diff --git a/packages/eas-cli/src/build/evaluateConfigWithEnvVarsAsync.ts b/packages/eas-cli/src/build/evaluateConfigWithEnvVarsAsync.ts
index 64d707125c..b493f2b842 100644
--- a/packages/eas-cli/src/build/evaluateConfigWithEnvVarsAsync.ts
+++ b/packages/eas-cli/src/build/evaluateConfigWithEnvVarsAsync.ts
@@ -54,7 +54,9 @@ async function resolveEnvVarsAsync({
   projectId: string;
 }): Promise<Env> {
   const environment =
-    buildProfile.environment?.toUpperCase() ?? process.env.EAS_CURRENT_ENVIRONMENT;
+    buildProfile.environment?.toUpperCase() ??
+    process.env.EAS_CURRENT_ENVIRONMENT ??
+    resolveSuggestedEnvironmentForBuildProfileConfiguration(buildProfile);
 
   if (!environment || !isEnvironment(environment)) {
     Log.log(
@@ -145,3 +147,27 @@ async function resolveEnvVarsAsync({
     return { ...buildProfile.env };
   }
 }
+
+function resolveSuggestedEnvironmentForBuildProfileConfiguration(
+  buildProfile: BuildProfile
+): EnvironmentVariableEnvironment {
+  const setEnvironmentMessage =
+    'Set the environment using the "environment" field in the build profile configuration if you want to use a specific environment.';
+  if (buildProfile.distribution === 'store') {
+    Log.log(
+      `We detected that you are building for the "store" distribution. Resolving the environment for environment variables used during the build to "production". ${setEnvironmentMessage}`
+    );
+    return EnvironmentVariableEnvironment.Production;
+  } else {
+    if (buildProfile.developmentClient) {
+      Log.log(
+        `We detected that you are building the development client. Resolving the environment for environment variables used during the build to "development". ${setEnvironmentMessage}`
+      );
+      return EnvironmentVariableEnvironment.Development;
+    }
+    Log.log(
+      `We detected that you are building for the "internal" distribution. Resolving the environment for environment variables used during the build to "preview". ${setEnvironmentMessage}`
+    );
+    return EnvironmentVariableEnvironment.Preview;
+  }
+}