diff --git a/src/teuthology_api/main.py b/src/teuthology_api/main.py
index c1d8afb..5e81474 100644
--- a/src/teuthology_api/main.py
+++ b/src/teuthology_api/main.py
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 
 load_dotenv()
 
-DEPLOYMENT = os.getenv("DEPLOYMENT")
+DEPLOYMENT = os.getenv("DEPLOYMENT", "development")
 SESSION_SECRET_KEY = os.getenv("SESSION_SECRET_KEY")
 PULPITO_URL = os.getenv("PULPITO_URL")
 PADDLES_URL = os.getenv("PADDLES_URL")
@@ -35,7 +35,10 @@ def read_root(request: Request):
         allow_headers=["*"],
     )
 
-app.add_middleware(SessionMiddleware, secret_key=SESSION_SECRET_KEY)
+if SESSION_SECRET_KEY:
+    app.add_middleware(SessionMiddleware, secret_key=SESSION_SECRET_KEY)
+else:
+    log.warning("SESSION_SECRET_KEY is not set. Sessions are disabled.")
 app.include_router(suite.router)
 app.include_router(kill.router)
 app.include_router(login.router)
diff --git a/src/teuthology_api/routes/suite.py b/src/teuthology_api/routes/suite.py
index 13f1905..46c8daf 100644
--- a/src/teuthology_api/routes/suite.py
+++ b/src/teuthology_api/routes/suite.py
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import logging
-
+import os
 from fastapi import APIRouter, HTTPException, Depends, Request
 
 from teuthology_api.services.suite import run
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
     responses={404: {"description": "Not found"}},
 )
 
-
+DEPLOYMENT = os.getenv("DEPLOYMENT", "development")
 @router.post("/", status_code=200)
 def create_run(
     request: Request,
@@ -22,6 +22,13 @@ def create_run(
     access_token: str = Depends(get_token),
     logs: bool = False,
 ):
-    args = args.model_dump(by_alias=True)
-    args["--user"] = get_username(request)
-    return run(args, logs, access_token)
+    try:
+        args = args.model_dump(by_alias=True)
+        args["--user"] = get_username(request)
+        return run(args, logs, access_token)
+    except HTTPException as exc:
+        log.error(f"HTTP exception occurred: {exc.detail}")
+        raise
+    except Exception as exc:
+        log.error(f"Unexpected error occurred: {repr(exc)}")
+        raise HTTPException(status_code=500, detail="An unexpected error occurred.")
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/teuthology_api/services/helpers.py b/src/teuthology_api/services/helpers.py
index a86d22c..14cc0d1 100644
--- a/src/teuthology_api/services/helpers.py
+++ b/src/teuthology_api/services/helpers.py
@@ -15,13 +15,13 @@
 
 PADDLES_URL = os.getenv("PADDLES_URL")
 ARCHIVE_DIR = os.getenv("ARCHIVE_DIR")
-
+DEPLOYMENT = os.getenv("DEPLOYMENT", "development")
 log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 
 def logs_run(func, args):
     """
-    Run the command function in a seperate process (to isolate logs),
+    Run the command function in a separate process (to isolate logs),
     and return logs printed during the execution of the function.
     """
     _id = str(uuid.uuid4())
@@ -72,6 +72,8 @@ def get_username(request: Request):
     """
     Get username from request.session
     """
+    if DEPLOYMENT == "development":
+        return "dev_user"
     username = request.session.get("user", {}).get("username")
     if username:
         return username
@@ -87,6 +89,8 @@ def get_token(request: Request):
     """
     Get access token from request.session
     """
+    if DEPLOYMENT == "development":
+        return {"access_token": "dev_token", "token_type": "bearer"}
     token = request.session.get("user", {}).get("access_token")
     if token:
         return {"access_token": token, "token_type": "bearer"}
@@ -95,4 +99,4 @@ def get_token(request: Request):
         status_code=401,
         detail="You need to be logged in",
         headers={"WWW-Authenticate": "Bearer"},
-    )
+    )
\ No newline at end of file