diff --git a/amplify.yml b/amplify.yml
index c1facd0..9c464c2 100644
--- a/amplify.yml
+++ b/amplify.yml
@@ -1,4 +1,10 @@
 version: 1
+backend:
+  phases:
+    build:
+      commands:
+        - npm ci --cache .npm
+        - npx ampx pipeline-deploy --branch $AWS_BRANCH --app-id $AWS_APP_ID
 frontend:
   phases:
     preBuild:
@@ -7,11 +13,8 @@ frontend:
     build:
       commands:
         - echo "Build started on `date`"
-        - echo "Configuring environment variables..."
-        - echo "YOUTUBE_API_KEY value is ${YOUTUBE_API_KEY}"
-        - echo "YOUTUBE_API_KEY=${YOUTUBE_API_KEY}" > .env.production
-        - echo "Contents of .env.production file"
-        - cat .env.production
+        - echo "Available environment variables:"
+        - printenv | grep -E "(YOUTUBE|AMPLIFY)" || echo "No relevant env vars found"
         - npm run build
   artifacts:
     baseDirectory: .next
diff --git a/amplify/backend.ts b/amplify/backend.ts
index af6aac2..aeab652 100644
--- a/amplify/backend.ts
+++ b/amplify/backend.ts
@@ -1,11 +1,18 @@
-import { defineBackend } from '@aws-amplify/backend';
+import { defineBackend, secret } from '@aws-amplify/backend';
 import { auth } from './auth/resource';
 import { data } from './data/resource';
 
 /**
  * @see https://docs.amplify.aws/react/build-a-backend/ to add storage, functions, and more
  */
-defineBackend({
+const backend = defineBackend({
   auth,
   data,
 });
+
+// Define secrets that will be available as environment variables
+backend.addOutput({
+  custom: {
+    YOUTUBE_API_KEY: secret('YOUTUBE_API_KEY'),
+  },
+});