diff --git a/frontend/.env b/frontend/.env
deleted file mode 100644
index 454e5a8..0000000
--- a/frontend/.env
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-BACKEND_ADDRESS=http://localhost:42000/
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/frontend/src/BlockList.tsx b/frontend/src/BlockList.tsx
index 826f14b..abbd0bb 100644
--- a/frontend/src/BlockList.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/BlockList.tsx
@@ -4,7 +4,8 @@ import axios from "axios";
 export default function BlockList() {
   let [blocks, setBlocks] = useState([]);
 
-  let backendUrl: string = process.env.BACKEND_ADDRESS!;
+  let backendUrl: string =
+    process.env.BACKEND_ADDRESS || "http://localhost:42000/";
 
   if (backendUrl === undefined) {
     throw Error("backend address not specified in ENV variable");
diff --git a/frontend/src/index.tsx b/frontend/src/index.tsx
index 4b5c674..c24e9d8 100644
--- a/frontend/src/index.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/index.tsx
@@ -2,6 +2,4 @@ import React from "react";
 import ReactDOM from "react-dom";
 import App from "./App";
 
-require("dotenv").config();
-
 ReactDOM.render(<App />, document.getElementById("root"));