diff --git a/revel/build.go b/revel/build.go
index 151478b..33b9174 100644
--- a/revel/build.go
+++ b/revel/build.go
@@ -12,12 +12,17 @@ import (
 )
 
 var cmdBuild = &Command{
-	UsageLine: "build [import path] [target path]",
+	UsageLine: "build [import path] [target path] [run mode]",
 	Short:     "build a Revel application (e.g. for deployment)",
 	Long: `
 Build the Revel web application named by the given import path.
 This allows it to be deployed and run on a machine that lacks a Go installation.
 
+The run mode is used to select which set of app.conf configuration should
+apply and may be used to determine logic in the application itself.
+
+Run mode defaults to "prod".
+
 WARNING: The target path will be completely deleted, if it already exists!
 
 For example:
@@ -31,14 +36,20 @@ func init() {
 }
 
 func buildApp(args []string) {
-	if len(args) != 2 {
+	if len(args) < 2 {
 		fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "%s\n%s", cmdBuild.UsageLine, cmdBuild.Long)
 		return
 	}
 
-	appImportPath, destPath := args[0], args[1]
+	appImportPath, destPath, mode := args[0], args[1], "prod"
+	if len(args) >= 3 {
+		mode = args[2]
+	}
+
+	fmt.Println("mode:", mode)
+
 	if !revel.Initialized {
-		revel.Init("", appImportPath, "")
+		revel.Init(mode, appImportPath, "")
 	}
 
 	// First, verify that it is either already empty or looks like a previous
@@ -96,6 +107,7 @@ func buildApp(args []string) {
 	tmplData, runShPath := map[string]interface{}{
 		"BinName":    filepath.Base(app.BinaryPath),
 		"ImportPath": appImportPath,
+		"Mode":       mode,
 	}, path.Join(destPath, "run.sh")
 
 	mustRenderTemplate(
diff --git a/revel/package.go b/revel/package.go
index fe1e4c3..9c8272b 100644
--- a/revel/package.go
+++ b/revel/package.go
@@ -2,19 +2,25 @@ package main
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
-	"github.com/revel/revel"
 	"io/ioutil"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
+
+	"github.com/revel/revel"
 )
 
 var cmdPackage = &Command{
-	UsageLine: "package [import path]",
+	UsageLine: "package [import path] [run mode]",
 	Short:     "package a Revel application (e.g. for deployment)",
 	Long: `
 Package the Revel web application named by the given import path.
 This allows it to be deployed and run on a machine that lacks a Go installation.
 
+The run mode is used to select which set of app.conf configuration should
+apply and may be used to determine logic in the application itself.
+
+Run mode defaults to "prod".
+
 For example:
 
     revel package github.com/revel/samples/chat
@@ -31,8 +37,14 @@ func packageApp(args []string) {
 		return
 	}
 
+	// Determine the run mode.
+	mode := "prod"
+	if len(args) >= 2 {
+		mode = args[1]
+	}
+
 	appImportPath := args[0]
-	revel.Init("", appImportPath, "")
+	revel.Init(mode, appImportPath, "")
 
 	// Remove the archive if it already exists.
 	destFile := filepath.Base(revel.BasePath) + ".tar.gz"
@@ -42,7 +54,7 @@ func packageApp(args []string) {
 	tmpDir, err := ioutil.TempDir("", filepath.Base(revel.BasePath))
 	panicOnError(err, "Failed to get temp dir")
 
-	buildApp([]string{args[0], tmpDir})
+	buildApp([]string{args[0], tmpDir, mode})
 
 	// Create the zip file.
 	archiveName := mustTarGzDir(destFile, tmpDir)
diff --git a/revel/package_run.bat.template b/revel/package_run.bat.template
index e73399b..f101d80 100644
--- a/revel/package_run.bat.template
+++ b/revel/package_run.bat.template
@@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
 @echo off
-{{.BinName}} -importPath {{.ImportPath}} -srcPath %CD%\src -runMode prod
+{{.BinName}} -importPath {{.ImportPath}} -srcPath %CD%\src -runMode {{.Mode}}
diff --git a/revel/package_run.sh.template b/revel/package_run.sh.template
index ac0e12a..69bcaa6 100644
--- a/revel/package_run.sh.template
+++ b/revel/package_run.sh.template
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
 #!/bin/sh
 SCRIPTPATH=$(cd "$(dirname "$0")"; pwd)
-"$SCRIPTPATH/{{.BinName}}" -importPath {{.ImportPath}} -srcPath "$SCRIPTPATH/src" -runMode prod
+"$SCRIPTPATH/{{.BinName}}" -importPath {{.ImportPath}} -srcPath "$SCRIPTPATH/src" -runMode {{.Mode}}