diff --git a/scripts/build-canister.sh b/scripts/build-canister.sh
index e2b2844..7cd9f00 100755
--- a/scripts/build-canister.sh
+++ b/scripts/build-canister.sh
@@ -2,8 +2,7 @@
 
 set -e
 
-# load environment variables
-source .env
+LOAD_ENV_FILE=true
 
 # parse arguments
 while [[ $# -gt 0 ]]; do
@@ -18,9 +17,19 @@ while [[ $# -gt 0 ]]; do
       shift # past argument
       shift # past value
       ;;
+    --ignore-env-file)
+      LOAD_ENV_FILE=false
+      shift # past argument
+      ;;
   esac
 done
 
+# load environment variables from .env
+if [[ "$LOAD_ENV_FILE" = true ]]; then
+  echo -e "\nLoading environment variables from .env file...\n"
+  source .env
+fi
+
 # generate types
 dfx generate ic_backend
 
diff --git a/scripts/integration-test.sh b/scripts/integration-test.sh
index d95ad14..a90d890 100755
--- a/scripts/integration-test.sh
+++ b/scripts/integration-test.sh
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ ID_TOKEN_AUDIENCE="integration-test-audience"
 
 ./scripts/download-pocket-ic.sh
 
-./scripts/build-canister.sh --issuer $ID_TOKEN_ISSUER_BASE_URL --audience $ID_TOKEN_AUDIENCE
+./scripts/build-canister.sh --ignore-env-file --issuer $ID_TOKEN_ISSUER_BASE_URL --audience $ID_TOKEN_AUDIENCE
 
 BIN_DIR="$(pwd)/bin"