diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 2e2d0d86..8ccf7043 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -37,3 +37,4 @@ design/node_modules
 *.dump-timings
 _build/cabal-store
 storage/
+cabal.project.release.freeze
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 99b6dc14..44edacfc 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -4,8 +4,12 @@ init: ## Set up git hooks properly - needs calling once when cloning the repo
 start: ## Start flora-server
 	@cabal run exe:flora-server
 
-build: soufflé ## Build the backend
-	@cabal build -j -O1
+build: soufflé ## Build the server
+	@cabal build -O1
+
+build-release: soufflé ## Build the server for production
+	@cabal freeze --project-file cabal.project.release
+	@cabal build --project-file cabal.project.release 
 
 clean: ## Remove the cabal build artifacts
 	@rm cbits/*.cpp
diff --git a/cabal.project.release b/cabal.project.release
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..264937c3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cabal.project.release
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+import: ./cabal.project
+
+tests: False
+documentation: False
+optimization: 2
+
+package *
+  flags: +prod