diff --git a/chat/tests.py b/chat/tests.py
index 7ce503c..f6ea0fd 100644
--- a/chat/tests.py
+++ b/chat/tests.py
@@ -1,3 +1,6 @@
 from django.test import TestCase
 
-# Create your tests here.
+class SmokeTest(TestCase):
+    def test_truth(self):
+        self.assertTrue(True)
+
diff --git a/project/settings.py b/project/settings.py
index f8fa61c..4197848 100644
--- a/project/settings.py
+++ b/project/settings.py
@@ -10,7 +10,8 @@
 BASE_DIR = os.path.dirname(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)))
 
 # SECURITY WARNING: keep the secret key used in production secret!
-SECRET_KEY = os.environ['DJANGO_SECRET_KEY']
+# Provide a fallback secret key for local testing environments
+SECRET_KEY = os.environ.get('DJANGO_SECRET_KEY', 'test-secret-key')
 
 # SECURITY WARNING: don't run with debug turned on in production!
 DEBUG = True
@@ -109,14 +110,15 @@
 STATICFILES_STORAGE = 'whitenoise.storage.CompressedManifestStaticFilesStorage'
 STATIC_ROOT = os.path.join(BASE_DIR, 'staticfiles')
 
-CELERY_BROKER_URL = os.environ['REDIS_URL']
-CELERY_RESULT_BACKEND = os.environ['REDIS_URL']
+REDIS_URL = os.environ.get('REDIS_URL', 'redis://localhost:6379/0')
+CELERY_BROKER_URL = REDIS_URL
+CELERY_RESULT_BACKEND = REDIS_URL
 
 CHANNEL_LAYERS = {
     'default': {
         'BACKEND': 'channels_redis.core.RedisChannelLayer',
         'CONFIG': {
-            "hosts": [os.environ['REDIS_URL']],
+            "hosts": [REDIS_URL],
         },
     },
 }
@@ -124,7 +126,7 @@
 CACHES = {
     "default": {
         "BACKEND": "django_redis.cache.RedisCache",
-        "LOCATION": os.environ['REDIS_URL'],
+        "LOCATION": REDIS_URL,
         "OPTIONS": {
             "CLIENT_CLASS": "django_redis.client.DefaultClient"
         }