diff --git a/packages/reel-creator/config.mjs b/packages/reel-creator/config.mjs
index d5202085d..8a0a16825 100644
--- a/packages/reel-creator/config.mjs
+++ b/packages/reel-creator/config.mjs
@@ -5,19 +5,29 @@ import { VERSION } from "remotion/version";
  * @type {import('@remotion/lambda').AwsRegion}
  */
 
-const readSecretFile = (path) => {
-  if (process.env.NODE_ENV === 'development') {
+const readSecretFile = async (path) => {
+  // During build time or when path is undefined, return the path itself
+  if (!path || process.env.NODE_ENV === 'development') {
     return path;
   }
+
+  // Only import fs when we actually need to read files
+  // This prevents issues during build time
+  const fs = await import('fs').then(m => m.default).catch(() => null);
+  
+  if (!fs) {
+    console.warn('File system module not available, returning path as is');
+    return path;
+  }
+
   try {
     return fs.readFileSync(path, 'utf8').trim();
   } catch (error) {
     console.error(`Error reading secret file ${path}:`, error);
-    throw error;
+    return path; // Return path instead of throwing during build
   }
 };
 
-
 export const REGION = "us-east-2";
 
 export const SITE_NAME = 'rendering-engine';
@@ -28,4 +38,4 @@ export const TIMEOUT = 900;
 export const SERVER_WEBHOOK_URL = process.env.SERVER_WEBHOOK_URL;
 export const SERVER_WEBHOOK_SECRET_FILE = readSecretFile(process.env.SERVER_WEBHOOK_SECRET_FILE);
 export const AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID_FILE = readSecretFile(process.env.AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID_FILE);
-export const AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY_FILE = readSecretFile(process.env.AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY_FILE);
+export const AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY_FILE = readSecretFile(process.env.AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY_FILE);
\ No newline at end of file