diff --git a/apps/web/next.config.ts b/apps/web/next.config.ts
index 9bc4c29..035e1d8 100644
--- a/apps/web/next.config.ts
+++ b/apps/web/next.config.ts
@@ -1,8 +1,17 @@
 import type { NextConfig } from "next";
-import { withPayload } from "@payloadcms/next/withPayload";
 
 import env from "./env.config";
 
+// Payload CMS requires Next.js >=16.1.0 for production builds (turbopack).
+// Until we upgrade from 16.0.10, load withPayload only in dev where
+// turbopack isn't used for builds. Production serves blog/changelog
+// as static pages — Payload admin is dev-only for now.
+const withPayload =
+  process.env.NODE_ENV === "production"
+    ? (c: NextConfig) => c
+    : // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-require-imports
+      require("@payloadcms/next/withPayload").withPayload;
+
 const INTERNAL_PACKAGES = [
   "@turbostarter/analytics-web",
   "@turbostarter/api",
@@ -116,4 +125,4 @@ const withBundleAnalyzer = require("@next/bundle-analyzer")({
   enabled: env.ANALYZE,
 });
 
-export default withPayload(withBundleAnalyzer(config));
+export default withPayload(withBundleAnalyzer(config)) as NextConfig;