diff --git a/config.properties b/config.properties
index 9e85cf3..f30c78b 100644
--- a/config.properties
+++ b/config.properties
@@ -25,6 +25,8 @@ DISABLE_TIMERS:false
 RYD_PROXY_URL:https://ryd-proxy.kavin.rocks
 # Disable the usage of RYD
 DISABLE_RYD:false
+# Disable API server (node just runs timers if enabled)
+DISABLE_SERVER:false
 # Hibernate properties
 hibernate.connection.url:jdbc:postgresql://postgres:5432/piped
 hibernate.connection.driver_class:org.postgresql.Driver
diff --git a/src/main/java/me/kavin/piped/Main.java b/src/main/java/me/kavin/piped/Main.java
index d823bc0..77a361c 100644
--- a/src/main/java/me/kavin/piped/Main.java
+++ b/src/main/java/me/kavin/piped/Main.java
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import me.kavin.piped.utils.obj.db.PlaylistVideo;
 import me.kavin.piped.utils.obj.db.PubSub;
 import me.kavin.piped.utils.obj.db.User;
 import me.kavin.piped.utils.obj.db.Video;
+import org.hibernate.Session;
 import org.hibernate.StatelessSession;
 import org.schabi.newpipe.extractor.NewPipe;
 import org.schabi.newpipe.extractor.localization.Localization;
@@ -40,13 +41,21 @@ public class Main {
             }
         }, 0, TimeUnit.MINUTES.toMillis(60));
 
-        new Thread(() -> {
-            try {
-                new ServerLauncher().launch(args);
-            } catch (Exception e) {
-                throw new RuntimeException(e);
-            }
-        }).start();
+        if (!Constants.DISABLE_SERVER)
+            new Thread(() -> {
+                try {
+                    new ServerLauncher().launch(args);
+                } catch (Exception e) {
+                    throw new RuntimeException(e);
+                }
+            }).start();
+
+        try (Session ignored = DatabaseSessionFactory.createSession()) {
+            System.out.println("Database connection is ready!");
+        } catch (Exception e) {
+            e.printStackTrace();
+            System.exit(1);
+        }
 
         if (Constants.DISABLE_TIMERS)
             return;
diff --git a/src/main/java/me/kavin/piped/consts/Constants.java b/src/main/java/me/kavin/piped/consts/Constants.java
index ddef6e1..3ef5f81 100644
--- a/src/main/java/me/kavin/piped/consts/Constants.java
+++ b/src/main/java/me/kavin/piped/consts/Constants.java
@@ -55,6 +55,8 @@ public class Constants {
 
     public static final boolean DISABLE_RYD;
 
+    public static final boolean DISABLE_SERVER;
+
     public static final String VERSION;
 
     public static final ObjectMapper mapper = new ObjectMapper().addMixIn(Page.class, PageMixin.class);
@@ -84,6 +86,7 @@ public class Constants {
             DISABLE_TIMERS = Boolean.parseBoolean(getProperty(prop, "DISABLE_TIMERS", "false"));
             RYD_PROXY_URL = getProperty(prop, "RYD_PROXY_URL", "https://ryd-proxy.kavin.rocks");
             DISABLE_RYD = Boolean.parseBoolean(getProperty(prop, "DISABLE_RYD", "false"));
+            DISABLE_SERVER = Boolean.parseBoolean(getProperty(prop, "DISABLE_SERVER", "false"));
             System.getenv().forEach((key, value) -> {
                 if (key.startsWith("hibernate"))
                     hibernateProperties.put(key, value);