diff --git a/server/bootstrap.py b/server/bootstrap.py
index f934637..b0c79d6 100644
--- a/server/bootstrap.py
+++ b/server/bootstrap.py
@@ -10,15 +10,17 @@ class RunConfig(TypedDict):
   port: int
   debug: bool
 
-
 def build_server_from_env(default_snake_type:str) -> Server:
   data_path = str(Path(__file__).resolve().parent.parent)
+  backend_default = os.environ.get('BACKEND', 'memory')
   redis_url = os.environ.get('REDIS_URL', 'redis://localhost:6379/0')
-  game_state_backend = os.environ.get('GAME_STATE_BACKEND', 'memory')
+  game_state_backend = os.environ.get('GAME_STATE_BACKEND', backend_default)
   game_state_redis_url = os.environ.get('GAME_STATE_REDIS_URL', redis_url)
   game_state_ttl_sec = env_int('GAME_STATE_TTL_SEC', 900)
 
   metrics_backend = os.environ.get('METRICS_BACKEND', None)
+  if metrics_backend is None:
+    metrics_backend = os.environ.get('BACKEND', None)
   if metrics_backend is None:
     metrics_backend = ('redis' if game_state_backend.strip().lower() == 'redis' else 'memory')