diff --git a/minecraft-server/README.md b/minecraft-server/README.md
index 577f0787..fcdc04f8 100644
--- a/minecraft-server/README.md
+++ b/minecraft-server/README.md
@@ -307,6 +307,13 @@ Now you can add a `-e FTB_SERVER_MOD=name_of_modpack.zip` to your command-line.
         -e FTB_SERVER_MOD=FTBPresentsSkyfactory3Server_3.0.6.zip \
         -p 25565:25565 -e EULA=TRUE --name mc itzg/minecraft-server
 
+Instead of explicitly downloading a modpack from the Feed the Beast site, you
+can you set `FTB_SERVER_MOD` to the **server** URL of a modpack, such as
+
+    $ docker run ... \
+      -e TYPE=FTB \
+      -e FTB_SERVER_MOD=https://www.feed-the-beast.com/projects/ftb-infinity-lite-1-10/files/2402889
+
 ### Using the /data volume
 
 You must use a persistent `/data` mount for this type of server.
diff --git a/minecraft-server/start-minecraft.sh b/minecraft-server/start-minecraft.sh
index 1667265c..fd7d4513 100755
--- a/minecraft-server/start-minecraft.sh
+++ b/minecraft-server/start-minecraft.sh
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@ if [ ! -e /data/eula.txt ]; then
   fi
 fi
 
+SERVER_PROPERTIES=/data/server.properties
+FTB_DIR=/data/FeedTheBeast
 VERSIONS_JSON=https://launchermeta.mojang.com/mc/game/version_manifest.json
 
 echo "Checking version information."
@@ -173,6 +175,16 @@ function installForge {
   fi
 }
 
+function isURL {
+  local value=$1
+
+  if [[ ${value:0:8} == "https://" || ${value:0:7} = "http://" ]]; then
+    return 0
+  else
+    return 1
+  fi
+}
+
 function installFTB {
   TYPE=FEED-THE-BEAST
 
@@ -184,6 +196,20 @@ function installFTB {
       exit 2
   fi
   local srv_modpack=${FTB_SERVER_MOD}
+  if isURL ${srv_modpack}; then
+      case $srv_modpack in
+        */download)
+          break;;
+        *)
+          srv_modpack=${srv_modpack}/download;;
+      esac
+      local file=$(basename $(dirname $srv_modpack))
+      local downloaded=/data/${file}.zip
+      echo "Downloading FTB modpack...
+  $srv_modpack -> $downloaded"
+      curl -sSL -o $downloaded $srv_modpack
+      srv_modpack=$downloaded
+  fi
   if [[ ${srv_modpack:0:5} == "data/" ]]; then
       # Prepend with "/"
       srv_modpack=/${srv_modpack}
@@ -203,12 +229,10 @@ function installFTB {
   fi
 
   echo "Unpacking FTB server modpack ${srv_modpack} ..."
-  local ftb_dir=/data/FeedTheBeast
-  mkdir -p ${ftb_dir}
-  unzip -o ${srv_modpack} -d ${ftb_dir}
-  cp -f /data/eula.txt ${ftb_dir}/eula.txt
-  cd ${ftb_dir}
-  FTB_SERVER_START=ServerStart.sh
+  mkdir -p ${FTB_DIR}
+  unzip -o ${srv_modpack} -d ${FTB_DIR}
+  cp -f /data/eula.txt ${FTB_DIR}/eula.txt
+  FTB_SERVER_START=${FTB_DIR}/ServerStart.sh
   chmod a+x ${FTB_SERVER_START}
   sed -i "s/-jar/-Dfml.queryResult=confirm -jar/" ${FTB_SERVER_START}
 }
@@ -442,7 +466,7 @@ if [ ! -e server.properties ]; then
         ;;
     esac
 
-    sed -i "/gamemode\s*=/ c gamemode=$MODE" /data/server.properties
+    sed -i "/gamemode\s*=/ c gamemode=$MODE" $SERVER_PROPERTIES
   fi
 fi
 
@@ -520,6 +544,9 @@ JVM_OPTS="-Xms${INIT_MEMORY:-${MEMORY}} -Xmx${MAX_MEMORY:-${MEMORY}} ${JVM_OPTS}
 
 set -x
 if [[ ${TYPE} == "FEED-THE-BEAST" ]]; then
+    cp -f $SERVER_PROPERTIES ${FTB_DIR}/server.properties
+    cp -f /data/{eula,ops,white-list}.txt ${FTB_DIR}/
+    cd ${FTB_DIR}
     echo "Running FTB server modpack start ..."
     exec sh ${FTB_SERVER_START}
 else