diff --git a/packages/api/src/routers/svc/pdf_attachments.ts b/packages/api/src/routers/svc/pdf_attachments.ts
index 6ec01d68a..2c3e40dd7 100644
--- a/packages/api/src/routers/svc/pdf_attachments.ts
+++ b/packages/api/src/routers/svc/pdf_attachments.ts
@@ -61,10 +61,10 @@ export function pdfAttachmentsRouter() {
           uploadFileData.id,
           fileName
         )
-        const uploadSignedUrl =
-          env.server.apiEnv === 'prod'
-            ? await generateUploadSignedUrl(uploadFilePathName, contentType)
-            : 'http://localhost:3000/uploads/' + uploadFilePathName
+        const uploadSignedUrl = await generateUploadSignedUrl(
+          uploadFilePathName,
+          contentType
+        )
         res.send({
           id: uploadFileData.id,
           url: uploadSignedUrl,
@@ -117,10 +117,10 @@ export function pdfAttachmentsRouter() {
         return res.status(400).send('BAD REQUEST')
       }
 
-      const uploadFileDetails =
-        env.server.apiEnv === 'prod'
-          ? await getStorageFileDetails(uploadFileId, uploadFile.fileName)
-          : { md5Hash: '', size: 0 }
+      const uploadFileDetails = await getStorageFileDetails(
+        uploadFileId,
+        uploadFile.fileName
+      )
       const uploadFileHash = uploadFileDetails.md5Hash
       const pageType = PageType.File
 
@@ -141,16 +141,10 @@ export function pdfAttachmentsRouter() {
         return res.status(400).send('BAD REQUEST')
       }
 
-      const uploadFileUrlOverride =
-        env.server.apiEnv === 'prod'
-          ? await makeStorageFilePublic(
-              uploadFileData.id,
-              uploadFileData.fileName
-            )
-          : 'http://localhost:3000/uploads/' +
-            uploadFileData.id +
-            '/' +
-            uploadFileData.fileName
+      const uploadFileUrlOverride = await makeStorageFilePublic(
+        uploadFileData.id,
+        uploadFileData.fileName
+      )
 
       const link = await kx.transaction(async (tx) => {
         const articleRecord = await models.article.create(articleToSave, tx)
diff --git a/packages/api/src/utils/uploads.ts b/packages/api/src/utils/uploads.ts
index 27e5c7492..edb56cd77 100644
--- a/packages/api/src/utils/uploads.ts
+++ b/packages/api/src/utils/uploads.ts
@@ -18,6 +18,10 @@ export const generateUploadSignedUrl = async (
   filePathName: string,
   contentType: string
 ): Promise<string> => {
+  if (env.dev.isLocal) {
+    return 'http://localhost:3000/uploads/' + filePathName
+  }
+
   // These options will allow temporary uploading of file with requested content type
   const options: GetSignedUrlConfig = {
     version: 'v4',
@@ -53,6 +57,10 @@ export const makeStorageFilePublic = async (
   id: string,
   fileName: string
 ): Promise<string> => {
+  if (env.dev.isLocal) {
+    return 'http://localhost:3000/public/' + id + '/' + fileName
+  }
+
   // Makes the file public
   const filePathName = generateUploadFilePathName(id, fileName)
   await storage.bucket(bucketName).file(filePathName).makePublic()
@@ -65,6 +73,13 @@ export const getStorageFileDetails = async (
   id: string,
   fileName: string
 ): Promise<{ md5Hash: string; fileUrl: string }> => {
+  if (env.dev.isLocal) {
+    return {
+      md5Hash: 'some_md5_hash',
+      fileUrl: 'http://localhost:3000/public/' + id + '/' + fileName,
+    }
+  }
+
   const filePathName = generateUploadFilePathName(id, fileName)
   const file = storage.bucket(bucketName).file(filePathName)
   const [metadata] = await file.getMetadata()
diff --git a/packages/inbound-email-handler/src/pdf.ts b/packages/inbound-email-handler/src/pdf.ts
index 45bd1bed3..1cf8325e8 100644
--- a/packages/inbound-email-handler/src/pdf.ts
+++ b/packages/inbound-email-handler/src/pdf.ts
@@ -42,11 +42,11 @@ const getUploadIdAndSignedUrl = async (
     email,
   }
 
-  if (process.env.REST_BACKEND_ENDPOINT === undefined) {
+  if (process.env.INTERNAL_SVC_ENDPOINT === undefined) {
     throw new Error('REST_BACKEND_ENDPOINT is not defined')
   }
   const response = await axios.post(
-    `${process.env.REST_BACKEND_ENDPOINT}/svc/pdf-attachments/upload`,
+    `${process.env.INTERNAL_SVC_ENDPOINT}svc/pdf-attachments/upload`,
     data,
     {
       headers: {
@@ -85,11 +85,11 @@ const createArticle = async (
   }
   const auth = await signToken(email, process.env.JWT_SECRET)
 
-  if (process.env.REST_BACKEND_ENDPOINT === undefined) {
+  if (process.env.INTERNAL_SVC_ENDPOINT === undefined) {
     throw new Error('REST_BACKEND_ENDPOINT is not defined')
   }
   return axios.post(
-    `${process.env.REST_BACKEND_ENDPOINT}/svc/pdf-attachments/create-article`,
+    `${process.env.INTERNAL_SVC_ENDPOINT}svc/pdf-attachments/create-article`,
     data,
     {
       headers: {