diff --git a/scripts/gulp/tasks/e2e.prod.ts b/scripts/gulp/tasks/e2e.prod.ts
index 9838205326..920797c579 100644
--- a/scripts/gulp/tasks/e2e.prod.ts
+++ b/scripts/gulp/tasks/e2e.prod.ts
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ task('e2e.prod', ['e2e.prepare'], (done: Function) => {
     done();
   }).catch((err: Error) => {
     done(err);
+    process.exit(1);
   });
 });
 
@@ -106,13 +107,10 @@ function buildTest(filePath: string) {
   const sassConfigPath = join('scripts', 'e2e', 'sass.config.js');
   const copyConfigPath = join('scripts', 'e2e', 'copy.config.js');
 
-
-
-
   const appNgModulePath = join(dirname(appEntryPoint), 'app.module.ts');
   const distDir = join(distTestRoot, 'www');
 
-  return runAppScriptsBuild(appEntryPoint, appNgModulePath, ionicAngularDir, distDir, pathToWriteFile, ionicAngularDir, sassConfigPath, copyConfigPath).then(() => {
+  return runAppScriptsBuild(appEntryPoint, appNgModulePath, ionicAngularDir, distDir, pathToWriteFile, ionicAngularDir, sassConfigPath, copyConfigPath, argv.dev).then(() => {
     const end = Date.now();
     console.log(`${filePath} took a total of ${(end - start) / 1000} seconds to build`);
   });
diff --git a/scripts/gulp/util.ts b/scripts/gulp/util.ts
index 651eb26e21..0564137789 100644
--- a/scripts/gulp/util.ts
+++ b/scripts/gulp/util.ts
@@ -236,10 +236,10 @@ export function runAppScriptsServe(testOrDemoName: string, appEntryPoint: string
   });
 }
 
-export function runAppScriptsBuild(appEntryPoint: string, appNgModulePath: string, srcDir: string, distDir: string, tsConfig: string, ionicAngularDir: string, sassConfigPath: string, copyConfigPath: string) {
+export function runAppScriptsBuild(appEntryPoint: string, appNgModulePath: string, srcDir: string, distDir: string, tsConfig: string, ionicAngularDir: string, sassConfigPath: string, copyConfigPath: string, isDev: boolean = false) {
   const pathToAppScripts = join(NODE_MODULES_ROOT, '.bin', 'ionic-app-scripts');
   const debug: boolean = argv.debug;
-  return runWorker(pathToAppScripts, debug, appEntryPoint, appNgModulePath, srcDir, distDir, tsConfig, ionicAngularDir, sassConfigPath, copyConfigPath);
+  return runWorker(pathToAppScripts, debug, appEntryPoint, appNgModulePath, srcDir, distDir, tsConfig, ionicAngularDir, sassConfigPath, copyConfigPath, isDev);
 }
 
 /** Resolves the path for a node package executable. */
diff --git a/scripts/gulp/utils/app-scripts-worker-client.ts b/scripts/gulp/utils/app-scripts-worker-client.ts
index 31f24d1981..073aa0c193 100644
--- a/scripts/gulp/utils/app-scripts-worker-client.ts
+++ b/scripts/gulp/utils/app-scripts-worker-client.ts
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import { join } from 'path';
 
 import { MessageToWorker, WorkerProcess } from './interfaces';
 
-export function runWorker(pathToAppScripts: string, debug: boolean, appEntryPoint: string, appNgModulePath: string, srcDir: string, distDir: string, tsConfig: string, ionicAngularDir: string, sassConfigPath: string, copyConfigPath: string) {
+export function runWorker(pathToAppScripts: string, debug: boolean, appEntryPoint: string, appNgModulePath: string, srcDir: string, distDir: string, tsConfig: string, ionicAngularDir: string, sassConfigPath: string, copyConfigPath: string, isDev: boolean) {
   return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
 
     const msgToWorker: MessageToWorker = {
@@ -16,11 +16,13 @@ export function runWorker(pathToAppScripts: string, debug: boolean, appEntryPoin
       tsConfig: tsConfig,
       ionicAngularDir: ionicAngularDir,
       sassConfigPath: sassConfigPath,
-      copyConfigPath: copyConfigPath
+      copyConfigPath: copyConfigPath,
+      isDev: isDev
     };
 
     const worker = <ChildProcess>createWorker(msgToWorker);
-    console.log(`Starting to build test ${appEntryPoint}`);
+
+    console.log(`Starting to do a ${isDev ? 'dev' : 'prod'} build test ${appEntryPoint}`);
 
     worker.on('error', (err: any) => {
       console.error(`worker error, entrypoint: ${appEntryPoint}, pid: ${worker.pid}, error: ${err}`);
@@ -56,8 +58,6 @@ export function createWorker(msg: MessageToWorker): any {
   try {
       let scriptArgs = [
       'build',
-      '--aot',
-      '--optimizejs',
       '--appEntryPoint', msg.appEntryPoint,
       '--appNgModulePath', msg.appNgModulePath,
       '--srcDir', msg.srcDir,
@@ -71,9 +71,13 @@ export function createWorker(msg: MessageToWorker): any {
       '--sass', msg.sassConfigPath,
       '--copy', msg.copyConfigPath,
       '--enableLint', 'false',
-      // '--disableLogging', 'true'
     ];
 
+    // TODO, use prod once we're a little more settled
+    if (!msg.isDev) {
+      scriptArgs.push('--aot');
+    }
+
     if (msg.debug) {
       scriptArgs.push('--debug');
     }
diff --git a/scripts/gulp/utils/interfaces.ts b/scripts/gulp/utils/interfaces.ts
index 454118a118..9af879f82a 100644
--- a/scripts/gulp/utils/interfaces.ts
+++ b/scripts/gulp/utils/interfaces.ts
@@ -15,4 +15,5 @@ export interface MessageToWorker {
   ionicAngularDir: string;
   sassConfigPath: string;
   copyConfigPath: string;
+  isDev: boolean;
 };