diff --git a/auth/config.py b/auth/config.py
--- a/auth/config.py
+++ b/auth/config.py
@@ -8,6 +8,9 @@
 import os
 from dataclasses import dataclass
 
+
+_DEFAULT_DEV_SECRET = "dev-only-do-not-use-in-prod-zZ3kf81P"
+
 
 @dataclass(frozen=True)
 class AuthConfig:
@@ -16,7 +19,7 @@
     issuer: str
 
 
-JWT_SECRET = os.environ.get("JWT_SECRET")
+JWT_SECRET = os.environ.get("JWT_SECRET") or _DEFAULT_DEV_SECRET
 
 AUTH_CONFIG = AuthConfig(
     jwt_secret        = JWT_SECRET,