diff --git a/.github/workflows/image.yaml b/.github/workflows/image.yaml
index 6173482..ed57a2a 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/image.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/image.yaml
@@ -71,6 +71,8 @@ jobs:
           IMAGE="dispatch:prisma-cli-runtime"
           docker build -t "$IMAGE" .
           echo "Validating Prisma CLI in image: $IMAGE"
+          # Pass DATABASE_URL at runtime so prisma validate can load prisma.config.ts.
+          # The builder stage ENV is only for npm run build (Next.js static generation).
           docker run --rm --env DATABASE_URL=postgresql://localhost:5432/dispatch --entrypoint ./node_modules/.bin/prisma "$IMAGE" --version
           docker run --rm --env DATABASE_URL=postgresql://localhost:5432/dispatch --entrypoint ./node_modules/.bin/prisma "$IMAGE" validate
 
@@ -89,4 +91,4 @@ jobs:
         if: github.event_name != 'pull_request' && hashFiles('trivy-results.sarif') != ''
         uses: github/codeql-action/upload-sarif@7211b7c8077ea37d8641b6271f6a365a22a5fbfa # v4
         with:
-          sarif_file: trivy-results.sarif
+          sarif_file: trivy-results.sarif
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index 0a6711c..a116b12 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -17,6 +17,10 @@ COPY --from=deps /app/node_modules ./node_modules
 COPY . .
 RUN apt-get update && apt-get install -y --no-install-recommends openssl ca-certificates && rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
 RUN npx prisma generate
+# DATABASE_URL is needed at build time for Next.js static generation (npm run build).
+# The runner stage does NOT inherit this ENV; production code requires DATABASE_URL
+# at runtime via the check in src/lib/prisma.ts.
+ENV DATABASE_URL=postgresql://localhost:5432/dispatch
 RUN npm run build
 
 FROM base AS runner
diff --git a/prisma.config.ts b/prisma.config.ts
index 4223616..c2ae0c0 100644
--- a/prisma.config.ts
+++ b/prisma.config.ts
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import { defineConfig } from "prisma/config";
 
 const databaseUrl = process.env.DATABASE_URL;
 
-if (!databaseUrl) {
+if (process.env.NODE_ENV === "production" && !databaseUrl) {
   throw new Error(
     "DATABASE_URL is not set. Please set the DATABASE_URL environment variable before starting the application.",
   );
@@ -11,6 +11,9 @@ if (!databaseUrl) {
 export default defineConfig({
   schema: "prisma/schema.prisma",
   datasource: {
-    url: databaseUrl,
+    // Fallback to localhost for dev/CI environments where no real DB is needed
+    // (e.g., prisma generate, prisma validate with --no-engine). Production
+    // requires DATABASE_URL via the check above.
+    url: databaseUrl ?? "postgresql://localhost:5432/dispatch",
   },
 });
diff --git a/src/lib/prisma.ts b/src/lib/prisma.ts
index 48460a4..89a85e9 100644
--- a/src/lib/prisma.ts
+++ b/src/lib/prisma.ts
@@ -3,15 +3,13 @@ import { PrismaPg } from "@prisma/adapter-pg";
 import { PrFixQueueClient } from "@/lib/pr-fix-queue";
 import { AgentWorkClient } from "@/lib/agent-work";
 
-const databaseUrl = process.env.DATABASE_URL;
-
-if (!databaseUrl) {
+if (process.env.NODE_ENV === "production" && !process.env.DATABASE_URL) {
   throw new Error(
     "DATABASE_URL is not set. Please set the DATABASE_URL environment variable before starting the application.",
   );
 }
 
-const adapter = new PrismaPg(databaseUrl);
+const adapter = new PrismaPg(process.env.DATABASE_URL!);
 
 const globalForPrisma = globalThis as unknown as {
   prisma: PrismaClient | undefined;