diff --git a/packages/cli/src/commands/start/runStart.js b/packages/cli/src/commands/start/runStart.js
index a84ef34f0..f084559d8 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/commands/start/runStart.js
+++ b/packages/cli/src/commands/start/runStart.js
@@ -22,7 +22,14 @@ async function runStart({ context }) {
     logger: context.print,
     args: ['run', 'start'],
     command: context.packageManager, // npm or yarn
-    processOptions: { cwd: context.directories.server },
+    processOptions: {
+      cwd: context.directories.server,
+      env: {
+        ...process.env,
+        LOWDEFY_DIRECTORY_CONFIG: context.directories.config,
+        PORT: context.commandLineOptions.port,
+      },
+    },
     silent: false,
   });
 }
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/index.js b/packages/cli/src/index.js
index b7f3bc790..e460e186c 100755
--- a/packages/cli/src/index.js
+++ b/packages/cli/src/index.js
@@ -67,8 +67,7 @@ program
     '--package-manager <package-manager>',
     'The package manager to use. Options are "npm" or "yarn".'
   )
-  // TODO:
-  .option('--port <port>', 'Change the port the server is hosted at. Default is 3000.')
+  .option('--port <port>', 'Change the port the development server is hosted at. Default is 3000.')
   // TODO:
   .option(
     '--ref-resolver <ref-resolver-function-path>',
@@ -109,6 +108,7 @@ program
     '--package-manager <package-manager>',
     'The package manager to use. Options are "npm" or "yarn".'
   )
+  .option('--port <port>', 'Change the port the server is hosted at. Default is 3000.')
   .action(runCommand({ cliVersion: version })(start));
 
 program.parse(process.argv);