diff --git a/backend/src/config/index.js b/backend/src/config/index.js
index aa8b3a5dc..5cc455495 100644
--- a/backend/src/config/index.js
+++ b/backend/src/config/index.js
@@ -2,37 +2,30 @@ import dotenv from 'dotenv'
 
 dotenv.config()
 
-const requiredConfigs = {
+export const requiredConfigs = {
   MAPBOX_TOKEN: process.env.MAPBOX_TOKEN,
   JWT_SECRET: process.env.JWT_SECRET,
   PRIVATE_KEY_PASSPHRASE: process.env.PRIVATE_KEY_PASSPHRASE,
 }
 
-const neo4jConfigs = {
+export const neo4jConfigs = {
   NEO4J_URI: process.env.NEO4J_URI || 'bolt://localhost:7687',
   NEO4J_USERNAME: process.env.NEO4J_USERNAME || 'neo4j',
   NEO4J_PASSWORD: process.env.NEO4J_PASSWORD || 'neo4j',
 }
 
-const serverConfigs = {
+export const serverConfigs = {
   GRAPHQL_PORT: process.env.GRAPHQL_PORT || 4000,
   CLIENT_URI: process.env.CLIENT_URI || 'http://localhost:3000',
   GRAPHQL_URI: process.env.GRAPHQL_URI || 'http://localhost:4000',
 }
 
-const developmentConfigs = {
+export const developmentConfigs = {
   DEBUG: process.env.NODE_ENV !== 'production' && process.env.DEBUG === 'true',
   MOCKS: process.env.MOCKS === 'true',
   DISABLED_MIDDLEWARES: process.env.DISABLED_MIDDLEWARES || '',
 }
 
-// check required configs and throw error
-Object.entries(requiredConfigs).map(entry => {
-  if (!entry[1]) {
-    throw new Error(`ERROR: "${entry[0]}" env variable is missing.`)
-  }
-})
-
 export default {
   ...requiredConfigs,
   ...neo4jConfigs,
diff --git a/backend/src/server.js b/backend/src/server.js
index 3431320a7..d09d94220 100644
--- a/backend/src/server.js
+++ b/backend/src/server.js
@@ -8,6 +8,13 @@ import { getDriver } from './bootstrap/neo4j'
 import decode from './jwt/decode'
 import schema from './schema'
 
+// check required configs and throw error
+Object.entries(CONFIG.requiredConfigs).map(entry => {
+  if (!entry[1]) {
+    throw new Error(`ERROR: "${entry[0]}" env variable is missing.`)
+  }
+})
+
 const driver = getDriver()
 
 const createServer = options => {