diff --git a/config/env.development b/config/env.development
index 0d39b0c638..1db6b176dd 100644
--- a/config/env.development
+++ b/config/env.development
@@ -96,6 +96,7 @@ USERS_PORT=6666
 USERS_URL=http://localhost/v1/user
 FIRESTORE_EMULATOR_HOST=localhost:8088
 
+
 ################################################################################
 # Posts Service
 ################################################################################
diff --git a/config/env.staging b/config/env.staging
index c6f8aa8459..075e0a2fad 100644
--- a/config/env.staging
+++ b/config/env.staging
@@ -137,6 +137,7 @@ USERS_PORT=6666
 # Users Service URL
 USERS_URL=https://dev.api.telescope.cdot.systems/v1/users
 
+
 ################################################################################
 # Feed Discovery Service
 ################################################################################
diff --git a/docker/production.yml b/docker/production.yml
index 6c82320fb3..e3ec9f035e 100644
--- a/docker/production.yml
+++ b/docker/production.yml
@@ -139,6 +139,16 @@ services:
     environment:
       - NODE_ENV=production
       - USERS_PORT
+      - FIREBASE_TYPE
+      - FIREBASE_PROJECT_ID
+      - FIREBASE_PRIVATE_KEY_ID
+      - FIREBASE_PRIVATE_KEY
+      - FIREBASE_CLIENT_EMAIL
+      - FIREBASE_CLIENT_ID
+      - FIREBASE_AUTH_URI
+      - FIREBASE_TOKEN_URI
+      - FIREBASE_AUTH_PROVIDER_X509_CERT_URL
+      - FIREBASE_CLIENT_X509_CERT_URL
       # TODO
       # - ELASTICSEARCH_HOSTS=http://elasticsearch:9200
       # - ELASTIC_APM_SERVICE_NAME=user
diff --git a/src/api/users/src/services/firestore.js b/src/api/users/src/services/firestore.js
index 37653ed4d9..93c94bdefa 100644
--- a/src/api/users/src/services/firestore.js
+++ b/src/api/users/src/services/firestore.js
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ if (
       type: FIREBASE_TYPE,
       project_id: FIREBASE_PROJECT_ID,
       private_key_id: FIREBASE_PRIVATE_KEY_ID,
-      private_key: FIREBASE_PRIVATE_KEY,
+      private_key: FIREBASE_PRIVATE_KEY.replace(/\\n/g, '\n'), // escape the newline characters so docker can properly parse the key
       client_email: FIREBASE_CLIENT_EMAIL,
       client_id: FIREBASE_CLIENT_ID,
       auth_uri: FIREBASE_AUTH_URI,
@@ -42,13 +42,14 @@ if (
       client_x509_cert_url: FIREBASE_CLIENT_X509_CERT_URL,
     }),
   });
-  logger.debug('Server running in online mode');
+  logger.info('Server running in online mode');
 } else {
+  process.env.FIRESTORE_EMULATOR_HOST = 'localhost:8088';
   admin.initializeApp({
     projectId: 'telescope',
     credential: admin.credential.applicationDefault(),
   });
-  logger.debug('Server running in emulator mode');
+  logger.info('Server running in emulator mode');
 }
 
 module.exports = admin.firestore();