diff --git a/cms/startup.py b/cms/startup.py
deleted file mode 100644
index 13225f4a4942..000000000000
--- a/cms/startup.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,16 +0,0 @@
-"""
-Module with code executed during Studio startup
-"""
-from django.conf import settings
-
-# Force settings to run so that the python path is modified
-settings.INSTALLED_APPS  # pylint: disable=W0104
-
-from django_startup import autostartup
-
-
-def run():
-    """
-    Executed during django startup
-    """
-    autostartup()
diff --git a/cms/startup.py b/cms/startup.py
new file mode 120000
index 000000000000..5d0a9f8df340
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cms/startup.py
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+../lms/startup.py
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/rakefile b/rakefile
index 2cf442bca9fc..1dc47e76e026 100644
--- a/rakefile
+++ b/rakefile
@@ -15,6 +15,18 @@ REPORT_DIR = File.join(REPO_ROOT, "reports")
 
 # Environment constants
 SERVICE_VARIANT = ENV['SERVICE_VARIANT']
+# if service variant, honor that;
+#  - if not, pass the correct ENV tokens for lms or cms
+if not SERVICE_VARIANT
+    # ignore command line environments, e.g. "rake e1=this"
+    clean_args = ARGV.delete_if { |x| /=/.match(x) }
+    # consider only the words remaining (parse out separators);
+    clean_args = clean_args.join(' ').split(/\W/)
+    # if lms or cms is among command line words, use it's env:
+    SERVICE_VARIANT = clean_args.include?('lms') ? "lms" :
+	(clean_args.include?('studio') or clean_args.include?('cms')) ? "cms" :
+	SERVICE_VARIANT
+end
 CONFIG_PREFIX = SERVICE_VARIANT ? SERVICE_VARIANT + "." : ""
 ENV_FILE = File.join(ENV_ROOT, CONFIG_PREFIX + "env.json")
 ENV_TOKENS = File.exists?(ENV_FILE) ? JSON.parse(File.read(ENV_FILE)) : {}
diff --git a/rakelib/assets.rake b/rakelib/assets.rake
index 98a4f7ba5431..bcd12e3d7385 100644
--- a/rakelib/assets.rake
+++ b/rakelib/assets.rake
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 # Theming constants
+
 USE_CUSTOM_THEME = ENV_TOKENS.has_key?('FEATURES') && ENV_TOKENS['FEATURES']['USE_CUSTOM_THEME']
 if USE_CUSTOM_THEME
     THEME_NAME = ENV_TOKENS['THEME_NAME']
@@ -23,17 +24,22 @@ def xmodule_cmd(watch=false, debug=false)
 end
 
 def coffee_cmd(watch=false, debug=false)
+    brew_paths = ["lms/", "cms/", "common/"]
+    if USE_CUSTOM_THEME
+      # put theme path first just to be safe;
+      brew_paths.unshift(THEME_ROOT)
+    end
+
     if watch && Launchy::Application.new.host_os_family.darwin?
         available_files = Process::getrlimit(:NOFILE)[0]
         if available_files < MINIMAL_DARWIN_NOFILE_LIMIT
             Process.setrlimit(:NOFILE, MINIMAL_DARWIN_NOFILE_LIMIT)
-
         end
     end
     if watch
-        "node_modules/.bin/coffee --compile --watch lms/ cms/ common/"
+        "node_modules/.bin/coffee --compile --watch #{brew_paths.join(' ')}"
     else
-        "node_modules/.bin/coffee --compile `find lms/ cms/ common/ -type f -name *.coffee` "
+        "node_modules/.bin/coffee --compile `find #{brew_paths.join(' ')} -type f -name *.coffee` "
     end
 end