diff --git a/config/initializers/verify_config.rb b/config/initializers/verify_config.rb
index 926de1f3e5a..d7070c7db2c 100644
--- a/config/initializers/verify_config.rb
+++ b/config/initializers/verify_config.rb
@@ -1,15 +1,31 @@
 # Check that the app is configured correctly. Raise some helpful errors if something is wrong.
 
-if Rails.env.production? && ['localhost', 'production.localhost'].include?(Discourse.current_hostname)
-  puts <<END
+if defined?(Rails::Server) and Rails.env.production? # Only run these checks when starting up a production server
 
-    Discourse.current_hostname = '#{Discourse.current_hostname}'
+  if ['localhost', 'production.localhost'].include?(Discourse.current_hostname)
+    puts <<END
 
-    Please update the host_names property in config/database.yml
-    so that it uses the hostname of your site. Otherwise you will
-    experience problems, like links in emails using #{Discourse.current_hostname}.
+      Discourse.current_hostname = '#{Discourse.current_hostname}'
+
+      Please update the host_names property in config/database.yml
+      so that it uses the hostname of your site. Otherwise you will
+      experience problems, like links in emails using #{Discourse.current_hostname}.
 
 END
 
-  raise "Invalid host_names in database.yml"
+    raise "Invalid host_names in database.yml"
+  end
+
+  if !Dir.glob(File.join(Rails.root,'public','assets','application*.js')).present?
+    puts <<END
+
+      Assets have not been precompiled. Please run the following command
+      before starting the rails server in production mode:
+
+          rake assets:precompile
+
+END
+
+    raise "Assets have not been precompiled"
+  end
 end
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