diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index cfb5d4e5549d8b27e0d61113732acce9d1852188..69aac89b4a52d646712d26b9316d3bf065ab3e33 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -81,11 +81,11 @@ It is bound to the `test` stage, and uses the following variables:
 
 | Name                     | description                            | default value     |
 | ------------------------ | -------------------------------------- | ----------------- |
-| `SONAR_URL`              | SonarQube server url            | _none_ (disabled) |
+| `SONAR_HOST_URL`         | SonarQube server url                   | _none_ (disabled) |
 | :lock: `SONAR_AUTH_TOKEN`| SonarQube authentication [token](https://docs.sonarqube.org/latest/user-guide/user-token/) (depends on your authentication method) | _none_ |
 | :lock: `SONAR_LOGIN`     | SonarQube login (depends on your authentication method)                | _none_ |
 | :lock: `SONAR_PASSWORD`  | SonarQube password (depends on your authentication method)             | _none_ |
-| `SONAR_BASE_ARGS`        | SonarQube [analysis arguments](https://docs.sonarqube.org/latest/analysis/analysis-parameters/) | `sonar:sonar -Dsonar.host.url=${SONAR_URL} -Dsonar.links.homepage=${CI_PROJECT_URL} -Dsonar.links.ci=${CI_PROJECT_URL}/-/pipelines -Dsonar.links.issue=${CI_PROJECT_URL}/-/issues` |
+| `SONAR_BASE_ARGS`        | SonarQube [analysis arguments](https://docs.sonarqube.org/latest/analysis/analysis-parameters/) | `sonar:sonar -Dsonar.links.homepage=${CI_PROJECT_URL} -Dsonar.links.ci=${CI_PROJECT_URL}/-/pipelines -Dsonar.links.issue=${CI_PROJECT_URL}/-/issues` |
 | :lock: `SONAR_GITLAB_TOKEN` | GitLab [access token](https://docs.gitlab.com/ee/user/profile/personal_access_tokens.html) with `api` scope. When set, activates the [Sonar GitLab plugin](https://github.com/gabrie-allaigre/sonar-gitlab-plugin/#plugins-properties) integration. | _none_ |
 | `SONAR_BRANCH_ANALYSIS_DISABLED` | Set to `true` to disable automatic [Pull Request Analysis](https://docs.sonarqube.org/latest/analysis/pull-request/) and [Branch Analysis](https://docs.sonarqube.org/latest/branches/overview/)  | _none_ (enabled) |
 | `SONAR_GITLAB_ARGS`      | Extra arguments to use with [Sonar GitLab plugin](https://github.com/gabrie-allaigre/sonar-gitlab-plugin/#plugins-properties) | `-Dsonar.gitlab.url=${CI_SERVER_URL} -Dsonar.gitlab.user_token=${SONAR_GITLAB_TOKEN} -Dsonar.gitlab.project_id=${CI_PROJECT_ID} -Dsonar.gitlab.commit_sha=${CI_COMMIT_SHA} -Dsonar.gitlab.ref_name=${CI_COMMIT_REF_NAME}` |
diff --git a/kicker.json b/kicker.json
index b3bbba3c40e780f462358f20cacf309d37b72707..617b8ef68c2d53c0df806569660aae6d439ec642 100644
--- a/kicker.json
+++ b/kicker.json
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@
       "description": "Code quality and security analysis with [SONARQube](https://www.sonarqube.org/)",
       "variables": [
         {
-          "name": "SONAR_URL",
+          "name": "SONAR_HOST_URL",
           "type": "url",
           "description": "SonarQube server url",
           "mandatory": true
@@ -70,10 +70,10 @@
         {
           "name": "SONAR_BASE_ARGS",
           "description": "SonarQube [analysis arguments](https://docs.sonarqube.org/latest/analysis/analysis-parameters/)",
-          "default": "sonar:sonar -Dsonar.host.url=${SONAR_URL} -Dsonar.links.homepage=${CI_PROJECT_URL} -Dsonar.links.ci=${CI_PROJECT_URL}/-/pipelines -Dsonar.links.issue=${CI_PROJECT_URL}/-/issues",
+          "default": "sonar:sonar -Dsonar.links.homepage=${CI_PROJECT_URL} -Dsonar.links.ci=${CI_PROJECT_URL}/-/pipelines -Dsonar.links.issue=${CI_PROJECT_URL}/-/issues",
           "advanced": true
         },
-		{
+		    {
           "name": "SONAR_GITLAB_TOKEN",
           "description": "GitLab API access token. When set, activates the [Sonar GitLab plugin](https://github.com/gabrie-allaigre/sonar-gitlab-plugin/#plugins-properties) integration, and enables SonarQube [Pull Request Analysis](https://docs.sonarqube.org/latest/analysis/pull-request/)",
           "secret": true
diff --git a/templates/gitlab-ci-maven.yml b/templates/gitlab-ci-maven.yml
index fce0414c35cc0fe77bd27a043ce76aa3faeb3fff..24f23fd9a3a791df93f5863caaf7ac6f763ab5ff 100644
--- a/templates/gitlab-ci-maven.yml
+++ b/templates/gitlab-ci-maven.yml
@@ -86,7 +86,6 @@ variables:
   # default uses branch analysis: https://docs.sonarqube.org/latest/branches/overview/
   SONAR_BASE_ARGS: >-
     sonar:sonar
-    -Dsonar.host.url=${SONAR_URL}
     -Dsonar.links.homepage=${CI_PROJECT_URL}
     -Dsonar.links.ci=${CI_PROJECT_URL}/-/pipelines
     -Dsonar.links.issue=${CI_PROJECT_URL}/-/issues
@@ -501,12 +500,18 @@ mvn-sonar:
     GIT_DEPTH: 0
   script:
     - sonar_autodetect_mr
+    - |
+      if [[ "$SONAR_URL" ]] && [[ -z "$SONAR_HOST_URL" ]]
+      then 
+        log_warn '$SONAR_URL variable defined: use $SONAR_HOST_URL instead (see doc)'
+        export SONAR_HOST_URL="$SONAR_URL"
+      fi
     - if [[ "$SONAR_GITLAB_TOKEN" ]]; then sonar_extra_args="$SONAR_GITLAB_ARGS"; fi
     - mvn ${TRACE+-Dsonar.verbose=true} $MAVEN_CLI_OPTS $mvn_settings_opt $java_proxy_args ${SONAR_AUTH_TOKEN+-Dsonar.login=$SONAR_AUTH_TOKEN} ${SONAR_LOGIN+-Dsonar.login=$SONAR_LOGIN} ${SONAR_PASSWORD+-Dsonar.password=$SONAR_PASSWORD} $SONAR_BASE_ARGS $sonar_extra_args $sonar_mr_args
     - if [[ "$SONAR_QUALITY_GATE_ENABLED" == "true" ]]; then sonar_quality_gate_check; fi
   rules:
-    # exclude if $SONAR_URL not set
-    - if: '$SONAR_URL == null || $SONAR_URL == ""'
+    # exclude if $SONAR_URL and $SONAR_HOST_URL not set
+    - if: '($SONAR_HOST_URL == null || $SONAR_HOST_URL == "") && ($SONAR_URL == null || $SONAR_URL == "")'
       when: never
     - !reference [.test-policy, rules]