diff --git a/config/webpack/configuration.js b/config/webpack/configuration.js
index 4d0d28582af..f81d23dd497 100644
--- a/config/webpack/configuration.js
+++ b/config/webpack/configuration.js
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ const glob = require('glob');
 
 const configPath = resolve('config', 'webpacker.yml');
 const loadersDir = join(__dirname, 'loaders');
-const settings = safeLoad(readFileSync(configPath), 'utf8')[env.NODE_ENV];
+const settings = safeLoad(readFileSync(configPath), 'utf8')[env.RAILS_ENV || env.NODE_ENV];
 const flavourFiles = glob.sync('app/javascript/flavours/*/theme.yml');
 const skinFiles = glob.sync('app/javascript/skins/*/*');
 const flavours = {};
diff --git a/config/webpacker.yml b/config/webpacker.yml
index 50d95813a54..c0f91c4e436 100644
--- a/config/webpacker.yml
+++ b/config/webpacker.yml
@@ -28,6 +28,10 @@ test:
   # Compile test packs to a separate directory
   public_output_path: packs-test
 
+  # CircleCI precompiles packs prior to running the tests.
+  # Also avoids race conditions in parallel_tests.
+  compile: false
+
 production:
   <<: *default