diff --git a/geth-poa/Makefile b/geth-poa/Makefile
index 5f40e55591..281eba33e8 100644
--- a/geth-poa/Makefile
+++ b/geth-poa/Makefile
@@ -7,19 +7,19 @@ up-prod-settlement:
 
 up-dev-settlement:
 	@if [ ! -f .env ]; then echo "Error: .env file not found. Please populate the .env file before running this command."; exit 1; fi
-	AGENT_BASE_IMAGE=shaspitz/hyperlane-agent-mac:6985064 SETTLEMENT_RPC_URL=http://localhost:8545 docker compose --profile settlement up -d --build
+	AGENT_BASE_IMAGE=nil SETTLEMENT_RPC_URL=nil docker compose --profile settlement up -d --build
 
 up-dev-bridge:
 	@if [ ! -f .env ]; then echo "Error: .env file not found. Please populate the .env file before running this command."; exit 1; fi
-	AGENT_BASE_IMAGE=shaspitz/hyperlane-agent-mac:6985064 SETTLEMENT_RPC_URL=http://localhost:8545 docker compose --profile bridge up -d --build
+	AGENT_BASE_IMAGE=shaspitz/hyperlane-agent-mac:6985064 SETTLEMENT_RPC_URL=http://172.29.0.98:8545 docker compose --profile bridge up -d --build
 
 up-prod-bridge:
 	@if [ ! -f .env ]; then echo "Error: .env file not found. Please populate the .env file before running this command."; exit 1; fi
-	AGENT_BASE_IMAGE=gcr.io/abacus-labs-dev/hyperlane-agent@sha256:854f92966eac6b49e5132e152cc58168ecdddc76c2d390e657b81bdaf1396af0 SETTLEMENT_RPC_URL=http://34.215.163.180:8545 docker compose --profile bridge up -d --build
+	AGENT_BASE_IMAGE=gcr.io/abacus-labs-dev/hyperlane-agent@sha256:854f92966eac6b49e5132e152cc58168ecdddc76c2d390e657b81bdaf1396af0 SETTLEMENT_RPC_URL=http://172.29.0.98:8545 docker compose --profile bridge up -d --build
 
 up-dev-local-l1:
 	@if [ ! -f .env ]; then echo "Error: .env file not found. Please populate the .env file before running this command."; exit 1; fi
-	AGENT_BASE_IMAGE=shaspitz/hyperlane-agent-mac:6985064 SETTLEMENT_RPC_URL=http://localhost:8545 docker compose --profile settlement --profile local_l1 up -d
+	AGENT_BASE_IMAGE=nil SETTLEMENT_RPC_URL=nil docker compose --profile settlement --profile local_l1 up -d
 
 down:
 	AGENT_BASE_IMAGE=nil SETTLEMENT_RPC_URL=nil docker compose --profile settlement --profile bridge --profile prod_agents --profile local_l1 down
diff --git a/geth-poa/docker-compose.yml b/geth-poa/docker-compose.yml
index d853db19c0..f2cf3ab775 100644
--- a/geth-poa/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/geth-poa/docker-compose.yml
@@ -202,6 +202,7 @@ services:
       args:
         # Image can be built for arm64 with https://github.com/hyperlane-xyz/hyperlane-monorepo/blob/main/rust/build.sh
         - AGENT_BASE_IMAGE=${AGENT_BASE_IMAGE}
+        - SETTLEMENT_RPC_URL=${SETTLEMENT_RPC_URL}
     # Reuse geth private key for validator
     command: ./validator --validator.key ${NODE1_PRIVATE_KEY} --chains.mevcommitsettlement.signer.key ${NODE1_PRIVATE_KEY} --checkpointSyncer.path /val1-sigs
     # TODO: evaluate why container needs to run as root
@@ -225,6 +226,7 @@ services:
       dockerfile: Dockerfile
       args:
         - AGENT_BASE_IMAGE=${AGENT_BASE_IMAGE}
+        - SETTLEMENT_RPC_URL=${SETTLEMENT_RPC_URL}
     # Reuse geth private key for validator
     command: ./validator --validator.key ${NODE2_PRIVATE_KEY} --chains.mevcommitsettlement.signer.key ${NODE2_PRIVATE_KEY} --checkpointSyncer.path /val2-sigs
     # TODO: evaluate why container needs to run as root
diff --git a/geth-poa/hyperlane-deployer/chain-config.yml b/geth-poa/hyperlane-deployer/chain-config.yml
index 829b9ab2df..eb6e29f84b 100644
--- a/geth-poa/hyperlane-deployer/chain-config.yml
+++ b/geth-poa/hyperlane-deployer/chain-config.yml
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ mevcommitsettlement:
   name: mevcommitsettlement 
   protocol: ethereum 
   rpcUrls: 
-    # Only http field is required
+    # This RPC URL is specific to a local geth POA setup
     - http: http://172.29.0.98:8545
       pagination:
         maxBlockRange: 1000 
diff --git a/geth-poa/hyperlane-relayer/Dockerfile b/geth-poa/hyperlane-relayer/Dockerfile
index 5a57f98bc9..bc8362e614 100644
--- a/geth-poa/hyperlane-relayer/Dockerfile
+++ b/geth-poa/hyperlane-relayer/Dockerfile
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 ARG AGENT_BASE_IMAGE
+ARG SETTLEMENT_RPC_URL
 FROM ${AGENT_BASE_IMAGE}
 
 # Relayer config, see: 
@@ -11,7 +12,7 @@ ENV CONFIG_FILES="/deploy-artifacts/agent-config.json"
 
 CMD ./relayer \
     --relayChains mevcommitsettlement,sepolia \
-    --chains.mevcommitsettlement.connection.url "http://172.29.0.98:8545" \
+    --chains.mevcommitsettlement.connection.url ${SETTLEMENT_RPC_URL} \
     --chains.sepolia.connection.url "https://eth-sepolia.g.alchemy.com/v2/a0wg_g1X-Wz4IeVA-0SS3PsQhbyQNjc_" \
     --db /relayer-db \
     --defaultSigner.key $RELAYER_PRIVATE_KEY \
diff --git a/geth-poa/hyperlane-validator/Dockerfile b/geth-poa/hyperlane-validator/Dockerfile
index 217fc82905..a7002dc587 100644
--- a/geth-poa/hyperlane-validator/Dockerfile
+++ b/geth-poa/hyperlane-validator/Dockerfile
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 ARG AGENT_BASE_IMAGE
+ARG SETTLEMENT_RPC_URL
 FROM ${AGENT_BASE_IMAGE}
 
 # Validator config, see: 
@@ -9,7 +10,7 @@ ENV CONFIG_FILES="/deploy-artifacts/agent-config.json"
 
 ENV HYP_BASE_REORGPERIOD=20
 ENV HYP_BASE_ORIGINCHAINNAME="mevcommitsettlement"
-ENV HYP_BASE_CHAINS_MEVCOMMITSETTLEMENT_CONNECTION_URL="http://172.29.0.98:8545"
+ENV HYP_BASE_CHAINS_MEVCOMMITSETTLEMENT_CONNECTION_URL=${SETTLEMENT_RPC_URL}
 ENV HYP_BASE_DB="/val-db"
 ENV HYP_CHECKPOINTSYNCER_TYPE="localStorage"
 ENV HYP_ORIGINCHAINNAME="mevcommitsettlement"