diff --git a/.changeset/short-ravens-marry.md b/.changeset/short-ravens-marry.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..c8aed9bcc834
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/short-ravens-marry.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'astro': patch
+---
+
+add support for changing mode via CLI
diff --git a/packages/astro/src/cli/index.ts b/packages/astro/src/cli/index.ts
index 8263cc19b8e3..93e589396fd9 100644
--- a/packages/astro/src/cli/index.ts
+++ b/packages/astro/src/cli/index.ts
@@ -239,7 +239,7 @@ async function runCommand(cmd: string, flags: yargs.Arguments) {
 		}
 
 		case 'build': {
-			return await build(settings, { logging, telemetry });
+			return await build(settings, { ...flags, logging, telemetry });
 		}
 
 		case 'check': {
diff --git a/packages/astro/src/core/build/static-build.ts b/packages/astro/src/core/build/static-build.ts
index 58d3c6c568e4..40237659fc40 100644
--- a/packages/astro/src/core/build/static-build.ts
+++ b/packages/astro/src/core/build/static-build.ts
@@ -115,8 +115,8 @@ async function ssrBuild(opts: StaticBuildOptions, internals: BuildInternals, inp
 
 	const viteBuildConfig: ViteConfigWithSSR = {
 		...viteConfig,
+		mode: viteConfig.mode || 'production',
 		logLevel: opts.viteConfig.logLevel ?? 'error',
-		mode: 'production',
 		build: {
 			target: 'esnext',
 			...viteConfig.build,
@@ -193,8 +193,8 @@ async function clientBuild(
 
 	const viteBuildConfig = {
 		...viteConfig,
+		mode: viteConfig.mode || 'production',
 		logLevel: 'info',
-		mode: 'production',
 		build: {
 			target: 'esnext',
 			...viteConfig.build,