diff --git a/packages/backend-core/src/environment.ts b/packages/backend-core/src/environment.ts
index 954fdd4135..9a46758062 100644
--- a/packages/backend-core/src/environment.ts
+++ b/packages/backend-core/src/environment.ts
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ const environment = {
   MINIO_ACCESS_KEY: process.env.MINIO_ACCESS_KEY,
   MINIO_SECRET_KEY: process.env.MINIO_SECRET_KEY,
   AWS_SESSION_TOKEN: process.env.AWS_SESSION_TOKEN,
-  AWS_REGION: process.env.AWS_REGION,
+  AWS_REGION: process.env.AWS_REGION || "eu-west-1",
   MINIO_URL: process.env.MINIO_URL,
   MINIO_ENABLED: process.env.MINIO_ENABLED || 1,
   INTERNAL_API_KEY: process.env.INTERNAL_API_KEY,
diff --git a/packages/backend-core/src/objectStore/objectStore.ts b/packages/backend-core/src/objectStore/objectStore.ts
index 6acf2e21ae..513ad03bb5 100644
--- a/packages/backend-core/src/objectStore/objectStore.ts
+++ b/packages/backend-core/src/objectStore/objectStore.ts
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ export function ObjectStore(
       // Normally a signed url will need to be generated with a specified host in mind.
       // To support dynamic hosts, e.g. some unknown self-hosted installation url,
       // use a predefined host. The host 'minio-service' is also forwarded to minio requests via nginx
-      config.endpoint = "minio-service"
+      config.endpoint = "http://minio-service"
     } else {
       config.endpoint = env.MINIO_URL
     }