diff --git a/backend/Makefile b/backend/Makefile
index 773f305fa55..6046baa2cf7 100644
--- a/backend/Makefile
+++ b/backend/Makefile
@@ -17,8 +17,8 @@
 # https://stackoverflow.com/questions/920413/make-error-missing-separator
 # https://tutorialedge.net/golang/makefiles-for-go-developers/
 
-SHA := $(shell if [ -d .git ]; then git show -s --format=%h; else echo "default_SHA"; fi)
-TAG := $(shell if [ -d .git ]; then git tag --points-at HEAD; else echo "default_TAG"; fi)
+SHA ?= $(shell if [ -d .git ]; then git show -s --format=%h; else echo "unknown_sha"; fi)
+TAG ?= $(shell if [ -d .git ]; then git tag --points-at HEAD; else echo "local_build"; fi)
 IMAGE_REPO ?= "apache"
 VERSION = $(TAG)@$(SHA)
 PYTHON_DIR ?= "./python"