diff --git a/lib/cmd.js b/lib/cmd.js
index f9dac0b7..3dde287c 100644
--- a/lib/cmd.js
+++ b/lib/cmd.js
@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@ Cmd.prototype.run = function() {
   .command('run [environment]')
   .option('-p, --port [port]', 'port to run the dev webserver (default: 8000)')
   .option('-b, --host [host]', 'host to run the dev webserver (default: localhost)')
+  .option('--noserver', 'disable the development webserver')
   .description('run dapp (default: development)')
   .action(function(env, options) {
     self.Embark.initConfig(env || 'development', {
@@ -72,7 +73,8 @@ Cmd.prototype.run = function() {
     self.Embark.run({
       env: env || 'development',
       serverPort: options.port,
-      serverHost: options.host
+      serverHost: options.host,
+      runWebserver: !options.noserver
     });
   });
 };
diff --git a/lib/index.js b/lib/index.js
index a6de53f7..82334d8e 100644
--- a/lib/index.js
+++ b/lib/index.js
@@ -81,13 +81,17 @@ var Embark = {
           logger: Embark.logger,
           config: Embark.config,
           serverHost: options.serverHost,
-          serverPort: options.serverPort
+          serverPort: options.serverPort,
+          runWebserver: options.runWebserver
         });
         Embark.servicesMonitor.startMonitor();
         callback();
       },
       self.buildDeployGenerate.bind(self),
       function startAssetServer(callback) {
+        if (!options.runWebserver) {
+          return callback();
+        }
         Embark.monitor.setStatus("Starting Server");
         var server = new Server({
           logger: self.logger,
diff --git a/lib/services.js b/lib/services.js
index 2fbec303..e59f685e 100644
--- a/lib/services.js
+++ b/lib/services.js
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ var ServicesMonitor = function(options) {
   this.config = options.config;
   this.serverHost = options.serverHost || 'localhost';
   this.serverPort = options.serverPort || 8000;
+  this.runWebserver = options.runWebserver;
 };
 
 ServicesMonitor.prototype.startMonitor = function() {
@@ -65,7 +66,9 @@ ServicesMonitor.prototype.check = function() {
     },
     function checkDevServer(result, callback) {
       self.logger.trace('checkDevServer');
-      result.push(('dev server (http://' + self.serverHost + ':' + self.serverPort + ')').green);
+      var devServer = 'dev server (http://' + self.serverHost + ':' + self.serverPort + ')';
+      devServer = (self.runWebserver) ? devServer.green : devServer.red;
+      result.push(devServer);
       callback(null, result);
     }
   ], function(err, result) {