diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
index c80cc0dda..dc8407b0b 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -1,18 +1,9 @@
-version: "3.7"
-
 services:
   frontend:
     build: frontend
     ports:
       - "3001:3001"
-    environment:
-      - REACT_APP_AI_CONNECTION_STRING= 
-      - REACT_APP_BACKEND_URL=http://localhost:8000
-      - REACT_APP_BACKEND_API_SCOPE=api://ea4c7b92-47b3-45fb-bd25-a8070f0c495c/user_impersonation
-      - REACT_APP_FRONTEND_URL=http://localhost:3001
-      - REACT_APP_FRONTEND_BASE_ROUTE=
-      - REACT_APP_AD_CLIENT_ID=f5993820-b7e2-4791-886f-f9f5027dc7be
-      - REACT_APP_AD_TENANT_ID=3aa4a235-b6e2-48d5-9195-7fcf05b459b0
+    env_file: "frontend/.env"
   broker:
     build:
       context: broker
diff --git a/frontend/Dockerfile b/frontend/Dockerfile
index b3caf414a..dec12f38f 100644
--- a/frontend/Dockerfile
+++ b/frontend/Dockerfile
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-FROM node:alpine as build
+FROM node:alpine AS build
 
 WORKDIR /app
 
diff --git a/frontend/src/config.ts b/frontend/src/config.ts
index 5eb1285c1..f0e8b03bd 100644
--- a/frontend/src/config.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/config.ts
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ const getEnvVariable = (name: string): string => {
         // If global value equals its placeholder value 'placeholderValue', it is considered undefined
         const placeholderValue: string = '${' + name + '}'
 
-        if (globalValue === placeholderValue || !globalValue)
+        if (globalValue === placeholderValue || globalValue === undefined)
             throw new Error(
                 `Global variable "${name}" is not set. Verify that your .env file is up to date with .env.example`
             )