diff --git a/baker/BuildkiteTrigger.ts b/baker/BuildkiteTrigger.ts
index 72a09250476..4cf78464d9b 100644
--- a/baker/BuildkiteTrigger.ts
+++ b/baker/BuildkiteTrigger.ts
@@ -4,6 +4,19 @@ import {
     BUILDKITE_BRANCH,
 } from "../settings/serverSettings.js"
 
+type BuildState =
+    | "running"
+    | "scheduled"
+    | "passed"
+    | "failing"
+    | "failed"
+    | "blocked"
+    | "canceled"
+    | "canceling"
+    | "skipped"
+    | "not_run"
+    | "finished"
+
 export class BuildkiteTrigger {
     private organizationSlug = "our-world-in-data"
     private pipelineSlug = BUILDKITE_DEPLOY_CONTENT_PIPELINE_SLUG
@@ -59,10 +72,14 @@ export class BuildkiteTrigger {
             Authorization: `Bearer ${BUILDKITE_API_ACCESS_TOKEN}`,
         }
 
-        let status = ""
+        let state: BuildState = "scheduled"
+
+        while (
+            ["running", "scheduled", "canceling", "failing"].includes(state)
+        ) {
+            // Wait for 10 seconds
+            await new Promise((res) => setTimeout(res, 10000))
 
-        // Poll the status every 10 seconds (or your preferred interval)
-        while (status !== "passed" && status !== "failed") {
             const response = await fetch(url, {
                 method: "GET",
                 headers: headers,
@@ -73,18 +90,13 @@ export class BuildkiteTrigger {
             }
 
             const buildData = await response.json()
-            status = buildData.state
-
-            if (status !== "passed" && status !== "failed") {
-                await new Promise((res) => setTimeout(res, 10000)) // Wait for 10 seconds
-            }
+            state = buildData.state
         }
 
-        if (status === "passed") {
-            return
-        } else {
+        if (!["passed", "skipped", "canceled", "finished"].includes(state)) {
+            // failing states: failed, blocked, not_run
             throw new Error(
-                `Build failed with status "${status}". See Buildkite for details.`
+                `Build ${buildNumber} failed with state "${state}". See Buildkite for details.`
             )
         }
     }
diff --git a/baker/DeployUtils.ts b/baker/DeployUtils.ts
index fa902a4d183..77370b690ed 100644
--- a/baker/DeployUtils.ts
+++ b/baker/DeployUtils.ts
@@ -2,8 +2,14 @@ import fs from "fs-extra"
 import { BuildkiteTrigger } from "../baker/BuildkiteTrigger.js"
 import { logErrorAndMaybeSendToBugsnag, warn } from "../serverUtils/errorLog.js"
 import { DeployQueueServer } from "./DeployQueueServer.js"
-import { BUILDKITE_API_ACCESS_TOKEN } from "../settings/serverSettings.js"
-import { DeployChange } from "@ourworldindata/utils"
+import {
+    BAKED_SITE_DIR,
+    BAKED_BASE_URL,
+    BUILDKITE_API_ACCESS_TOKEN,
+} from "../settings/serverSettings.js"
+import { DeployChange, OwidGdocPublished } from "@ourworldindata/utils"
+import { Gdoc } from "../db/model/Gdoc/Gdoc.js"
+import { SiteBaker } from "../baker/SiteBaker.js"
 
 const deployQueueServer = new DeployQueueServer()
 
@@ -31,20 +37,34 @@ const triggerBakeAndDeploy = async (
 ) => {
     message = message ?? (await defaultCommitMessage())
 
-    // co-deploy to Buildkite
+    // deploy to Buildkite if we're on master and BUILDKITE_API_ACCESS_TOKEN is set
     if (BUILDKITE_API_ACCESS_TOKEN) {
         const buildkite = new BuildkiteTrigger()
-        // once we fully switch to baking on buildkite, we should await this
         if (lightningQueue?.length) {
-            buildkite
+            await buildkite
                 .runLightningBuild(
                     message!,
                     lightningQueue.map((change) => change.slug!)
                 )
                 .catch(logErrorAndMaybeSendToBugsnag)
         } else {
-            // once we fully switch to baking on buildkite, we should await this
-            buildkite.runFullBuild(message).catch(logErrorAndMaybeSendToBugsnag)
+            await buildkite
+                .runFullBuild(message)
+                .catch(logErrorAndMaybeSendToBugsnag)
+        }
+    } else {
+        // otherwise, bake locally. This is used for local development or staging servers
+        const baker = new SiteBaker(BAKED_SITE_DIR, BAKED_BASE_URL)
+        if (lightningQueue?.length) {
+            for (const change of lightningQueue) {
+                const gdoc = (await Gdoc.findOneByOrFail({
+                    published: true,
+                    slug: change.slug,
+                })) as OwidGdocPublished
+                await baker.bakeGDocPost(gdoc)
+            }
+        } else {
+            await baker.bakeAll()
         }
     }
 }