service
-    async def create_payment(
-        self,
-        price_dollars: Decimal,
-        osparc_credits: Decimal,
-        product_name: str,
-        user_id: UserID,
-        name: str,
-        email: str,
-    ):
-        assert self  # nosec
-        assert osparc_credits > 0  # nosec
-        assert name  # nosec
-        assert email  # nosec
-        assert product_name  # nosec
-        assert price_dollars > 0  # nosec
-
-        body = {
-            "price_dollars": price_dollars,
-            "osparc_credits": osparc_credits,
-            "user_id": user_id,
-            "name": name,
-            "email": email,
-        }
-        _logger.info("Sending -> payments-service %s", body)
-
-        await asyncio.sleep(1)
-
-        # Fake response of payment service --------
-        transaction_id = f"{uuid4()}"
-        base_url = URL(
-            os.environ.get("PAYMENTS_GATEWAY_URL", "https://faker-payment-gateway.com")
-        )
-        submission_link = base_url.with_path("/pay").with_query(id=transaction_id)
-        return submission_link, transaction_id
+
+# NOTE: Functions below FAKE behaviour of payments service
+async def create_fake_payment(
+    app: web.Application,
+    *,
+    price_dollars: Decimal,
+    osparc_credits: Decimal,
+    product_name: str,
+    user_id: UserID,
+    name: str,
+    email: str,
+):
+    assert osparc_credits > 0  # nosec
+    assert name  # nosec
+    assert email  # nosec
+    assert product_name  # nosec
+    assert price_dollars > 0  # nosec
+
+    body = {
+        "price_dollars": price_dollars,
+        "osparc_credits": osparc_credits,
+        "user_id": user_id,
+        "name": name,
+        "email": email,
+    }
+
+    # Fake response of payment service --------
+    _logger.info("Sending -> payments-service %s", body)
+    await asyncio.sleep(1)
+    transaction_id = f"{uuid4()}"
+    # -------------
+
+    settings: PaymentsSettings = get_plugin_settings(app)
+    base_url = URL(settings.PAYMENTS_FAKE_GATEWAY_URL)
+    submission_link = base_url.with_path("/pay").with_query(id=transaction_id)
+    return submission_link, transaction_id
 
 
 #
diff --git a/services/web/server/tests/unit/with_dbs/03/wallets/conftest.py b/services/web/server/tests/unit/with_dbs/03/wallets/conftest.py
index 8fa877ded8e..d825c7c13f3 100644
--- a/services/web/server/tests/unit/with_dbs/03/wallets/conftest.py
+++ b/services/web/server/tests/unit/with_dbs/03/wallets/conftest.py
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ def app_environment(
             "WEBSERVER_DB_LISTENER": "0",
             "WEBSERVER_DEV_FEATURES_ENABLED": "1",
             "WEBSERVER_GARBAGE_COLLECTOR": "null",
+            "PAYMENTS_FAKE_GATEWAY_URL": "https://some-fake-gateway.com",
         },
     )
 
diff --git a/services/web/server/tests/unit/with_dbs/03/wallets/payments/test_payments.py b/services/web/server/tests/unit/with_dbs/03/wallets/payments/test_payments.py
index 32e87672cff..8dbc2c1d126 100644
--- a/services/web/server/tests/unit/with_dbs/03/wallets/payments/test_payments.py
+++ b/services/web/server/tests/unit/with_dbs/03/wallets/payments/test_payments.py
@@ -90,6 +90,7 @@ async def test_payments_worfklow(
     payment = WalletPaymentCreated.parse_obj(data)
 
     assert payment.payment_id
+    assert payment.payment_form_url.host == "some-fake-gateway.com"
     assert payment.payment_form_url.query
     assert payment.payment_form_url.query.endswith(payment.payment_id)