diff --git a/.changeset/nice-shirts-fetch.md b/.changeset/nice-shirts-fetch.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e9537e63b3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/nice-shirts-fetch.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@backstage/cli': patch
+---
+
+Added lax option to backstage-cli app:build command
diff --git a/docs/cli/commands.md b/docs/cli/commands.md
index 324d17463c..a99d4cd9d0 100644
--- a/docs/cli/commands.md
+++ b/docs/cli/commands.md
@@ -111,6 +111,7 @@ Usage: backstage-cli app:build
 
 Options:
   --stats          Write bundle stats to output directory
+  --lax            Do not require environment variables to be set
   --config <path>  Config files to load instead of app-config.yaml (default: [])
   -h, --help       display help for command
 ```
@@ -486,6 +487,7 @@ Usage: backstage-cli config:print [options]
 
 Options:
   --package <name>   Only load config schema that applies to the given package
+  --lax              Do not require environment variables to be set
   --frontend         Print only the frontend configuration
   --with-secrets     Include secrets in the printed configuration
   --format <format>  Format to print the configuration in, either json or yaml [yaml]
@@ -506,6 +508,7 @@ Usage: backstage-cli config:check [options]
 
 Options:
   --package <name>  Only load config schema that applies to the given package
+  --lax                   Do not require environment variables to be set
   --config <path>   Config files to load instead of app-config.yaml (default: [])
   -h, --help        display help for command
 ```
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/commands/app/build.ts b/packages/cli/src/commands/app/build.ts
index 21189e9427..0da4112646 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/commands/app/build.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/commands/app/build.ts
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ export default async (cmd: Command) => {
     ...(await loadCliConfig({
       args: cmd.config,
       fromPackage: name,
+      mockEnv: cmd.lax,
     })),
   });
 };
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/commands/index.ts b/packages/cli/src/commands/index.ts
index c770239464..ae39941106 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/commands/index.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/commands/index.ts
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ export function registerCommands(program: CommanderStatic) {
     .command('app:build')
     .description('Build an app for a production release')
     .option('--stats', 'Write bundle stats to output directory')
+    .option('--lax', 'Do not require environment variables to be set')
     .option(...configOption)
     .action(lazy(() => import('./app/build').then(m => m.default)));