diff --git a/backend/postcode_splitter/handler/Dockerfile b/backend/postcode_splitter/handler/Dockerfile
index 72ce3094..7ddd1e11 100644
--- a/backend/postcode_splitter/handler/Dockerfile
+++ b/backend/postcode_splitter/handler/Dockerfile
@@ -7,16 +7,20 @@ COPY backend/postcode_splitter/handler/requirements.txt .
 
 RUN pip install --no-cache-dir -r requirements.txt
 
-COPY utils/ utils/
-COPY backend/postcode_splitter/main.py .
-
+# Copy necessary files for database and utility imports
 COPY utils/ utils/
 COPY backend/ backend/
 
-COPY backend/__init__.py backend/__init__.py
+# Copy the handler
+COPY backend/postcode_splitter/main.py .
 
-# # -----------------------------
-# # Lambda handler
-# # -----------------------------
+# Ensure __init__.py files exist for proper module importing
+RUN touch backend/__init__.py
+RUN touch backend/app/__init__.py
+RUN touch backend/db/__init__.py
+RUN touch backend/postcode_splitter/__init__.py
+RUN touch utils/__init__.py
+
+# Lambda handler
 CMD ["main.handler"]
 
diff --git a/backend/postcode_splitter/handler/requirements.txt b/backend/postcode_splitter/handler/requirements.txt
index 8adea4e7..a718b818 100644
--- a/backend/postcode_splitter/handler/requirements.txt
+++ b/backend/postcode_splitter/handler/requirements.txt
@@ -3,4 +3,8 @@ numpy<2.0
 requests
 tqdm
 openpyxl
-epc-api-python==1.0.2
\ No newline at end of file
+epc-api-python==1.0.2
+boto3==1.35.44
+sqlmodel
+sqlalchemy==2.0.36
+psycopg2-binary==2.9.10
\ No newline at end of file