diff --git a/packages/cli/src/modules/build/lib/runner/runBackend.test.ts b/packages/cli/src/modules/build/lib/runner/runBackend.test.ts
index 1e2c2190cf..11018b0783 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/modules/build/lib/runner/runBackend.test.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/modules/build/lib/runner/runBackend.test.ts
@@ -178,26 +178,4 @@ describe('runBackend', () => {
       expect(spawnArgs).toContain('--inspect');
     });
   });
-
-  describe('NODE_ENV environment variable', () => {
-    it('should set NODE_ENV to development when not set', () => {
-      delete process.env.NODE_ENV;
-
-      runBackend({
-        entry: 'src/index',
-      });
-
-      expect(process.env.NODE_ENV).toBe('development');
-    });
-
-    it('should not override existing NODE_ENV', () => {
-      process.env.NODE_ENV = 'production';
-
-      runBackend({
-        entry: 'src/index',
-      });
-
-      expect(process.env.NODE_ENV).toBe('production');
-    });
-  });
 });
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/modules/build/lib/runner/runBackend.ts b/packages/cli/src/modules/build/lib/runner/runBackend.ts
index a3072c5dd7..0550ff2563 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/modules/build/lib/runner/runBackend.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/modules/build/lib/runner/runBackend.ts
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ export type RunBackendOptions = {
 };
 
 export async function runBackend(options: RunBackendOptions) {
-  const envEnv = process.env as { NODE_ENV: string };
+  const envEnv = process.env as { NODE_ENV: string; NODE_OPTIONS?: string };
   if (!envEnv.NODE_ENV) {
     envEnv.NODE_ENV = 'development';
   }