diff --git a/airbyte-server/build.gradle b/airbyte-server/build.gradle
index b0b23e76b659..5872bb4df0cf 100644
--- a/airbyte-server/build.gradle
+++ b/airbyte-server/build.gradle
@@ -41,6 +41,16 @@ dependencies {
     testImplementation "org.testcontainers:postgresql:1.15.1"
 }
 
+// we want to be able to access the generated db files from config/init when we build the server docker image.
+task copySeed(type: Copy, dependsOn: [project(':airbyte-config:init').processResources]) {
+    from "${project(':airbyte-config:init').buildDir}/resources/main/config"
+    into "${buildDir}/config_init/resources/main/config"
+}
+
+// need to make sure that the files are in the resource directory before copying.
+//project.tasks.copySeed.mustRunAfter(project(':airbyte-config:init').tasks.processResources)
+assemble.dependsOn(project.tasks.copySeed)
+
 application {
     mainClass = 'io.airbyte.server.ServerApp'
 }
@@ -60,5 +70,4 @@ run {
     environment "AIRBYTE_VERSION", env.VERSION
     environment "AIRBYTE_ROLE", System.getenv('AIRBYTE_ROLE')
     environment "TEMPORAL_HOST", "localhost:7233"
-
 }