diff --git a/bin/next-build b/bin/next-build
index 553c312edcf98..6a964540ec124 100755
--- a/bin/next-build
+++ b/bin/next-build
@@ -1,11 +1,12 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env node
-
 import { resolve, join } from 'path'
 import { existsSync } from 'fs'
 import parseArgs from 'minimist'
 import build from '../server/build'
 import { printAndExit } from '../lib/utils'
 
+process.env.NODE_ENV = process.env.NODE_ENV || 'production'
+
 const argv = parseArgs(process.argv.slice(2), {
   alias: {
     h: 'help'
diff --git a/bin/next-dev b/bin/next-dev
index cac311808e744..0df5f875292c5 100755
--- a/bin/next-dev
+++ b/bin/next-dev
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@ import { existsSync } from 'fs'
 import Server from '../server'
 import { printAndExit } from '../lib/utils'
 
+process.env.NODE_ENV = process.env.NODE_ENV || 'development'
+
 const argv = parseArgs(process.argv.slice(2), {
   alias: {
     h: 'help',
diff --git a/bin/next-start b/bin/next-start
index af02f3f521c09..dd34b3a82e220 100755
--- a/bin/next-start
+++ b/bin/next-start
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@ import parseArgs from 'minimist'
 import Server from '../server'
 import { existsSync } from 'fs'
 
+process.env.NODE_ENV = process.env.NODE_ENV || 'production'
+
 const argv = parseArgs(process.argv.slice(2), {
   alias: {
     h: 'help',