diff --git a/apps/api/makefile b/apps/api/makefile
index 5ca2b7553..cd6897cd7 100644
--- a/apps/api/makefile
+++ b/apps/api/makefile
@@ -1,3 +1,6 @@
+build:
+	cargo build --release --bin buster_server
+
 dev:
 	docker stop buster-redis-make || true && \
 	docker rm buster-redis-make || true && \
@@ -22,6 +25,9 @@ update-seed:
 	--exclude-table=users \
 	> libs/database/seed.sql
 
+start:
+	./target/release/buster_server
+
 stop:
 	docker stop buster-redis-make || true && \
 	docker rm buster-redis-make || true && \
diff --git a/apps/api/package.json b/apps/api/package.json
index 556103620..bf29a64fb 100644
--- a/apps/api/package.json
+++ b/apps/api/package.json
@@ -4,9 +4,10 @@
   "description": "Legacy API for Buster. This package.json is just used to make the build and dev work.",
   "type": "module",
   "scripts": {
+    "build": "make build",
     "dev": "make fast-no-migrations",
     "dev:fast": "make fast-no-migrations",
-    "start": "make fast-no-migrations"
+    "start": "make start"
   },
   "dependencies": {
     "@buster/database": "workspace:*"