diff --git a/cms/envs/common.py b/cms/envs/common.py
index 31b53faebb67..e507d87b0e57 100644
--- a/cms/envs/common.py
+++ b/cms/envs/common.py
@@ -1015,6 +1015,9 @@
 ##### EMBARGO #####
 EMBARGO_SITE_REDIRECT_URL = None
 
+##### custom vendor plugin variables #####
+ADDITIONAL_NODE_ENV_VARS = {}
+
 ############################### PIPELINE #######################################
 
 PIPELINE = {
diff --git a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/modulestore/tests/factories.py b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/modulestore/tests/factories.py
index 0298efdbcb2f..7253de707517 100644
--- a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/modulestore/tests/factories.py
+++ b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/modulestore/tests/factories.py
@@ -26,7 +26,6 @@
 from xmodule.modulestore import ModuleStoreEnum, prefer_xmodules
 from xmodule.modulestore.tests.sample_courses import TOY_BLOCK_INFO_TREE, default_block_info_tree
 from xmodule.tabs import CourseTab
-from xmodule.x_module import DEPRECATION_VSCOMPAT_EVENT
 
 
 LOG = logging.getLogger(__name__)
diff --git a/pavelib/assets.py b/pavelib/assets.py
index 52c6cfdbce82..06af97750d77 100644
--- a/pavelib/assets.py
+++ b/pavelib/assets.py
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 
 import argparse
 import glob
+import json
 import os
 import traceback
 from datetime import datetime
@@ -765,10 +766,14 @@ def webpack(options):
     result = Env.get_django_settings(['STATIC_ROOT', 'WEBPACK_CONFIG_PATH'], "lms", settings=settings)
     static_root_lms, config_path = result
     static_root_cms, = Env.get_django_settings(["STATIC_ROOT"], "cms", settings=settings)
-    environment = 'NODE_ENV={node_env} STATIC_ROOT_LMS={static_root_lms} STATIC_ROOT_CMS={static_root_cms}'.format(
+    additional_node_env_vars = json.dumps(Env.get_django_settings("ADDITIONAL_NODE_ENV_VARS", "cms",
+                                                                  settings=settings).replace("'", '"')) # pylint: disable=no-member
+    environment = 'NODE_ENV={node_env} STATIC_ROOT_LMS={static_root_lms} STATIC_ROOT_CMS={static_root_cms} \
+    ADDITIONAL_NODE_ENV_VARS={additional_node_env_vars}'.format(
         node_env="development" if config_path == 'webpack.dev.config.js' else "production",
         static_root_lms=static_root_lms,
-        static_root_cms=static_root_cms
+        static_root_cms=static_root_cms,
+        additional_node_env_vars=additional_node_env_vars
     )
     sh(
         cmd(
diff --git a/webpack.dev.config.js b/webpack.dev.config.js
index 913d773caca3..fb453977588f 100644
--- a/webpack.dev.config.js
+++ b/webpack.dev.config.js
@@ -20,7 +20,8 @@ module.exports = _.values(Merge.smart(commonConfig, {
                 debug: true
             }),
             new webpack.DefinePlugin({
-                'process.env.NODE_ENV': JSON.stringify('development')
+                'process.env.NODE_ENV': JSON.stringify('development'),
+                'process.env.ADDITIONAL_NODE_ENV_VARS': JSON.stringify(process.env.ADDITIONAL_NODE_ENV_VARS)
             })
         ],
         module: {
diff --git a/webpack.prod.config.js b/webpack.prod.config.js
index 360ab56d4d01..e5fe67ebe8fc 100644
--- a/webpack.prod.config.js
+++ b/webpack.prod.config.js
@@ -17,7 +17,8 @@ var optimizedConfig = Merge.smart(commonConfig, {
     devtool: false,
     plugins: [
         new webpack.DefinePlugin({
-            'process.env.NODE_ENV': JSON.stringify('production')
+            'process.env.NODE_ENV': JSON.stringify('production'),
+            'process.env.ADDITIONAL_NODE_ENV_VARS': JSON.stringify(process.env.ADDITIONAL_NODE_ENV_VARS)
         }),
         new webpack.LoaderOptionsPlugin({  // This may not be needed; legacy option for loaders written for webpack 1
             minimize: true