diff --git a/desktop/scripts/build-flipper-server-release.tsx b/desktop/scripts/build-flipper-server-release.tsx
index bfce3f987..05256d4aa 100644
--- a/desktop/scripts/build-flipper-server-release.tsx
+++ b/desktop/scripts/build-flipper-server-release.tsx
@@ -225,7 +225,6 @@ async function copyStaticResources(outDir: string, versionNumber: string) {
     'icons.json',
     'index.web.dev.html',
     'index.web.html',
-    'manifest.json',
     'offline.html',
     'service-worker.js',
     'style.css',
@@ -239,6 +238,13 @@ async function copyStaticResources(outDir: string, versionNumber: string) {
       fs.copy(path.join(staticDir, e), path.join(outDir, 'static', e)),
     ),
   );
+
+  // Manifest needs to be copied over to static folder with the correct name.
+  await fs.copy(
+    path.join(staticDir, 'manifest.template.json'),
+    path.join(outDir, 'static', 'manifest.json'),
+  );
+
   console.log('✅  Copied static resources.');
 }
 
diff --git a/desktop/scripts/start-flipper-server-dev.tsx b/desktop/scripts/start-flipper-server-dev.tsx
index 9e9623cb4..fd407495d 100644
--- a/desktop/scripts/start-flipper-server-dev.tsx
+++ b/desktop/scripts/start-flipper-server-dev.tsx
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ import isFB from './isFB';
 import yargs from 'yargs';
 import ensurePluginFoldersWatchable from './ensurePluginFoldersWatchable';
 import {Watchman} from 'flipper-pkg-lib';
+import fs from 'fs-extra';
 
 const argv = yargs
   .usage('yarn flipper-server [args]')
@@ -94,6 +95,16 @@ if (argv['enabled-plugins'] !== undefined) {
 
 let startCount = 0;
 
+async function copyStaticResources() {
+  console.log(`⚙️  Copying necessary static resources`);
+  const staticDir = path.resolve(__dirname, '..', 'static');
+
+  await fs.copy(
+    path.join(staticDir, 'manifest.template.json'),
+    path.join(staticDir, 'manifest.json'),
+  );
+}
+
 async function restartServer() {
   try {
     await compileServerMain(true);
@@ -156,9 +167,8 @@ async function startWatchChanges() {
     process.env.FLIPPER_RELEASE_CHANNEL === 'insiders',
   );
 
+  await copyStaticResources();
   await ensurePluginFoldersWatchable();
-  // builds and starts
   await restartServer();
-  // watch
   await startWatchChanges();
 })();
diff --git a/desktop/static/manifest.json b/desktop/static/manifest.template.json
similarity index 100%
rename from desktop/static/manifest.json
rename to desktop/static/manifest.template.json