diff --git a/.easignore b/.easignore
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..2dd3d4b2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.easignore
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+node_modules/
+.expo/
+dist/
+npm-debug.*
+*.jks
+*.p8
+*.p12
+*.key
+*.mobileprovision
+*.orig.*
+web-build/
+yarn-error.log
+/coverage
+
+# Allow local environment files to be copied to the build directory
+!.env.*
+
+/ios
+/android
+
+# macOS
+.DS_Store
+*.apk
+*.ipa
+
+expo-env.d.ts
+
+# cli
+cli/README.md
diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index ffd3df35..94dbb839 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -12,10 +12,8 @@ web-build/
 yarn-error.log
 /coverage
 
-.env.development
-.env.production
-.env.staging
-.env.qa
+.env.*
+!.env.sample
 
 /ios
 /android
diff --git a/env.js b/env.js
index 1e4c2524..f7c9215f 100644
--- a/env.js
+++ b/env.js
@@ -23,11 +23,17 @@ const APP_ENV =
 
 const isEASBuild = process.env.EAS_BUILD === 'true';
 
+const LOCAL_BUILD_SCRIPT_PATTERNS = ['--local', 'eas-cli-local-build-plugin'];
+const isLocalBuild = LOCAL_BUILD_SCRIPT_PATTERNS.some((pattern) =>
+  process.env.npm_lifecycle_script?.includes(pattern)
+);
+
 const ENVIRONMENT_DEPENDANT_SCRIPTS = [
   'expo start',
   'expo prebuild',
   'eas build',
   'expo run',
+  'eas-cli-local-build-plugin',
 ];
 
 const scriptIsEnvironmentDependant = ENVIRONMENT_DEPENDANT_SCRIPTS.some(
@@ -35,7 +41,8 @@ const scriptIsEnvironmentDependant = ENVIRONMENT_DEPENDANT_SCRIPTS.some(
 );
 
 // Check if the environment file has to be validated for the current running script and build method
-const shouldValidateEnv = isEASBuild && scriptIsEnvironmentDependant;
+const shouldValidateEnv =
+  (isEASBuild || isLocalBuild) && scriptIsEnvironmentDependant;
 
 const easEnvironmentFileVariable = `ENVIRONMENT_FILE_${APP_ENV.toUpperCase()}`;
 const easEnvironmentFilePath = process.env[easEnvironmentFileVariable];
@@ -181,9 +188,14 @@ if (shouldValidateEnv) {
       parsedWholeEnv.error.flatten().fieldErrors,
 
       `\n❌ Missing variables in \x1b[1m\x1b[4m\x1b[31m${envFile}\x1b[0m file. Make sure all required variables are defined in the \x1b[1m\x1b[4m\x1b[31m${envFile}\x1b[0m file.`,
-      `\n💡 Tip: If you recently updated the \x1b[1m\x1b[4m\x1b[31m${envFile}\x1b[0m file and the error still persists, try restarting the server with the -cc flag to clear the cache.`,
     ];
 
+    if (isLocalBuild) {
+      messages.push(
+        `\n💡 Tip: If you recently updated the \x1b[1m\x1b[4m\x1b[31m${envFile}\x1b[0m file and the error still persists, try restarting the server with the -cc flag to clear the cache.`
+      );
+    }
+
     if (isEASBuild) {
       messages.push(
         `\n☁️ For \x1b[1m\x1b[32mEAS Build\x1b[0m deployments, ensure the secret\x1b[1m\x1b[4m\x1b[31m${easEnvironmentFileVariable} \x1b[0m is defined in Project Secrets and has the proper environment file attached.`
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index ed3c2877..09bcd7a1 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -23,8 +23,6 @@
     "build:development:android": "cross-env APP_ENV=development EXPO_NO_DOTENV=1 eas build --profile development --platform android ",
     "build:staging:ios": "cross-env APP_ENV=staging EXPO_NO_DOTENV=1 eas build --profile staging --platform ios",
     "build:staging:android": "cross-env APP_ENV=staging EXPO_NO_DOTENV=1 eas build --profile staging --platform android ",
-    "build:staging:ios:local": "cross-env APP_ENV=staging sh -c './scripts/set-env.sh EXPO_NO_DOTENV=1 eas build --profile staging --platform ios --local'",
-    "build:staging:android:local": "cross-env APP_ENV=staging sh -c './scripts/set-env.sh EXPO_NO_DOTENV=1 eas build --profile staging --platform android --local'",
     "build:production:ios": "cross-env APP_ENV=production EXPO_NO_DOTENV=1 eas build --profile production --platform ios",
     "build:production:android": "cross-env APP_ENV=production EXPO_NO_DOTENV=1 eas build --profile production --platform android ",
     "postinstall": "husky install",