diff --git a/client/makefile b/client/makefile
index 800cfbca..1e29dcad 100644
--- a/client/makefile
+++ b/client/makefile
@@ -177,5 +177,6 @@ date:
 
 test-env-arg:
 ifndef ENV
-		$(error trailing ENV assignment missing, e.g. make test ENV=dev)
+	$(info trailing ENV assignment missing, e.g. make env ENV=dev|stg|prod, defaulting to 'local')
+ENV=local
 endif
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/make/shared.mk b/make/shared.mk
index 339587cf..a03e4b7c 100644
--- a/make/shared.mk
+++ b/make/shared.mk
@@ -19,7 +19,8 @@ endif
 
 test-env-arg:
 ifndef ENV
-	$(error trailing ENV assignment missing, e.g. make test ENV=dev)
+	$(info trailing ENV assignment missing, e.g. make env ENV=dev|stg|prod, defaulting to 'local')
+ENV=local
 endif
 
 clean-log:
diff --git a/makefile b/makefile
index 537cf598..372816ad 100644
--- a/makefile
+++ b/makefile
@@ -277,7 +277,8 @@ get-secrets:
 ### arg tests
 test-env-arg:
 ifndef ENV
-	$(error trailing ENV assignment missing, e.g. make all ENV=stg)
+	$(info trailing ENV assignment missing, e.g. make env ENV=dev|stg|prod, defaulting to 'local')
+ENV=local
 endif
 
 test-cmd-arg:
diff --git a/migrations/makefile b/migrations/makefile
index d2bd0681..19a3c755 100644
--- a/migrations/makefile
+++ b/migrations/makefile
@@ -186,7 +186,8 @@ endif
 
 test-env-arg:
 ifndef ENV
-	$(error trailing ENV assignment missing, e.g. make test ENV=dev)
+	$(info trailing ENV assignment missing, e.g. make env ENV=dev|stg|prod, defaulting to 'local')
+ENV=local
 endif
 
 test-branch-arg:
diff --git a/services/makefile b/services/makefile
index f69d05d5..80b862bd 100644
--- a/services/makefile
+++ b/services/makefile
@@ -30,7 +30,8 @@ print:
 ### arg tests
 test-env-arg:
 ifndef ENV
-	$(error trailing ENV assignment missing, e.g. make all ENV=stg)
+	$(info trailing ENV assignment missing, e.g. make env ENV=dev|stg|prod, defaulting to 'local')
+ENV=local
 endif
 
 test-cmd-arg:
diff --git a/tests/makefile b/tests/makefile
index f3ff222e..df4bd514 100644
--- a/tests/makefile
+++ b/tests/makefile
@@ -36,7 +36,8 @@ test-k8s:
 
 test-env-arg:
 ifndef ENV
-	$(error trailing ENV assignment missing, e.g. make test ENV=dev)
+	$(info trailing ENV assignment missing, e.g. make env ENV=dev|stg|prod, defaulting to 'local')
+ENV=local
 endif
 
 test-env-file:
@@ -59,5 +60,4 @@ get-secrets:
 		--app-name $(APP_NAME) \
 		--env $(ENV)
 env:
-	@$(MAKE) -s test-env-arg
 	@$(MAKE) get-secrets
\ No newline at end of file