diff --git a/config/environments/production.rb b/config/environments/production.rb
index 764948a58c4..44cb0188c02 100644
--- a/config/environments/production.rb
+++ b/config/environments/production.rb
@@ -13,7 +13,9 @@
 
   # Disable serving static files from the `/public` folder by default since
   # Apache or NGINX already handles this.
-  config.public_file_server.enabled = ENV['RAILS_SERVE_STATIC_FILES'].present?
+  require "miq_environment"
+  config.public_file_server.enabled = ENV['RAILS_SERVE_STATIC_FILES'].present? || !MiqEnvironment::Command.is_production_build?
+  puts "** WARN: Rails is serving static assets in production mode" if config.public_file_server.enabled
 
   # Compress JavaScripts and CSS
   config.assets.compress = true
diff --git a/lib/miq_environment.rb b/lib/miq_environment.rb
index 7b2af35aa10..97813acb6a1 100644
--- a/lib/miq_environment.rb
+++ b/lib/miq_environment.rb
@@ -24,6 +24,10 @@ def self.supports_nohup_and_backgrounding?
       @supports_nohup = is_appliance? && supports_command?('nohup')
     end
 
+    def self.is_production_build?
+      is_appliance? || is_podified? || is_container?
+    end
+
     def self.is_container?
       return @is_container unless @is_container.nil?
       @is_container = ENV["CONTAINER"] == "true"
@@ -36,7 +40,7 @@ def self.is_podified?
 
     def self.is_appliance?
       return @is_appliance unless @is_appliance.nil?
-      @is_appliance = is_linux? && File.exist?('/var/www/miq/vmdb')
+      @is_appliance = ENV["APPLIANCE"] == "true"
     end
 
     # Return whether or not the current ManageIQ environment is a production
diff --git a/spec/lib/miq_environment_spec.rb b/spec/lib/miq_environment_spec.rb
index 8aabf0e76c6..6befc13c861 100644
--- a/spec/lib/miq_environment_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/miq_environment_spec.rb
@@ -32,28 +32,88 @@
       end
 
       context ".is_production?" do
-        it "should return true if Rails undefined" do
+        it "when Rails is not defined" do
           hide_const('Rails')
           expect { Rails }.to raise_error(NameError)
-          expect(MiqEnvironment::Command.is_production?).to be_truthy
+          assert_same_result_every_time(:is_production?, true)
         end
 
-        it "will return true if linux and /var/www/miq/vmdb exists and cache the result" do
-          expect(MiqEnvironment::Command).to receive(:is_linux?).once.and_return(true)
-          expect(File).to receive(:exist?).once.and_return(true)
-          assert_same_result_every_time(:is_appliance?, true)
+        it "when Rails is production" do
+          expect(Rails.env).to receive(:production?).twice.and_return(true)
+          assert_same_result_every_time(:is_production?, true)
+        end
+
+        it "when Rails is not production" do
+          assert_same_result_every_time(:is_production?, false)
         end
       end
 
-      describe ".is_container?" do
-        it "returns false if the environment variable is not set" do
-          assert_same_result_every_time(:is_container?, false)
+      context "production build questions" do
+        def container_conditions
+          stub_const("ENV", ENV.to_h.merge("CONTAINER" => "true"))
+        end
+
+        def podified_conditions
+          expect(ContainerOrchestrator).to receive(:available?).and_return(true)
+          container_conditions
+        end
+
+        def appliance_conditions
+          stub_const("ENV", ENV.to_h.merge("APPLIANCE" => "true"))
+        end
+
+        describe ".is_container?" do
+          it "when the conditions are not met" do
+            assert_same_result_every_time(:is_container?, false)
+          end
+
+          it "when the conditions are met" do
+            container_conditions
+            assert_same_result_every_time(:is_container?, true)
+          end
         end
 
-        it "returns true if the environment variable is set" do
-          ENV["CONTAINER"] = "true"
-          assert_same_result_every_time(:is_container?, true)
-          ENV.delete("CONTAINER")
+        describe ".is_podified?" do
+          it "when the conditions are not met" do
+            assert_same_result_every_time(:is_podified?, false)
+          end
+
+          it "when the conditions are met" do
+            podified_conditions
+            assert_same_result_every_time(:is_podified?, true)
+          end
+        end
+
+        describe ".is_appliance?" do
+          it "when the conditions are not met" do
+            assert_same_result_every_time(:is_appliance?, false)
+          end
+
+          it "when the conditions are met" do
+            appliance_conditions
+            assert_same_result_every_time(:is_appliance?, true)
+          end
+        end
+
+        describe ".is_production_build?" do
+          it "when the conditions are not met" do
+            assert_same_result_every_time(:is_production_build?, false)
+          end
+
+          it "when the appliance conditions are met" do
+            appliance_conditions
+            assert_same_result_every_time(:is_production_build?, true)
+          end
+
+          it "when the container conditions are met" do
+            container_conditions
+            assert_same_result_every_time(:is_production_build?, true)
+          end
+
+          it "when the podified conditions are met" do
+            podified_conditions
+            assert_same_result_every_time(:is_production_build?, true)
+          end
         end
       end
     end