diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 9a7bd2f..1297199 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@
   },
   "scripts": {
     "start": "concurrently -n server,client -c blue,green \"npm run start_server\" \"npm run start_client\"",
-    "start_server": "cd server && NODE_ENV=development nodemon -e mjs,lean --exec \"(cd leanserver && lake build) && (cd testgame && lake exe cache get && lake build) && node ./index.mjs\"",
+    "start_server": "cd server && NODE_ENV=development nodemon -e mjs --exec \"node ./index.mjs\"",
     "start_client": "NODE_ENV=development webpack-dev-server --hot",
     "build": "npm run build_server && npm run build_client",
     "build_server": "server/build.sh",
diff --git a/server/index.mjs b/server/index.mjs
index 9c0c394..a07dab6 100644
--- a/server/index.mjs
+++ b/server/index.mjs
@@ -38,19 +38,23 @@ if (isDevelopment) {
 const queue = []
 const queueLength = 5
 
+function startServerProcess() {
+    const serverProcess = cp.spawn(cmd, cmdArgs, { cwd })
+    serverProcess.on('error', error =>
+        console.error(`Launching Lean Server failed: ${error}`)
+    );
+    if (serverProcess.stderr !== null) {
+        serverProcess.stderr.on('data', data =>
+            console.error(`Lean Server: ${data}`)
+        );
+    }
+    return serverProcess
+}
+
 /** start Lean Server processes to refill the queue */
 function fillQueue() {
     while (queue.length < queueLength) {
-        const serverProcess = cp.spawn(cmd, cmdArgs, { cwd })
-        serverProcess.on('error', error =>
-            console.error(`Launching Lean Server failed: ${error}`)
-        );
-        if (serverProcess.stderr !== null) {
-            serverProcess.stderr.on('data', data =>
-                console.error(`Lean Server: ${data}`)
-            );
-        }
-
+        const serverProcess = startServerProcess()
         queue.push(serverProcess)
     }
 }
@@ -58,9 +62,13 @@ function fillQueue() {
 fillQueue()
 
 wss.addListener("connection", function(ws) {
-
-    const ps = queue.shift() // Pick the first Lean process; it's likely to be ready immediately
-    fillQueue()
+    let ps;
+    if (isDevelopment) { // Don't use queue in development
+        ps = startServerProcess()
+    } else {
+        ps = queue.shift() // Pick the first Lean process; it's likely to be ready immediately
+        fillQueue()
+    }
 
     const socket = {
         onMessage: (cb) => { ws.on("message", cb) },