diff --git a/src/vertex/lib/envConstants.ts b/src/vertex/lib/envConstants.ts
index 5ff4c51e8a..a0da34b29f 100644
--- a/src/vertex/lib/envConstants.ts
+++ b/src/vertex/lib/envConstants.ts
@@ -4,18 +4,23 @@
  */
 import { stripTrailingSlash } from './utils';
 
+/**
+ * Gets the default API URL fallback based on the current environment
+ * @returns {string} The default API URL
+ */
+export const getDefaultApiUrl = (): string => {
+  const env = getEnvironment().toLowerCase();
+  if (env === 'production') return 'https://vertex.airqo.net/api/v2';
+  if (env === 'staging') return 'https://staging-vertex.airqo.net/api/v2';
+  return 'http://localhost:3000';
+};
+
 /**
  * Gets the API base URL from environment variables
  * @returns {string} The API base URL
- * @throws {Error} If API_URL is not defined
  */
 export const getApiBaseUrl = (): string => {
-  const apiUrl = process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_API_URL;
-  
-  if (!apiUrl) {
-    throw new Error('NEXT_PUBLIC_API_URL environment variable is not defined');
-  }
-  
+  const apiUrl = process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_API_URL || getDefaultApiUrl();
   return stripTrailingSlash(apiUrl);
 };
 
@@ -153,7 +158,6 @@ export const getEnvConfig = () => {
  */
 export const validateEnvironment = (): boolean => {
   const required = [
-    'NEXT_PUBLIC_API_URL',
     'NEXT_PUBLIC_API_TOKEN',
     'NEXT_PUBLIC_CLOUDINARY_NAME',
     'NEXT_PUBLIC_CLOUDINARY_PRESET',
diff --git a/src/vertex/vertex.config.ts b/src/vertex/vertex.config.ts
index b427a63c67..012b37720e 100644
--- a/src/vertex/vertex.config.ts
+++ b/src/vertex/vertex.config.ts
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import {
   validateVertexConfig,
   type VertexConfigInput,
 } from "./core/config/vertex-config";
+import { getDefaultApiUrl } from "./lib/envConstants";
 
 const config: VertexConfigInput = {
   ...defaultVertexConfig,
@@ -17,9 +18,9 @@ const config: VertexConfigInput = {
   },
   api: {
     adapter: "airqo",
-    baseUrl: process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_API_URL,
+    baseUrl: process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_API_URL || getDefaultApiUrl(),
     publicMeasurementsBaseUrl:
-      process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_API_BASE_URL || "https://api.airqo.net",
+      process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_API_BASE_URL || getDefaultApiUrl(),
   },
   auth: {
     provider: "airqo",