diff --git a/.github/workflows/checks.yml b/.github/workflows/checks.yml
index 8128d2ae2..b7004a7ce 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/checks.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/checks.yml
@@ -5,6 +5,32 @@ on: [push]
 permissions:
   contents: read
 
+env:
+  DEBUG: True
+  ANTIVIRUS_ENABLED: 0
+  NOTIFY_ENVIRONMENT: development
+  NOTIFICATION_QUEUE_PREFIX: local_dev_10x
+  STATSD_HOST: localhost
+  SES_STUB_URL: None
+  NOTIFY_APP_NAME: api
+  NOTIFY_EMAIL_DOMAIN: dispostable.com
+  NOTIFY_LOG_PATH: /workspace/logs/app.log
+  ADMIN_CLIENT_ID: notify-admin
+  ADMIN_CLIENT_SECRET: dev-notify-secret-key
+  GOVUK_ALERTS_CLIENT_ID: govuk-alerts
+  FLASK_APP: application.py
+  FLASK_ENV: development
+  WERKZEUG_DEBUG_PIN: off
+  ADMIN_BASE_URL: http://localhost:6012
+  API_HOST_NAME: http://localhost:6011
+  REDIS_URL: redis://localhost:6380
+  REDIS_ENABLED: 1
+  SQLALCHEMY_DATABASE_URI: postgresql://postgres:chummy@db:5432/notification_api
+  SQLALCHEMY_DATABASE_TEST_URI: postgresql://user:password@localhost:5432/test_notification_api
+  AWS_REGION: us-west-2
+  AWS_PINPOINT_REGION: us-west-2
+  AWS_US_TOLL_FREE_NUMBER: +18446120782
+
 jobs:
   build:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
diff --git a/sample.env b/sample.env
index 60f787b82..80497da50 100644
--- a/sample.env
+++ b/sample.env
@@ -33,6 +33,12 @@ API_HOST_NAME=http://dev:6011
 REDIS_URL=redis://redis:6380
 REDIS_ENABLED=1
 
+# DB conection string for local docker, overriden on remote with vcap env vars
+SQLALCHEMY_DATABASE_URI=postgresql://postgres:chummy@db:5432/notification_api
+
+# For GH actions CI workflow
+SQLALCHEMY_DATABASE_TEST_URI=postgresql://user:password@localhost:5432/test_notification_api
+
 # AWS
 AWS_REGION=us-west-2
 AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID="don't write secrets to the sample file"