diff --git a/apps/dev-playground/.env.dist b/apps/dev-playground/.env.dist
index 2d3a28f0..fee1b85e 100644
--- a/apps/dev-playground/.env.dist
+++ b/apps/dev-playground/.env.dist
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 DATABRICKS_HOST=
-DATABRICKS_APP_PORT=8001
 DATABRICKS_WAREHOUSE_ID=
 DATABRICKS_WORKSPACE_ID=
 NODE_ENV='development'
diff --git a/packages/appkit/src/plugins/server/index.ts b/packages/appkit/src/plugins/server/index.ts
index 40cf01e0..ac1c0a6e 100644
--- a/packages/appkit/src/plugins/server/index.ts
+++ b/packages/appkit/src/plugins/server/index.ts
@@ -37,7 +37,9 @@ export class ServerPlugin extends Plugin {
   public static DEFAULT_CONFIG = {
     autoStart: true,
     host: process.env.FLASK_RUN_HOST || "0.0.0.0",
-    port: Number(process.env.DATABRICKS_APP_PORT) || 8000,
+    port:
+      Number(process.env.DATABRICKS_APP_PORT) ||
+      (process.env.NODE_ENV === "development" ? 0 : 8000),
   };
 
   /** Plugin manifest declaring metadata and resource requirements */
@@ -257,7 +259,11 @@ export class ServerPlugin extends Plugin {
   private logStartupInfo() {
     const isDev = process.env.NODE_ENV === "development";
     const hasExplicitStaticPath = this.config.staticPath !== undefined;
-    const port = this.config.port ?? ServerPlugin.DEFAULT_CONFIG.port;
+    const address = this.server?.address();
+    const port =
+      typeof address === "object" && address?.port
+        ? address.port
+        : (this.config.port ?? ServerPlugin.DEFAULT_CONFIG.port);
     const host = this.config.host ?? ServerPlugin.DEFAULT_CONFIG.host;
 
     logger.info("Server running on http://%s:%d", host, port);