diff --git a/config/webpack.config.backend.js b/config/webpack.config.backend.js
index f414cf4..2c5277e 100644
--- a/config/webpack.config.backend.js
+++ b/config/webpack.config.backend.js
@@ -1,5 +1,10 @@
 // @flow
 
+// Do this as the first thing so that any code reading it knows the right env.
+process.env.NODE_ENV = process.env.NODE_ENV || "development";
+process.env.BABEL_ENV = process.env.NODE_ENV;
+process.env.SOURCECRED_BACKEND = "true";
+
 const webpack = require("webpack");
 const ModuleScopePlugin = require("react-dev-utils/ModuleScopePlugin");
 const RemoveBuildDirectoryPlugin = require("./RemoveBuildDirectoryPlugin");