diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 8740bce112..7bc3afcab1 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@
 
 # UNRELEASED
 
+### chore: `dfx deploy --ic` does not set `NODE_ENV` to `production` anymore
+
 # 0.24.3
 
 ### feat: Bitcoin support in PocketIC
diff --git a/src/dfx/src/lib/builders/assets.rs b/src/dfx/src/lib/builders/assets.rs
index 46a6a636ae..6d0eb3ae74 100644
--- a/src/dfx/src/lib/builders/assets.rs
+++ b/src/dfx/src/lib/builders/assets.rs
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@ use anyhow::{anyhow, Context};
 use candid::Principal as CanisterId;
 use console::style;
 use dfx_core::config::cache::Cache;
-use dfx_core::config::model::network_descriptor::NetworkDescriptor;
 use fn_error_context::context;
 use slog::{o, Logger};
 use std::fs;
@@ -214,10 +213,6 @@ fn build_frontend(
             cmd.arg("--workspace").arg(workspace);
         }
 
-        if NetworkDescriptor::is_ic(network_name, &vec![]) {
-            cmd.env("NODE_ENV", "production");
-        }
-
         for (var, value) in vars {
             cmd.env(var.as_ref(), value);
         }