Cannot run `assets:precompile` rake task without a working database connection with `8.4.0-rc*`

The past couple releases made it possible to execute the assets:precompile raketask without a working database connection. This allowed me to execute the raketask at image build time in the sameersbn/gitlab image which helped reduce the startup time of the container on the first run.

In the 8.4.0-rc* releases I noticed that this is no longer the case (the raketask complains about the database connection). Which means I have to move the execution of the raketask at runtime adding to the container launch time. Was this an intended change? If yes, then you can close this issue. Thank you.