diff --git a/packages/api/.env b/packages/api/.env
index e0a3930f9..f0e84f7b3 100644
--- a/packages/api/.env
+++ b/packages/api/.env
@@ -1,15 +1 @@
-CONNECTIONS=mysql,postgres
-
-LABEL_mysql=MySql localhost
-SERVER_mysql=localhost
-USER_mysql=root
-PASSWORD_mysql=test
-PORT_mysql=3307
-ENGINE_mysql=mysql@dbgate-plugin-mysql
-
-LABEL_postgres=Postgres localhost
-SERVER_postgres=localhost
-USER_postgres=postgres
-PASSWORD_postgres=test
-PORT_postgres=5433
-ENGINE_postgres=postgres@dbgate-plugin-postgres
+DEVMODE=1
diff --git a/packages/api/.covid-env b/packages/api/.env-covid
similarity index 95%
rename from packages/api/.covid-env
rename to packages/api/.env-covid
index b7606fc91..f08ba1a05 100644
--- a/packages/api/.covid-env
+++ b/packages/api/.env-covid
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+DEVMODE=1
+
 CONNECTIONS=mysql
 
 LABEL_mysql=MySql
diff --git a/packages/api/.env-portal b/packages/api/.env-portal
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..824ef8b29
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/api/.env-portal
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+DEVMODE=1
+
+CONNECTIONS=mysql,postgres
+
+LABEL_mysql=MySql localhost
+SERVER_mysql=localhost
+USER_mysql=root
+PASSWORD_mysql=test
+PORT_mysql=3307
+ENGINE_mysql=mysql@dbgate-plugin-mysql
+
+LABEL_postgres=Postgres localhost
+SERVER_postgres=localhost
+USER_postgres=postgres
+PASSWORD_postgres=test
+PORT_postgres=5433
+ENGINE_postgres=postgres@dbgate-plugin-postgres
diff --git a/packages/api/package.json b/packages/api/package.json
index d0c03545f..9e23e5e8a 100644
--- a/packages/api/package.json
+++ b/packages/api/package.json
@@ -49,9 +49,9 @@
     "uuid": "^3.4.0"
   },
   "scripts": {
-    "start": "node src/index.js",
-    "start:portal": "env-cmd nodemon src/index.js",
-    "start:covid": "env-cmd -f .covid-env nodemon src/index.js",
+    "start": "env-cmd node src/index.js",
+    "start:portal": "env-cmd -f .env-portal node src/index.js",
+    "start:covid": "env-cmd -f .env-covid node src/index.js",
     "ts": "tsc",
     "build": "webpack"
   },
diff --git a/packages/api/src/main.js b/packages/api/src/main.js
index 4a41b2ab9..c60368b08 100644
--- a/packages/api/src/main.js
+++ b/packages/api/src/main.js
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ const files = require('./controllers/files');
 const scheduler = require('./controllers/scheduler');
 
 const { rundir } = require('./utility/directories');
+const platformInfo = require('./utility/platformInfo');
 
 function start(argument = null) {
   // console.log('process.argv', process.argv);
@@ -79,11 +80,11 @@ function start(argument = null) {
 
   app.use('/runners/data', express.static(rundir()));
 
-  if (fs.existsSync('/home/dbgate-docker/public')) {
+  if (platformInfo.isDocker) {
     // server static files inside docker container
     app.use(express.static('/home/dbgate-docker/public'));
   } else {
-    if (argument != 'startNodeWeb') {
+    if (!platformInfo.isNpmDist) {
       app.get('/', (req, res) => {
         res.send('DbGate API');
       });
@@ -99,7 +100,7 @@ function start(argument = null) {
         process.send({ msgtype: 'listening', port });
       });
     });
-  } else if (argument == 'startNodeWeb') {
+  } else if (platformInfo.isNpmDist) {
     app.use(express.static(path.join(__dirname, '../../dbgate-web/public')));
     findFreePort(5000, function (err, port) {
       server.listen(port, () => {
diff --git a/packages/api/src/shell/requirePlugin.js b/packages/api/src/shell/requirePlugin.js
index aabb00424..fdc1b2f5f 100644
--- a/packages/api/src/shell/requirePlugin.js
+++ b/packages/api/src/shell/requirePlugin.js
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ const path = require('path');
 const fs = require('fs');
 const { pluginsdir, packagedPluginsDir } = require('../utility/directories');
 const nativeModules = require('../nativeModules');
-const _isRunOnSource = require('../utility/_isRunOnSource');
+const platformInfo = require('../utility/platformInfo');
 
 const loadedPlugins = {};
 
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ const dbgateEnv = {
 };
 
 function getModulePath(packageName) {
-  const packagedModulePath = _isRunOnSource()
+  const packagedModulePath = platformInfo.isDevMode
     ? path.join(packagedPluginsDir(), packageName, 'src', 'backend', 'index.js')
     : path.join(packagedPluginsDir(), packageName, 'dist', 'backend.js');
 
diff --git a/packages/api/src/utility/_isRunOnSource.js b/packages/api/src/utility/_isRunOnSource.js
deleted file mode 100644
index 5cbed583a..000000000
--- a/packages/api/src/utility/_isRunOnSource.js
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,5 +0,0 @@
-function _isRunOnSource() {
-  return __filename.endsWith('_isRunOnSource.js');
-}
-
-module.exports = _isRunOnSource;
diff --git a/packages/api/src/utility/directories.js b/packages/api/src/utility/directories.js
index 40bb6fee9..4ead0e247 100644
--- a/packages/api/src/utility/directories.js
+++ b/packages/api/src/utility/directories.js
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ const os = require('os');
 const path = require('path');
 const fs = require('fs');
 const cleanDirectory = require('./cleanDirectory');
-const _isRunOnSource = require('./_isRunOnSource');
 const platformInfo = require('./platformInfo');
 
 const createDirectories = {};
@@ -42,17 +41,20 @@ const archivedir = dirFunc('archive');
 const filesdir = dirFunc('files');
 
 function packagedPluginsDir() {
-  if (_isRunOnSource()) {
+  if (platformInfo.isDevMode) {
     return path.resolve(__dirname, '../../../../plugins');
   }
   if (platformInfo.isDocker) {
     return '/home/dbgate-docker/plugins';
   }
-  if (process.argv[2] == 'startNodeWeb') {
+  if (platformInfo.isNpmDist) {
     // node_modules
     return global['dbgateApiPackagedPluginsPath'];
   }
-  return path.resolve(__dirname, '../../plugins');
+  if (platformInfo.isElectron) {
+    return path.resolve(__dirname, '../../plugins');
+  }
+  return null;
 }
 
 module.exports = {
diff --git a/packages/api/src/utility/platformInfo.js b/packages/api/src/utility/platformInfo.js
index 2557907d9..9f3427066 100644
--- a/packages/api/src/utility/platformInfo.js
+++ b/packages/api/src/utility/platformInfo.js
@@ -8,12 +8,28 @@ const isWindows = platform === 'win32';
 const isMac = platform === 'darwin';
 const isLinux = platform === 'linux';
 const isDocker = fs.existsSync('/home/dbgate-docker/build');
+const isDevMode = p.env.DEVMODE == '1';
+const isNpmDist = p.argv[2] == 'startNodeWeb';
+
+function moduleAvailable(name) {
+  try {
+    require.resolve(name);
+    return true;
+  } catch (e) {
+    return false;
+  }
+}
+
+const isElectron = moduleAvailable('electron');
 
 const platformInfo = {
   isWindows,
   isMac,
   isLinux,
   isDocker,
+  isElectron,
+  isDevMode,
+  isNpmDist,
   isSnap: p.env.ELECTRON_SNAP == 'true',
   isPortable: isWindows && p.env.PORTABLE_EXECUTABLE_DIR,
   isAppImage: p.env.DESKTOPINTEGRATION === 'AppImageLauncher',