diff --git a/backend/main.py b/backend/main.py
index f78ced1f..3103d10c 100644
--- a/backend/main.py
+++ b/backend/main.py
@@ -9,7 +9,11 @@
 import threading
 import time
 import uvicorn
+import argparse
 
+parser = argparse.ArgumentParser()
+parser.add_argument('--dev', action='store_true', help='Enable development mode')
+args = parser.parse_args()
 
 class Server(uvicorn.Server):
     def install_signal_handlers(self):
@@ -29,7 +33,7 @@ def run_in_thread(self):
             sys.exit(0)
 
 app = FastAPI()
-app.program = Program()
+app.program = Program(args)
 
 app.add_middleware(
     CORSMiddleware,
diff --git a/backend/program/__init__.py b/backend/program/__init__.py
index d4ce400f..ae415b63 100644
--- a/backend/program/__init__.py
+++ b/backend/program/__init__.py
@@ -18,9 +18,10 @@
 class Program(threading.Thread):
     """Program class"""
 
-    def __init__(self):
+    def __init__(self, args):
         super().__init__(name="Iceberg")
         self.running = False
+        self.startup_args = args
 
     def start(self):
         logger.info("Iceberg v%s starting!", settings.get("version"))
@@ -29,8 +30,9 @@ def start(self):
         self.data_path = get_data_path()
         if not os.path.exists(self.data_path):
             os.mkdir(self.data_path)
-        self.pickly = Pickly(self.media_items, self.data_path)
-        self.pickly.start()
+        if not self.startup_args.dev:
+            self.pickly = Pickly(self.media_items, self.data_path)
+            self.pickly.start()
         self.core_manager = ServiceManager(self.media_items, True, Content, Plex, Scraping, Debrid, Symlinker)
         if self.validate():
             logger.info("Iceberg started!")