diff --git a/config/initializers/cost_centers.rb b/config/initializers/cost_centers.rb
index 1714eda..1338b1f 100644
--- a/config/initializers/cost_centers.rb
+++ b/config/initializers/cost_centers.rb
@@ -13,9 +13,18 @@ def load_from_s3(bucket, key)
   return data
 end
 
+def load_dummy_cost_centres()
+  File.read(File.join(Rails.root, 'config', 'cost_centre_fixture.csv'))
+end
+
+def running_inside_a_rake_task?
+  !defined?(Rails::Server)
+end
+
 def get_cost_centre_data()
-  if Rails.env.development?
-    return File.read(File.join(Rails.root, 'config', 'cost_centre_fixture.csv'))
+  # dont load the cost centers from s3 if were not running the server or we're not in RAILS_ENV != production
+  if Rails.env.development? or running_inside_a_rake_task?
+    return load_dummy_cost_centres()
   end
 
   begin
@@ -28,4 +37,5 @@ def get_cost_centre_data()
   end
 end
 
+
 COST_CENTRES = CostCentreReader.new(get_cost_centre_data())