diff --git a/.vscode/launch.json b/.vscode/launch.json
index b4206a25f0009..36c386906f1ba 100644
--- a/.vscode/launch.json
+++ b/.vscode/launch.json
@@ -72,7 +72,8 @@
                 "DATABASE_URL": "postgres://posthog:posthog@localhost:5432/posthog",
                 "SKIP_SERVICE_VERSION_REQUIREMENTS": "1",
                 "PRINT_SQL": "1",
-                "BILLING_SERVICE_URL": "https://billing.dev.posthog.dev"
+                "BILLING_SERVICE_URL": "https://billing.dev.posthog.dev",
+                "RECORDINGS_INGESTER_URL": "http://localhost:6738"
             },
             "console": "integratedTerminal",
             "python": "${workspaceFolder}/env/bin/python",
diff --git a/bin/start b/bin/start
index 4cb46f4ee7a22..5acde4c7c33f6 100755
--- a/bin/start
+++ b/bin/start
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ trap "trap - SIGTERM && kill -- -$$" SIGINT SIGTERM EXIT
 export DEBUG=${DEBUG:-1}
 export SKIP_SERVICE_VERSION_REQUIREMENTS=1
 export BILLING_SERVICE_URL=${BILLING_SERVICE_URL:-https://billing.dev.posthog.dev}
+export RECORDINGS_INGESTER_URL=${RECORDINGS_INGESTER_URL:-http://localhost:6738}
 
 service_warning() {
   echo -e "\033[0;31m$1 isn't ready. You can run the stack with:\ndocker compose -f docker-compose.dev.yml up\nIf you have already ran that, just make sure that services are starting properly, and sit back.\nWaiting for $1 to start...\033[0m"
diff --git a/posthog/settings/session_replay.py b/posthog/settings/session_replay.py
index a2fa6c07dacab..b2e69c4bace05 100644
--- a/posthog/settings/session_replay.py
+++ b/posthog/settings/session_replay.py
@@ -24,4 +24,4 @@
 
 REPLAY_EMBEDDINGS_ALLOWED_TEAMS: List[str] = get_list(get_from_env("REPLAY_EMBEDDINGS_ALLOWED_TEAM", "", type_cast=str))
 
-RECORDINGS_INGESTER_URL = get_from_env("RECORDINGS_INGESTER_URL", "http://localhost:6738")
+RECORDINGS_INGESTER_URL = get_from_env("RECORDINGS_INGESTER_URL", None)