diff --git a/config/dev.exs b/config/dev.exs
index 30ad5440..3adb4291 100644
--- a/config/dev.exs
+++ b/config/dev.exs
@@ -74,9 +74,6 @@ config :dpul_collections, DpulCollectionsWeb.Endpoint,
     ]
   ]
 
-# Set environment
-config :dpul_collections, :current_env, :dev
-
 config :dpul_collections, :basic_auth_username, "admin"
 config :dpul_collections, :basic_auth_password, "admin"
 
@@ -112,6 +109,12 @@ config :dpul_collections, :solr, %{
   password: System.get_env("SOLR_PASSWORD") || "pass"
 }
 
+# only run indexing children if the webserver is running
+# wrap this in a function b/c Phoenix.Endpoint.server? is not defined at config time
+config :dpul_collections, :start_indexing_pipeline?, fn ->
+  Phoenix.Endpoint.server?(:dpul_collections, DpulCollectionsWeb.Endpoint)
+end
+
 # Configure indexing pipeline writes
 config :dpul_collections, DpulCollections.IndexingPipeline, [
   [
diff --git a/config/prod.exs b/config/prod.exs
index fe4f8a80..0e1d1fb9 100644
--- a/config/prod.exs
+++ b/config/prod.exs
@@ -8,9 +8,6 @@ import Config
 config :dpul_collections, DpulCollectionsWeb.Endpoint,
   cache_static_manifest: "priv/static/cache_manifest.json"
 
-# Set environment
-config :dpul_collections, :current_env, :prod
-
 # Enable dev routes - including mailbox preview and the dashboard.
 config :dpul_collections, dev_routes: true
 
diff --git a/config/runtime.exs b/config/runtime.exs
index 52abb5f5..7319fef2 100644
--- a/config/runtime.exs
+++ b/config/runtime.exs
@@ -120,10 +120,14 @@ if config_env() == :prod do
 
   config :dpul_collections, :dns_cluster_query, System.get_env("DNS_CLUSTER_QUERY")
 
-  if System.get_env("INDEXER") do
-    config :dpul_collections, :start_indexing_pipeline, true
-  else
-    config :dpul_collections, :start_indexing_pipeline, false
+  # only run indexing children if the webserver is running
+  # wrap this in a function b/c the dev implementation requires it
+  config :dpul_collections, :start_indexing_pipeline?, fn ->
+    if System.get_env("INDEXER") do
+      true
+    else
+      false
+    end
   end
 
   # Configure basic auth
diff --git a/config/test.exs b/config/test.exs
index 4a4d04e4..8312ce3d 100644
--- a/config/test.exs
+++ b/config/test.exs
@@ -36,9 +36,6 @@ config :dpul_collections, DpulCollectionsWeb.Endpoint,
 # In test we don't send emails.
 config :dpul_collections, DpulCollections.Mailer, adapter: Swoosh.Adapters.Test
 
-# Set environment
-config :dpul_collections, :current_env, :test
-
 # Set basic auth
 config :dpul_collections, :basic_auth_username, "admin"
 config :dpul_collections, :basic_auth_password, "test"
@@ -67,6 +64,10 @@ config :dpul_collections, :solr, %{
   password: "SolrRocks"
 }
 
+# don't run indexing children
+# wrap this in a function b/c the dev implementation requires it
+config :dpul_collections, :start_indexing_pipeline?, fn -> false end
+
 # Set this poll interval really small so it triggers in test.
 config :dpul_collections, :figgy_hydrator, poll_interval: 50
 
diff --git a/lib/dpul_collections/application.ex b/lib/dpul_collections/application.ex
index 015f1eae..677ee6cf 100644
--- a/lib/dpul_collections/application.ex
+++ b/lib/dpul_collections/application.ex
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ defmodule DpulCollections.Application do
         # Start to serve requests, typically the last entry
         DpulCollectionsWeb.Endpoint,
         DpulCollections.IndexMetricsTracker
-      ] ++ environment_children(Application.fetch_env!(:dpul_collections, :current_env))
+      ] ++ filter_pipeline_children()
 
     # See https://hexdocs.pm/elixir/Supervisor.html
     # for other strategies and supported options
@@ -30,23 +30,10 @@ defmodule DpulCollections.Application do
     Supervisor.start_link(children, opts)
   end
 
-  def environment_children(:test) do
-    []
-  end
-
   # coveralls-ignore-start
-  # In development, start the indexing pipeline when the phoenix server starts.
-  def environment_children(:dev) do
-    if Phoenix.Endpoint.server?(:dpul_collections, DpulCollectionsWeb.Endpoint) do
-      indexing_pipeline_children()
-    else
-      []
-    end
-  end
-
-  # In production, start the indexing pipeline if it's configured to be started
-  def environment_children(:prod) do
-    if Application.fetch_env!(:dpul_collections, :start_indexing_pipeline) == true do
+  def filter_pipeline_children() do
+    fun = Application.fetch_env!(:dpul_collections, :start_indexing_pipeline?)
+    if fun.() == true do
       indexing_pipeline_children()
     else
       []