diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
index 5e218986e..104103efa 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ services:
     image: ghcr.io/sartography/spiffworkflow-backend:latest
     environment:
       SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_APPLICATION_ROOT: "/"
-      SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_ENV: "local_development"
+      SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_ENV: "local_docker"
       FLASK_DEBUG: "0"
       FLASK_SESSION_SECRET_KEY: "${FLASK_SESSION_SECRET_KEY:-super_secret_key}"
       # WARNING: Frontend is a static site which assumes frontend port - 1 on localhost.
@@ -27,12 +27,13 @@ services:
       SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_DATABASE_TYPE: "sqlite"
       SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_DATABASE_URI: "sqlite:////app/db_volume/db.sqlite3"
       SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_LOAD_FIXTURE_DATA: "false"
+      SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_LOG_LEVEL: "DEBUG"
       SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_OPEN_ID_CLIENT_ID: "spiffworkflow-backend"
       SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_OPEN_ID_CLIENT_SECRET_KEY: "my_open_id_secret_key"
       SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_OPEN_ID_SERVER_URL: "http://localhost:${SPIFF_BACKEND_PORT:-8000}/openid"
       SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_PERMISSIONS_FILE_NAME: "example.yml"
       SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_PORT: "${SPIFF_BACKEND_PORT:-8000}"
-      SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_RUN_BACKGROUND_SCHEDULER: "true"
+      SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_RUN_BACKGROUND_SCHEDULER_IN_CREATE_APP: "true"
       SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_UPGRADE_DB: "true"
       SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_URL_FOR_FRONTEND: "http://localhost:${SPIFFWORKFLOW_FRONTEND_PORT:-8001}"
     ports:
diff --git a/editor.docker-compose.yml b/editor.docker-compose.yml
index 2c4232aef..80475b287 100644
--- a/editor.docker-compose.yml
+++ b/editor.docker-compose.yml
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ services:
       SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_OPEN_ID_SERVER_URL: "http://localhost:${SPIFF_BACKEND_PORT:-8000}/openid"
       SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_PERMISSIONS_FILE_NAME: "example.yml"
       SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_PORT: "${SPIFF_BACKEND_PORT:-8000}"
-      SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_RUN_BACKGROUND_SCHEDULER: "false"
+      SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_RUN_BACKGROUND_SCHEDULER_IN_CREATE_APP: "false"
       SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_UPGRADE_DB: "true"
       SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_URL_FOR_FRONTEND: "http://localhost:${SPIFFWORKFLOW_FRONTEND_PORT:-8001}"
     ports:
diff --git a/spiffworkflow-backend/bin/boot_server_in_docker b/spiffworkflow-backend/bin/boot_server_in_docker
index 2e5c04440..35cd08d65 100755
--- a/spiffworkflow-backend/bin/boot_server_in_docker
+++ b/spiffworkflow-backend/bin/boot_server_in_docker
@@ -7,6 +7,9 @@ function error_handler() {
 trap 'error_handler ${LINENO} $?' ERR
 set -o errtrace -o errexit -o nounset -o pipefail
 
+# example command:
+# SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_PERMISSIONS_FILE_NAME=example.yml SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_DATABASE_TYPE=sqlite SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_ENV=local_docker SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_RUN_BACKGROUND_SCHEDULER_IN_CREATE_APP=true FLASK_DEBUG=0 FLASK_SESSION_SECRET_KEY=HEY SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_BPMN_SPEC_ABSOLUTE_DIR="${HOME}/projects/github/sartography/sample-process-models/" ./bin/boot_server_in_docker
+
 # run migrations
 export FLASK_APP=/app/src/spiffworkflow_backend
 
diff --git a/spiffworkflow-backend/bin/run_server_locally b/spiffworkflow-backend/bin/run_server_locally
index 6e8482d88..5d5b61e39 100755
--- a/spiffworkflow-backend/bin/run_server_locally
+++ b/spiffworkflow-backend/bin/run_server_locally
@@ -40,13 +40,13 @@ else
   export FLASK_DEBUG=1
 
   if [[ "${SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_RUN_DATA_SETUP:-}" != "false" ]]; then
-    SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_RUN_BACKGROUND_SCHEDULER=false SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_FAIL_ON_INVALID_PROCESS_MODELS=false poetry run python bin/save_all_bpmn.py
+    SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_RUN_BACKGROUND_SCHEDULER_IN_CREATE_APP=false SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_FAIL_ON_INVALID_PROCESS_MODELS=false poetry run python bin/save_all_bpmn.py
   fi
 
-  if [[ -z "${SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_RUN_BACKGROUND_SCHEDULER:-}" ]]; then
-    SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_RUN_BACKGROUND_SCHEDULER=true
+  if [[ -z "${SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_RUN_BACKGROUND_SCHEDULER_IN_CREATE_APP:-}" ]]; then
+    SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_RUN_BACKGROUND_SCHEDULER_IN_CREATE_APP=true
   fi
 
   # this line blocks
-  SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_RUN_BACKGROUND_SCHEDULER="${SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_RUN_BACKGROUND_SCHEDULER}" FLASK_APP=src/spiffworkflow_backend poetry run flask run -p "$port" --host=0.0.0.0
+  SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_RUN_BACKGROUND_SCHEDULER_IN_CREATE_APP="${SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_RUN_BACKGROUND_SCHEDULER_IN_CREATE_APP}" FLASK_APP=src/spiffworkflow_backend poetry run flask run -p "$port" --host=0.0.0.0
 fi
diff --git a/spiffworkflow-backend/docker-compose.yml b/spiffworkflow-backend/docker-compose.yml
index 4cecee141..d022a4fd6 100644
--- a/spiffworkflow-backend/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/spiffworkflow-backend/docker-compose.yml
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ services:
       - SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_OPEN_ID_SERVER_URL=${SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_OPEN_ID_SERVER_URL:-http://localhost:7002/realms/spiffworkflow}
       - SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_PERMISSIONS_FILE_NAME=${SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_PERMISSIONS_FILE_NAME:-acceptance_tests.yml}
       - SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_PORT=7000
-      - SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_RUN_BACKGROUND_SCHEDULER=true
+      - SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_RUN_BACKGROUND_SCHEDULER_IN_CREATE_APP=true
       - SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_URL_FOR_FRONTEND=${SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_URL_FOR_FRONTEND:-http://localhost:7001}
       - SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_UPGRADE_DB=true
       - SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_URL=${SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_URL:-http://localhost:7000}
diff --git a/spiffworkflow-backend/src/spiffworkflow_backend/__init__.py b/spiffworkflow-backend/src/spiffworkflow_backend/__init__.py
index dc5b58b2d..20d5992f1 100644
--- a/spiffworkflow-backend/src/spiffworkflow_backend/__init__.py
+++ b/spiffworkflow-backend/src/spiffworkflow_backend/__init__.py
@@ -101,11 +101,11 @@ def start_scheduler(app: flask.app.Flask, scheduler_class: BaseScheduler = Backg
 
 
 def should_start_scheduler(app: flask.app.Flask) -> bool:
-    if not app.config["SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_RUN_BACKGROUND_SCHEDULER"]:
+    if not app.config["SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_RUN_BACKGROUND_SCHEDULER_IN_CREATE_APP"]:
         return False
 
     # do not start the scheduler twice in flask debug mode but support code reloading
-    if app.config["ENV_IDENTIFIER"] != "local_development" or os.environ.get("WERKZEUG_RUN_MAIN") != "true":
+    if app.config["ENV_IDENTIFIER"] == "local_development" and os.environ.get("WERKZEUG_RUN_MAIN") == "true":
         return False
 
     return True
diff --git a/spiffworkflow-backend/src/spiffworkflow_backend/config/__init__.py b/spiffworkflow-backend/src/spiffworkflow_backend/config/__init__.py
index 20fd84bf0..a14986bb0 100644
--- a/spiffworkflow-backend/src/spiffworkflow_backend/config/__init__.py
+++ b/spiffworkflow-backend/src/spiffworkflow_backend/config/__init__.py
@@ -146,20 +146,12 @@ def setup_config(app: Flask) -> None:
     load_config_file(app, "spiffworkflow_backend.config.default")
 
     env_config_prefix = "spiffworkflow_backend.config."
-    if (
-        os.environ.get("SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_TERRAFORM_DEPLOYED_ENVIRONMENT") == "true"
-        and os.environ.get("SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_ENV") is not None
-    ):
-        load_config_file(app, f"{env_config_prefix}terraform_deployed_environment")
-
     env_config_module = env_config_prefix + app.config["ENV_IDENTIFIER"]
     load_config_file(app, env_config_module)
 
     # This allows config/testing.py or instance/config.py to override the default config
-    if "ENV_IDENTIFIER" in app.config and app.config["ENV_IDENTIFIER"] == "testing":
-        app.config.from_pyfile("config/testing.py", silent=True)
-    elif "ENV_IDENTIFIER" in app.config and app.config["ENV_IDENTIFIER"] == "unit_testing":
-        app.config.from_pyfile("config/unit_testing.py", silent=True)
+    if "ENV_IDENTIFIER" in app.config and app.config["ENV_IDENTIFIER"] in ["testing", "unit_testing"]:
+        app.config.from_pyfile(f"config/{app.config['ENV_IDENTIFIER']}.py", silent=True)
     else:
         app.config.from_pyfile(f"{app.instance_path}/config.py", silent=True)
 
diff --git a/spiffworkflow-backend/src/spiffworkflow_backend/config/default.py b/spiffworkflow-backend/src/spiffworkflow_backend/config/default.py
index 7821bed46..790bd9693 100644
--- a/spiffworkflow-backend/src/spiffworkflow_backend/config/default.py
+++ b/spiffworkflow-backend/src/spiffworkflow_backend/config/default.py
@@ -21,8 +21,8 @@ SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_CORS_ALLOW_ORIGINS = re.split(
     environ.get("SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_CORS_ALLOW_ORIGINS", default=cors_allow_all),
 )
 
-SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_RUN_BACKGROUND_SCHEDULER = (
-    environ.get("SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_RUN_BACKGROUND_SCHEDULER", default="false") == "true"
+SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_RUN_BACKGROUND_SCHEDULER_IN_CREATE_APP = (
+    environ.get("SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_RUN_BACKGROUND_SCHEDULER_IN_CREATE_APP", default="false") == "true"
 )
 SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_BACKGROUND_SCHEDULER_ALLOW_OPTIMISTIC_CHECKS = (
     environ.get("SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_BACKGROUND_SCHEDULER_ALLOW_OPTIMISTIC_CHECKS", default="true") == "true"
diff --git a/spiffworkflow-backend/src/spiffworkflow_backend/config/local_development.py b/spiffworkflow-backend/src/spiffworkflow_backend/config/local_development.py
index d10173150..313f67ac4 100644
--- a/spiffworkflow-backend/src/spiffworkflow_backend/config/local_development.py
+++ b/spiffworkflow-backend/src/spiffworkflow_backend/config/local_development.py
@@ -6,8 +6,8 @@ SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_PERMISSIONS_FILE_NAME = environ.get(
 
 SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_LOG_LEVEL = environ.get("SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_LOG_LEVEL", default="debug")
 
-SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_RUN_BACKGROUND_SCHEDULER = (
-    environ.get("SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_RUN_BACKGROUND_SCHEDULER", default="false") == "true"
+SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_RUN_BACKGROUND_SCHEDULER_IN_CREATE_APP = (
+    environ.get("SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_RUN_BACKGROUND_SCHEDULER_IN_CREATE_APP", default="false") == "true"
 )
 SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_GIT_PUBLISH_CLONE_URL = environ.get(
     "SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_GIT_PUBLISH_CLONE_URL",
diff --git a/spiffworkflow-backend/src/spiffworkflow_backend/config/terraform_deployed_environment.py b/spiffworkflow-backend/src/spiffworkflow_backend/config/terraform_deployed_environment.py
deleted file mode 100644
index e1b857516..000000000
--- a/spiffworkflow-backend/src/spiffworkflow_backend/config/terraform_deployed_environment.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,46 +0,0 @@
-"""Terraform-deployed environment."""
-from os import environ
-
-# default.py already ensured that this key existed as was not None
-environment_identifier_for_this_config_file_only = environ["SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_ENV"]
-
-SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_GIT_COMMIT_ON_SAVE = True
-SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_GIT_USERNAME = environ.get(
-    "SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_GIT_USERNAME", default="sartography-automated-committer"
-)
-SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_GIT_USER_EMAIL = environ.get(
-    "SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_GIT_USER_EMAIL",
-    default=f"{SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_GIT_USERNAME}@users.noreply.github.com",
-)
-SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_PERMISSIONS_FILE_NAME = environ.get(
-    "SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_PERMISSIONS_FILE_NAME",
-    default="terraform_deployed_environment.yml",
-)
-
-SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_RUN_BACKGROUND_SCHEDULER = (
-    environ.get("SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_RUN_BACKGROUND_SCHEDULER", default="false") == "true"
-)
-
-SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_OPEN_ID_SERVER_URL = environ.get(
-    "SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_OPEN_ID_SERVER_URL",
-    default=(
-        f"https://keycloak.{environment_identifier_for_this_config_file_only}.spiffworkflow.org/realms/spiffworkflow"
-    ),
-)
-
-SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_URL_FOR_FRONTEND = environ.get(
-    "SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_URL_FOR_FRONTEND",
-    default=f"https://{environment_identifier_for_this_config_file_only}.spiffworkflow.org",
-)
-SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_URL = environ.get(
-    "SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_URL",
-    default=f"https://api.{environment_identifier_for_this_config_file_only}.spiffworkflow.org",
-)
-SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_CONNECTOR_PROXY_URL = environ.get(
-    "SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_CONNECTOR_PROXY_URL",
-    default=f"https://connector-proxy.{environment_identifier_for_this_config_file_only}.spiffworkflow.org",
-)
-SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_GIT_PUBLISH_CLONE_URL = environ.get(
-    "SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_GIT_PUBLISH_CLONE_URL",
-    default="https://github.com/sartography/sample-process-models.git",
-)
diff --git a/spiffworkflow-backend/src/spiffworkflow_backend/routes/process_instances_controller.py b/spiffworkflow-backend/src/spiffworkflow_backend/routes/process_instances_controller.py
index f3dd8e3a0..0ca0d96b3 100644
--- a/spiffworkflow-backend/src/spiffworkflow_backend/routes/process_instances_controller.py
+++ b/spiffworkflow-backend/src/spiffworkflow_backend/routes/process_instances_controller.py
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ def _process_instance_run(
             ) from e
         raise e
 
-    if not current_app.config["SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_RUN_BACKGROUND_SCHEDULER"]:
+    if not current_app.config["SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_RUN_BACKGROUND_SCHEDULER_IN_CREATE_APP"]:
         MessageService.correlate_all_message_instances()
 
     return processor