diff --git a/backend/src/init/firebase-admin.ts b/backend/src/init/firebase-admin.ts
index 396da7f1e..79bba2990 100644
--- a/backend/src/init/firebase-admin.ts
+++ b/backend/src/init/firebase-admin.ts
@@ -16,6 +16,8 @@ export function init(): void {
       Logger.warning(
         "Firebase service account key not found! Continuing in dev mode, but authentication will throw errors."
       );
+    } else if (process.env["BYPASS_FIREBASE"] === "true") {
+      Logger.warning("BYPASS_FIREBASE is enabled! Running without firebase.");
     } else {
       throw new MonkeyError(
         500,
diff --git a/docker/BUILD.md b/docker/BUILD.md
index c63ea9c1b..36c36dd26 100644
--- a/docker/BUILD.md
+++ b/docker/BUILD.md
@@ -3,6 +3,6 @@
 From root directoy: 
 
 ```
-  docker build --progress=plain --no-cache -t monkeytype/monkeytype-backend:latest . -f  ./docker/backend/Dockerfile
-  docker build --progress=plain --no-cache -t  monkeytype/monkeytype-frontend:latest . -f  ./docker/frontend/Dockerfile
+  docker buildx build --progress=plain --no-cache -t monkeytype/monkeytype-backend:latest . -f  ./docker/backend/Dockerfile
+  docker buildx build --progress=plain --no-cache -t  monkeytype/monkeytype-frontend:latest . -f  ./docker/frontend/Dockerfile
 ```
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/docker/backend/Dockerfile b/docker/backend/Dockerfile
index ecb9442ed..99d54c36e 100644
--- a/docker/backend/Dockerfile
+++ b/docker/backend/Dockerfile
@@ -40,10 +40,11 @@ COPY ["docker/backend/entry-point.sh", "./"]
 
 RUN echo "${server_version}" > /app/backend/dist/server.version
 
-#run in prod mode, but don't require anti-cheat or email client
+#run in prod mode, but don't require anti-cheat, email client or firebase
 ENV MODE=prod
 ENV BYPASS_ANTICHEAT=true
 ENV BYPASS_EMAILCLIENT=true
+ENV BYPASS_FIREBASE=true
 
 EXPOSE 5005
 USER node