diff --git a/.env.example b/.env.example
index ff68c2b89..dc64a9e7a 100755
--- a/.env.example
+++ b/.env.example
@@ -82,4 +82,8 @@ DISCORD_NOTIFICATIONS_WEBHOOK_URL=
 
 # for sending nodes cover cid to media servers
 # must match value in nodes-media/.env
-MEDIA_SECRET_KEY=supersecret
\ No newline at end of file
+MEDIA_SECRET_KEY=supersecret
+
+ORCID_API_DOMAIN=https://api.sandbox.orcid.org
+ORCID_CLIENT_ID=
+ORCID_CLIENT_SECRET=
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.github/workflows/build-server.yaml b/.github/workflows/build-server.yaml
index 3684c076e..52ccfec22 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build-server.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build-server.yaml
@@ -195,6 +195,7 @@ jobs:
       - name: Verify EKS Deployment (DEV)
         if: github.ref == 'refs/heads/develop'
         run: |
+          kubectl apply -f desci-server/kubernetes/deployment_dev.yaml
           kubectl rollout status deployment/desci-server-dev
 
       - name: Verify EKS Deployment (DEMO)
@@ -205,4 +206,5 @@ jobs:
       - name: Verify EKS Deployment (PROD)
         if: github.ref == 'refs/heads/main'
         run: |
+          kubectl apply -f desci-server/kubernetes/deployment.yaml
           kubectl rollout status deployment/desci-server
diff --git a/desci-server/kubernetes/deployment.yaml b/desci-server/kubernetes/deployment.yaml
index c8281bb37..df8fd12d0 100755
--- a/desci-server/kubernetes/deployment.yaml
+++ b/desci-server/kubernetes/deployment.yaml
@@ -5,8 +5,8 @@ metadata:
   labels:
     App: DesciServer
 spec:
-  replicas: 16
-  revisionHistoryLimit: 2
+  replicas: 12
+  revisionHistoryLimit: 8
   selector:
     matchLabels:
       App: DesciServer
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ spec:
           export JWT_SECRET={{ .Data.JWT_SECRET }}
           export JWT_EXPIRATION=15m
           export SESSION_KEY={{ .Data.SESSION_KEY }}
+          export ORCID_API_DOMAIN={{ .Data.ORCID_API_DOMAIN }}
           export ORCID_CLIENT_ID={{ .Data.ORCID_CLIENT_ID }}
           export ORCID_CLIENT_SECRET={{ .Data.ORCID_CLIENT_SECRET }}
           export ARWEAVE_ENABLED=0
diff --git a/desci-server/kubernetes/deployment_dev.yaml b/desci-server/kubernetes/deployment_dev.yaml
index 1108167ec..8d87ff790 100644
--- a/desci-server/kubernetes/deployment_dev.yaml
+++ b/desci-server/kubernetes/deployment_dev.yaml
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ metadata:
     App: DesciServerDev
 spec:
   replicas: 6
-  revisionHistoryLimit: 2
+  revisionHistoryLimit: 8
   selector:
     matchLabels:
       App: DesciServerDev
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ spec:
           export JWT_SECRET={{ .Data.JWT_SECRET }}
           export JWT_EXPIRATION=15m
           export SESSION_KEY={{ .Data.SESSION_KEY }}
+          export ORCID_API_DOMAIN={{ .Data.ORCID_API_DOMAIN }}
           export ORCID_CLIENT_ID={{ .Data.ORCID_CLIENT_ID }}
           export ORCID_CLIENT_SECRET={{ .Data.ORCID_CLIENT_SECRET }}
           export ARWEAVE_ENABLED=0
diff --git a/desci-server/src/controllers/auth/orcid.ts b/desci-server/src/controllers/auth/orcid.ts
index 834b935be..686c893c5 100755
--- a/desci-server/src/controllers/auth/orcid.ts
+++ b/desci-server/src/controllers/auth/orcid.ts
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ export const orcidAuthClose = async (req: Request, res: Response) => {
 export const validateOrcid = async (req: Request, res: Response) => {
   // console.log('TOK', req.query.token);
   try {
-    const url = `https://pub.sandbox.orcid.org/v3.0/${req.query.orcid}/record`;
+    const url = `https://api.${process.env.ORCID_API_DOMAIN}/v3.0/${req.query.orcid}/record`;
     const { data } = await axios.get(url, {
       headers: { Authorization: `Bearer ${req.query.token}`, 'Content-Type': 'application/json', Accept: '*/*' },
     });
@@ -57,9 +57,12 @@ export interface OrcIdRecordData {
   };
 }
 export const getOrcidRecord = async (orcid: string, accessToken: string): Promise<OrcIdRecordData> => {
+  /**
+   * this will fail if the orcid doesn't match the accessToken
+   */
   const config: AxiosRequestConfig = {
     method: 'get',
-    url: `https://pub.sandbox.orcid.org/v3.0/${orcid}/record`,
+    url: `https://api.${process.env.ORCID_API_DOMAIN}/v3.0/${orcid}/record`,
     headers: {
       'Content-Type': 'application/json',
       Accept: 'application/json',
@@ -88,7 +91,7 @@ const getAllOrcData = async ({ queryCode, redirectUri }: { queryCode: string; re
     access_token: string;
     refresh_token: string;
     expires_in: number;
-  }>('https://sandbox.orcid.org/oauth/token', data, {
+  }>(`https://${process.env.ORCID_API_DOMAIN}/oauth/token`, data, {
     headers: {
       'Content-Type': 'application/x-www-form-urlencoded',
     },