diff --git a/.changesets/10265.md b/.changesets/10265.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..318b981768bd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changesets/10265.md
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+- fix(cli): Update build and serve to handle the absence of the api side (#10265) by @Josh-Walker-GM
+
+This change allows you to successfully build your app with `yarn rw build` even when you choose to totally delete you api side. Previously you would have seen errors related to both Prisma and GraphQL. It also improves the error messages produced by `yarn rw serve` in this case.
diff --git a/__fixtures__/test-project/web/package.json b/__fixtures__/test-project/web/package.json
index 62e918264c24..47370d3eb84b 100644
--- a/__fixtures__/test-project/web/package.json
+++ b/__fixtures__/test-project/web/package.json
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
     "@types/react": "^18.2.55",
     "@types/react-dom": "^18.2.19",
     "autoprefixer": "^10.4.18",
-    "postcss": "^8.4.36",
+    "postcss": "^8.4.37",
     "postcss-loader": "^8.1.1",
     "prettier-plugin-tailwindcss": "^0.5.12",
     "tailwindcss": "^3.4.1"
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/commands/__tests__/build.test.js b/packages/cli/src/commands/__tests__/build.test.js
index 74736a2a52a0..d6b4ab32b7d6 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/commands/__tests__/build.test.js
+++ b/packages/cli/src/commands/__tests__/build.test.js
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ vi.mock('@redwoodjs/project-config', async (importOriginal) => {
       return {
         api: {
           dist: '/mocked/project/api/dist',
+          dbSchema: '/mocked/project/api/db/schema.prisma',
         },
         web: {
           dist: '/mocked/project/web/dist',
@@ -23,6 +24,22 @@ vi.mock('@redwoodjs/project-config', async (importOriginal) => {
   }
 })
 
+vi.mock('fs-extra', async () => {
+  const actualFs = await vi.importActual('fs-extra')
+  return {
+    default: {
+      ...actualFs,
+      // Mock the existence of the Prisma schema file
+      existsSync: (path) => {
+        if (path === '/mocked/project/api/db/schema.prisma') {
+          return true
+        }
+        return actualFs.existsSync(path)
+      },
+    },
+  }
+})
+
 import { Listr } from 'listr2'
 import { vi, afterEach, test, expect } from 'vitest'
 
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/commands/buildHandler.js b/packages/cli/src/commands/buildHandler.js
index d75a6844fae8..0c4c84149954 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/commands/buildHandler.js
+++ b/packages/cli/src/commands/buildHandler.js
@@ -63,10 +63,13 @@ export const handler = async ({
     return
   }
 
+  const prismaSchemaExists = fs.existsSync(rwjsPaths.api.dbSchema)
   const prerenderRoutes =
     prerender && side.includes('web') ? detectPrerenderRoutes() : []
   const shouldGeneratePrismaClient =
-    prisma && (side.includes('api') || prerenderRoutes.length > 0)
+    prisma &&
+    prismaSchemaExists &&
+    (side.includes('api') || prerenderRoutes.length > 0)
 
   const tasks = [
     shouldGeneratePrismaClient && {
@@ -208,7 +211,7 @@ export const handler = async ({
   await timedTelemetry(process.argv, { type: 'build' }, async () => {
     await jobs.run()
 
-    if (side.includes('web') && prerender) {
+    if (side.includes('web') && prerender && prismaSchemaExists) {
       // This step is outside Listr so that it prints clearer, complete messages
       await triggerPrerender()
     }
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/commands/serve.js b/packages/cli/src/commands/serve.js
index 89b5e27bff7f..7b2ff5c9627a 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/commands/serve.js
+++ b/packages/cli/src/commands/serve.js
@@ -113,30 +113,50 @@ export const builder = async (yargs) => {
         process.exit(1)
       }
 
-      if (
-        positionalArgs.includes('api') &&
-        !fs.existsSync(path.join(getPaths().api.dist))
-      ) {
-        console.error(
-          c.error(
-            '\n Please run `yarn rw build api` before trying to serve api. \n',
-          ),
-        )
-        process.exit(1)
+      const apiSideExists = fs.existsSync(getPaths().api.base)
+      if (positionalArgs.includes('api')) {
+        if (!apiSideExists) {
+          console.error(
+            c.error(
+              '\n Unable to serve the api side as no `api` folder exists. \n',
+            ),
+          )
+          process.exit(1)
+        }
+
+        if (!fs.existsSync(path.join(getPaths().api.dist))) {
+          console.error(
+            c.error(
+              '\n Please run `yarn rw build api` before trying to serve api. \n',
+            ),
+          )
+          process.exit(1)
+        }
       }
 
-      if (
-        // serve both
-        positionalArgs.length === 1 &&
-        (!fs.existsSync(path.join(getPaths().api.dist)) ||
-          !fs.existsSync(path.join(getPaths().web.dist), 'index.html'))
-      ) {
-        console.error(
-          c.error(
-            '\n Please run `yarn rw build` before trying to serve your redwood app. \n',
-          ),
-        )
-        process.exit(1)
+      // serve both
+      if (positionalArgs.length === 1) {
+        if (!apiSideExists) {
+          console.error(
+            c.error(
+              '\n Unable to serve the both sides as no `api` folder exists. Please use `yarn rw serve web` instead. \n',
+            ),
+          )
+          process.exit(1)
+        }
+
+        // We need the web side to have been built
+        if (
+          !fs.existsSync(path.join(getPaths().api.dist)) ||
+          !fs.existsSync(path.join(getPaths().web.dist), 'index.html')
+        ) {
+          console.error(
+            c.error(
+              '\n Please run `yarn rw build` before trying to serve your redwood app. \n',
+            ),
+          )
+          process.exit(1)
+        }
       }
 
       // Set NODE_ENV to production, if not set
diff --git a/packages/vite/src/index.ts b/packages/vite/src/index.ts
index aeb447e96a7d..7b5836d270da 100644
--- a/packages/vite/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/vite/src/index.ts
@@ -32,9 +32,10 @@ export default function redwoodPluginVite(): PluginOption[] {
 
   // If realtime is enabled, we want to include the sseLink in the bundle.
   // Right now the only way we have of telling is if the package is installed on the api side.
-  const realtimeEnabled = fs
-    .readFileSync(path.join(rwPaths.api.base, 'package.json'), 'utf-8')
-    .includes('@redwoodjs/realtime')
+  const apiPackageJsonPath = path.join(rwPaths.api.base, 'package.json')
+  const realtimeEnabled =
+    fs.existsSync(apiPackageJsonPath) &&
+    fs.readFileSync(apiPackageJsonPath, 'utf-8').includes('@redwoodjs/realtime')
 
   const streamingEnabled = rwConfig.experimental.streamingSsr.enabled