diff --git a/android/app/build.gradle b/android/app/build.gradle
index c2b506d9f..1962edae1 100644
--- a/android/app/build.gradle
+++ b/android/app/build.gradle
@@ -87,9 +87,8 @@ android {
 
     buildTypes {
         release {
-            if (keystorePropertiesFile.exists()) {
-                signingConfig signingConfigs.release
-            } else {
+            // Signing with the debug keys for now, so `flutter run --release` works.
+            if (System.getenv("NO_SIGN") != "true") {
                 signingConfig signingConfigs.debug
             }
         }
diff --git a/util/release.dart b/util/release.dart
index 5f2db1c98..267c56d80 100644
--- a/util/release.dart
+++ b/util/release.dart
@@ -508,7 +508,9 @@ Future<File> buildAab(BuildDesc buildDesc) async {
     buildDesc.version.build[0].toString(),
     '--build-name',
     buildDesc.toString(),
-  ]);
+  ], environment: {
+    "NO_SIGN": "true"
+  });
 
   return File(inputPath);
 }
@@ -822,9 +824,10 @@ Future<Directory> createOutputDir(BuildDesc buildDesc) async {
 
 Future<void> run(
   String command,
-  List<String> args, [
+  List<String> args, {
   String? workingDirectory,
-]) async {
+  Map<String, String>? environment,
+}) async {
   final process = await Process.start(
     command,
     args,