diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index 83e5f20..afcad98 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -6,4 +6,5 @@ COPY . .
 RUN bun install --production
 RUN bun build:web
 
+ENV API_URL "http://localhost:3000"
 CMD [ "bun", "start" ]
diff --git a/app.config.ts b/app.config.ts
index fbefb9a..32a1496 100644
--- a/app.config.ts
+++ b/app.config.ts
@@ -1,9 +1,5 @@
 import { ExpoConfig, ConfigContext } from 'expo/config';
 
-const { env } = process;
-if (!('API_URL' in env)) throw new Error('Missing API_URL env variable.');
-const apiUrl = env.API_URL;
-
 export default ({ config }: ConfigContext): ExpoConfig => ({
   ...config,
   name: 'LastDram',
@@ -43,7 +39,7 @@ export default ({ config }: ConfigContext): ExpoConfig => ({
     policy: 'sdkVersion'
   },
   extra: {
-    apiUrl: process.env.NODE_ENV === 'development' ? 'http://localhost:3000' : apiUrl,
+    apiUrl: process.env.NODE_ENV === 'development' ? 'http://localhost:3000' : 'API_URL' in process.env ? process.env.API_URL : '',
     clerkPublishableKey: 'pk_test_dml0YWwtcGVnYXN1cy05OS5jbGVyay5hY2NvdW50cy5kZXYk',
     eas: {
       projectId: 'd7810d9a-0b36-4926-b882-a60ae58c5246'