diff --git a/api/Dockerfile b/api/Dockerfile
index 47eed5fcb..89fb8607f 100644
--- a/api/Dockerfile
+++ b/api/Dockerfile
@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@ RUN poetry export --with dev --without-hashes > dev-requirements.txt
 
 FROM alpine:3.17 as builder
 
+ENV PYTHONDONTWRITEBYTECODE=1
+
 RUN \
     echo 'installing dependencies' && \
     apk add --no-cache \
@@ -70,6 +72,8 @@ RUN \
 
 FROM alpine:3.17 as image
 
+ENV PYTHONDONTWRITEBYTECODE=1
+
 COPY --from=builder /venv /venv
 # emulate activation by prefixing PATH
 ENV PATH="/venv/bin:$PATH"
diff --git a/changes/changelog.d/do-not-compile-python-byte-code-in-docker.enhancement b/changes/changelog.d/do-not-compile-python-byte-code-in-docker.enhancement
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c71fdc29f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changes/changelog.d/do-not-compile-python-byte-code-in-docker.enhancement
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Don't compile python byte code in docker