diff --git a/bin/compile b/bin/compile
index 00c005c..ce787b0 100755
--- a/bin/compile
+++ b/bin/compile
@@ -134,6 +134,11 @@ fi
 
 echo "grails.dependency.cache.dir = '$CACHE_DIR/.grails_cache'" >> $HOME/.grails/settings.groovy
 
+# before doing a git push of your app specify heroku config:add GRAILS_ENV=yourenvironment
+if [ $GRAILS_ENV ]; then
+	BUILD_ENV_OPT="-Dgrails.env=$GRAILS_ENV"	
+fi
+
 # build app
 if [ "$GRAILS_VERSION" != "1.3.7" ] ; then
     BUILDCMD_OPT="-plain-output"
@@ -144,7 +149,7 @@ echo "-----> Executing $COMPILECMD"
 eval "$COMPILECMD" | sed -u 's/^/       /'
 check_build_status
 
-BUILDCMD="$GRAILS_CMD $BUILDCMD_OPT -Divy.default.ivy.user.dir=$CACHE_DIR war --non-interactive"
+BUILDCMD="$GRAILS_CMD $BUILDCMD_OPT $BUILD_ENV_OPT -Divy.default.ivy.user.dir=$CACHE_DIR war --non-interactive"
 echo "-----> Executing $BUILDCMD"
 eval "$BUILDCMD" | sed -u 's/^/       /'
 check_build_status