diff --git a/packages/cli/src/commands/build.ts b/packages/cli/src/commands/build.ts
index 732ba0853a..bf4b69862b 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/commands/build.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/commands/build.ts
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import { resolve } from 'path'
 import { requireModule } from '../utils/cjs'
 
 export async function invoke (args) {
+  process.env.NODE_ENV = process.env.NODE_ENV || 'production'
   const rootDir = resolve(args._[0] || '.')
 
   const { loadNuxt, buildNuxt } = requireModule('@nuxt/kit', rootDir)
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/commands/dev.ts b/packages/cli/src/commands/dev.ts
index 111933165c..b8cab48c2a 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/commands/dev.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/commands/dev.ts
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import { error, info } from '../utils/log'
 import { diff, printDiff } from '../utils/diff'
 
 export async function invoke (args) {
+  process.env.NODE_ENV = process.env.NODE_ENV || 'development'
   const server = createServer()
   const listener = await server.listen({ clipboard: true, open: true })