diff --git a/packages/create-bison-app/CONTRIBUTING.md b/packages/create-bison-app/CONTRIBUTING.md
index a8523613..8395df8a 100644
--- a/packages/create-bison-app/CONTRIBUTING.md
+++ b/packages/create-bison-app/CONTRIBUTING.md
@@ -5,16 +5,25 @@
 Run the following commands in the `packages/create-bison-app` directory to start the development server:
 
 1. Run `yarn install` to install dependencies
-1. Run `yarn dev` to create a Bison app and start the server. Optionally, you may pass the following arguments:
+1. Run `yarn dev` to create a Bison app and start the server. Optionally, you may pass the following arguments and options:
+   - `[script]` Any script in the template's [package.json](/packages/create-bison-app/template/package.json.ejs). By default, the `dev` script is run.
    - `--acceptDefaults` Skip interactive prompts and use default options to create a new Bison app
    - `--clean` When running `yarn dev` subsequent times, use this to reconfigure and create a new Bison app
-   - `--port` Specify the port to listen on. Defaults to 3001.
 
-Example:
+### Example Usages
+
+Start the development server:
+
+```
+yarn dev --acceptDefaults --clean
+```
+
+Run the `test` script in the template's [package.json](/packages/create-bison-app/template/package.json.ejs):
+
 ```
-yarn dev --acceptDefaults --clean --port=5000
+yarn dev test
 ```
 
 ## Making Changes to the Bison Template
 
-After you have the development server running, you can make your changes in the `packages/create-bison-app/template/` directory which will trigger the server to recompile.
\ No newline at end of file
+After you have the development server running, you can make your changes in the `packages/create-bison-app/template/` directory which will trigger the server to recompile.
diff --git a/packages/create-bison-app/scripts/createDevAppAndStartServer.js b/packages/create-bison-app/scripts/createDevAppAndStartServer.js
index eaf9d463..80a54315 100644
--- a/packages/create-bison-app/scripts/createDevAppAndStartServer.js
+++ b/packages/create-bison-app/scripts/createDevAppAndStartServer.js
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@ const fs = require("fs");
 const path = require("path");
 const yargs = require("yargs/yargs");
 const { createApp } = require("../scripts/createApp");
-const { startServer } = require("../scripts/startServer");
 const { templateFolder } = require("../tasks/copyFiles");
 const { cleanTemplateDestPath } = require("../utils/copyDirectoryWithTemplate");
 const { copyWithTemplate } = require("../utils/copyWithTemplate");
@@ -16,7 +15,10 @@ async function init() {
   const distPath = path.join(__dirname, "..", "dist");
   const devAppPath = path.join(distPath, BISON_DEV_APP_NAME);
   const args = process.argv.slice(2);
-  const { clean, port } = yargs(args).argv;
+  const { _, clean } = yargs(args).argv;
+
+  // Script in the template's package.json to run
+  const templateCommand = _.length ? _[0] : 'dev';
 
   if (clean) {
     await removeTemplateSymlinks();
@@ -56,15 +58,21 @@ async function init() {
     }
   };
 
-  // Watch template files and copy to dev app
-  chokidar
-    .watch(templateFolder, {
-      ignored: (path) => path.includes("node_modules"),
-    })
-    .on("add", copyFile)
-    .on("change", copyFile);
+  if (templateCommand === 'dev') {
+    // Watch template files and copy to dev app
+    chokidar
+      .watch(templateFolder, {
+        ignored: (path) => path.includes("node_modules"),
+      })
+      .on("add", copyFile)
+      .on("change", copyFile);
+  }
 
-  return startServer(devAppPath, port);
+  return await execa(`yarn ${templateCommand}`, {
+    cwd: devAppPath,
+    shell: true,
+    stdio: "inherit",
+  });
 }
 
 /**