diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/deploy.yml b/.gitea/workflows/deploy.yml
index c406c5f..d3c9b1a 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/deploy.yml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/deploy.yml
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ on:
     paths: # Only run if backend code or Docker config changes
       - 'backend/**'
       - '.gitea/workflows/deploy.yml'
-      - 'backend/docker-compose.yml'
+      - 'backend/docker-compose.deploy.yml'
 
   # Allows running of this workflow manually from the Actions tab
   workflow_dispatch:
@@ -123,14 +123,10 @@ jobs:
         run: |
           #!/bin/bash -ex
 
-
           # Define path to compose file WITHIN the checked-out workspace
           COMPOSE_FILE="${{ gitea.workspace }}/backend/docker-compose.deploy.yml"
           PROJECT_NAME="maia"
 
-          # Create env file for docker compose
-          cp "${{ gitea.workspace }}/backend/.env.deploy" "${{ gitea.workspace }}/backend/.env"
-
           echo "--- Start Deploy Locally (using compose file from repo) ---"
           echo "Workspace root: ${{ gitea.workspace }}"
           echo "Using compose file: ${COMPOSE_FILE}"
diff --git a/backend/core/__pycache__/config.cpython-312.pyc b/backend/core/__pycache__/config.cpython-312.pyc
index c9e6c77..261556e 100644
Binary files a/backend/core/__pycache__/config.cpython-312.pyc and b/backend/core/__pycache__/config.cpython-312.pyc differ
diff --git a/backend/core/config.py b/backend/core/config.py
index 87d2b2a..e795778 100644
--- a/backend/core/config.py
+++ b/backend/core/config.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 from pydantic_settings import BaseSettings
 import os
 
-DOTENV_PATH = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), "../.env")
+DOTENV_PATH = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), "../.env.local")
 
 
 class Settings(BaseSettings):
diff --git a/backend/docker-compose.deploy.yml b/backend/docker-compose.deploy.yml
index 07bb165..ccba056 100644
--- a/backend/docker-compose.deploy.yml
+++ b/backend/docker-compose.deploy.yml
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ services:
     networks:
       - default
     env_file:
-      - ./.env
+      - ./.env.deploy
     labels:
       - "traefik.enable=true"
       - "traefik.http.routers.maia.rule=Host(`maia.depaoli.id.au`)"
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ services:
       - db
       - redis
     env_file:
-      - ./.env
+      - ./.env.deploy
     networks:
       - default
 
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ services:
       - POSTGRES_PASSWORD=${DB_PASSWORD}
       - POSTGRES_DB=${DB_NAME}
     env_file:
-      - ./.env
+      - ./.env.deploy
     networks:
       - default
     restart: unless-stopped
diff --git a/backend/docker-compose.yml b/backend/docker-compose.yml
index 5ea2929..7c706de 100644
--- a/backend/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/backend/docker-compose.yml
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ services:
     networks:
       - maia_network
     env_file:
-      - ./.env
+      - ./.env.local
     restart: unless-stopped
 
   # ----- Celery Worker -----
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ services:
       - db
       - redis
     env_file:
-      - ./.env
+      - ./.env.local
     networks:
       - maia_network
     restart: unless-stopped
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ services:
       - POSTGRES_PASSWORD=${DB_PASSWORD}
       - POSTGRES_DB=${DB_NAME}
     env_file:
-      - ./.env
+      - ./.env.local
     networks:
       - maia_network
     restart: unless-stopped