diff --git a/.github/uffizzi/uffizzi.production.app-config.yaml b/.github/uffizzi/uffizzi.production.app-config.yaml
index d6df12a6af..0d33ec5c38 100644
--- a/.github/uffizzi/uffizzi.production.app-config.yaml
+++ b/.github/uffizzi/uffizzi.production.app-config.yaml
@@ -8,3 +8,7 @@ backend:
     origin: ${UFFIZZI_URL}
     methods: [GET, POST, PUT, DELETE]
     credentials: true
+  auth:
+    keys:
+      # random mock key for uffizi deployments
+      - secret: 5TXvdjVZFxF7qf9K5RAYRDoGrLzJooqa