diff --git a/src/App/Header.svelte b/src/App/Header.svelte
index c9bf5e7ae..ecceeccdd 100644
--- a/src/App/Header.svelte
+++ b/src/App/Header.svelte
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
   import NodeInfo from "@app/App/Header/NodeInfo.svelte";
   import Popover from "@app/components/Popover.svelte";
   import ConnectInstructions from "@app/components/ConnectInstructions.svelte";
+  import { experimental } from "@app/lib/appearance";
 
   const buttonTitle: Record<HttpdState["state"], string> = {
     stopped: "radicle-httpd is stopped",
@@ -60,24 +61,26 @@
   </div>
 
   <div class="right">
-    {#if $httpdStore.state === "stopped"}
-      <Popover popoverPositionTop="3rem" popoverPositionRight="0">
-        <Button
-          slot="toggle"
-          let:toggle
-          on:click={toggle}
-          title={buttonTitle[$httpdStore.state]}
-          variant="naked-toggle">
-          <IconSmall name="device" />
-          Connect
-        </Button>
-        <div slot="popover" class="connect-popover">
-          <ConnectInstructions />
-        </div>
-      </Popover>
-    {:else}
-      <NodeInfo node={$httpdStore.node} />
-      <Authenticate />
+    {#if $experimental}
+      {#if $httpdStore.state === "stopped"}
+        <Popover popoverPositionTop="3rem" popoverPositionRight="0">
+          <Button
+            slot="toggle"
+            let:toggle
+            on:click={toggle}
+            title={buttonTitle[$httpdStore.state]}
+            variant="naked-toggle">
+            <IconSmall name="device" />
+            Connect
+          </Button>
+          <div slot="popover" class="connect-popover">
+            <ConnectInstructions />
+          </div>
+        </Popover>
+      {:else}
+        <NodeInfo node={$httpdStore.node} />
+        <Authenticate />
+      {/if}
     {/if}
   </div>
 </header>
diff --git a/src/App/Settings.svelte b/src/App/Settings.svelte
index b14ed5467..7e96e6260 100644
--- a/src/App/Settings.svelte
+++ b/src/App/Settings.svelte
@@ -2,7 +2,9 @@
   import {
     codeFont,
     codeFonts,
+    experimental,
     storeCodeFont,
+    storeExperimental,
     storeTheme,
     theme,
   } from "@app/lib/appearance";
@@ -14,7 +16,7 @@
 
 <style>
   .settings {
-    width: 18.5rem;
+    width: 24rem;
     display: flex;
     flex-direction: column;
     align-items: center;
@@ -76,4 +78,29 @@
       </Radio>
     </div>
   </div>
+  <div class="item">
+    <div
+      style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center; gap: 0.5rem;">
+      Make changes on the web (experimental)
+    </div>
+    <div class="right">
+      <Radio>
+        <Button
+          styleBorderRadius="0"
+          on:click={() => storeExperimental(true)}
+          variant={$experimental ? "selected" : "not-selected"}>
+          On
+        </Button>
+        <div class="global-spacer" />
+        <Radio>
+          <Button
+            styleBorderRadius="0"
+            on:click={() => storeExperimental(undefined)}
+            variant={$experimental ? "not-selected" : "selected"}>
+            Off
+          </Button>
+        </Radio>
+      </Radio>
+    </div>
+  </div>
 </div>
diff --git a/src/components/ConnectInstructions.svelte b/src/components/ConnectInstructions.svelte
index 3ac9bc7dc..695ea480e 100644
--- a/src/components/ConnectInstructions.svelte
+++ b/src/components/ConnectInstructions.svelte
@@ -1,8 +1,11 @@
 <script>
-  import Command from "./Command.svelte";
+  import { experimental } from "@app/lib/appearance";
   import { api, httpdStore } from "@app/lib/httpd";
   import { routeToPath, activeUnloadedRouteStore } from "@app/lib/router";
 
+  import Command from "@app/components/Command.svelte";
+  import ExternalLink from "./ExternalLink.svelte";
+
   $: path = routeToPath($activeUnloadedRouteStore);
   $: pathParam = path === "/" ? "" : `--path "${path}"`;
 </script>
@@ -30,25 +33,41 @@
 </style>
 
 <div>
-  {#if $httpdStore.state === "running"}
-    <div class="label">Authenticate with your local node to make changes.</div>
-    <Command
-      fullWidth
-      command={`rad web ${window.origin} --connect ${api.hostname}:${api.port} ${pathParam}`} />
+  {#if $experimental}
+    {#if $httpdStore.state === "running"}
+      <div class="label">
+        Authenticate with your local node to make changes.
+      </div>
+      <Command
+        fullWidth
+        command={`rad web ${window.origin} --connect ${api.hostname}:${api.port} ${pathParam}`} />
+    {:else}
+      <div class="heading">Connect & Authenticate</div>
+      <div class="label">
+        Connect to your local node to browse projects on your local machine,
+        create issues, and participate in discussions.
+      </div>
+      <Command fullWidth command={`rad web ${window.origin} ${pathParam}`} />
+
+      <div class="divider" />
+      <div class="heading">New to Radicle?</div>
+      <div class="label">
+        Visit <ExternalLink href="https://radicle.xyz/#try" /> to download Radicle
+        and get started.
+      </div>
+    {/if}
   {:else}
-    <div class="heading">Connect & Authenticate</div>
+    <div class="heading">Browse your local projects</div>
     <div class="label">
-      Connect to your local node to browse projects on your local machine,
-      create issues, and participate in discussions.
+      To browse projects on your local node, run the following command.
     </div>
-    <Command fullWidth command={`rad web ${window.origin} ${pathParam}`} />
+    <Command fullWidth command="radicle-httpd" />
 
     <div class="divider" />
     <div class="heading">New to Radicle?</div>
     <div class="label">
-      Run the following command and follow the instructions to install Radicle
+      Visit <ExternalLink href="https://radicle.xyz/#try" /> to download Radicle
       and get started.
     </div>
-    <Command fullWidth command="curl -sSf https://radicle.xyz/install | sh" />
   {/if}
 </div>
diff --git a/src/components/Reactions.svelte b/src/components/Reactions.svelte
index 79b73be14..d0d5f68af 100644
--- a/src/components/Reactions.svelte
+++ b/src/components/Reactions.svelte
@@ -25,16 +25,23 @@
 
 <div class="reactions">
   {#each reactions as { emoji, authors }}
-    <IconButton
-      on:click={async () => {
-        if (handleReaction) {
-          await handleReaction(authors, emoji);
-        }
-      }}>
-      <div class="reaction txt-tiny">
+    {#if handleReaction}
+      <IconButton
+        on:click={async () => {
+          if (handleReaction) {
+            await handleReaction(authors, emoji);
+          }
+        }}>
+        <div class="reaction txt-tiny">
+          <span>{emoji}</span>
+          <span title={authors.join("\n")}>{authors.length}</span>
+        </div>
+      </IconButton>
+    {:else}
+      <div class="reaction txt-tiny" style="padding: 2px 4px;">
         <span>{emoji}</span>
         <span title={authors.join("\n")}>{authors.length}</span>
       </div>
-    </IconButton>
+    {/if}
   {/each}
 </div>
diff --git a/src/lib/appearance.ts b/src/lib/appearance.ts
index 7856377e3..fe1a17dd2 100644
--- a/src/lib/appearance.ts
+++ b/src/lib/appearance.ts
@@ -48,3 +48,25 @@ export function storeCodeFont(newCodeFont: CodeFont): void {
   codeFont.set(newCodeFont);
   window.localStorage.setItem("codefont", newCodeFont);
 }
+
+export const experimental = writable<true | undefined>(
+  loadExperimentalSetting(),
+);
+
+function loadExperimentalSetting(): true | undefined {
+  const storedExperimental = window.localStorage.getItem("experimental");
+
+  if (storedExperimental === null) {
+    return undefined;
+  } else {
+    return storedExperimental === "true" ? true : undefined;
+  }
+}
+
+export function storeExperimental(newSetting: true | undefined): void {
+  experimental.set(newSetting);
+  window.localStorage.setItem(
+    "experimental",
+    newSetting === true ? "true" : "undefined",
+  );
+}
diff --git a/src/lib/httpd.ts b/src/lib/httpd.ts
index e036ecdb1..bb4c6f76e 100644
--- a/src/lib/httpd.ts
+++ b/src/lib/httpd.ts
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import { withTimeout, Mutex, E_CANCELED, E_TIMEOUT } from "async-mutex";
 import { HttpdClient } from "@httpd-client";
 import { config } from "@app/lib/config";
 import { deduplicateStore } from "@app/lib/deduplicateStore";
+import { experimental } from "./appearance";
 
 export interface Session {
   id: string;
@@ -128,6 +129,15 @@ async function checkState() {
       try {
         const node = await api.getNode();
 
+        // Return quickly and avoid additional fetches
+        // if experimental settings aren't updated
+        if (!get(experimental)) {
+          update({
+            state: "running",
+            node,
+          });
+        }
+
         if (httpdState && httpdState.state !== "stopped") {
           httpdState.node = node;
         }
diff --git a/src/lib/roles.ts b/src/lib/roles.ts
index bf2097bf5..6c3b97c3c 100644
--- a/src/lib/roles.ts
+++ b/src/lib/roles.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
 import { parseNodeId } from "@app/lib/utils";
+import { get } from "svelte/store";
+import { experimental } from "./appearance";
 
 export function isDelegate(
   publicKey: string | undefined,
@@ -27,10 +29,13 @@ function matchAuthor(
 // All restricted actions are a combination of either:
 // - the user is a delegate
 // - the user is an author of the comment, issue, patch, etc.
+//
+// If the experimental setting isn't turned on, we return undefined early.
 export function isDelegateOrAuthor(
   publicKey: string | undefined,
   delegates: string[],
   author: string,
 ) {
+  if (get(experimental) === undefined) return undefined;
   return isDelegate(publicKey, delegates) || matchAuthor(publicKey, author);
 }
diff --git a/src/views/home/Index.svelte b/src/views/home/Index.svelte
index c6867ab9c..94c3d99d5 100644
--- a/src/views/home/Index.svelte
+++ b/src/views/home/Index.svelte
@@ -6,8 +6,9 @@
   import { literal, union } from "zod";
 
   import { api, httpdStore } from "@app/lib/httpd";
-  import { deduplicateStore } from "@app/lib/deduplicateStore";
   import { baseUrlToString } from "@app/lib/utils";
+  import { deduplicateStore } from "@app/lib/deduplicateStore";
+  import { experimental } from "@app/lib/appearance";
   import { handleError } from "@app/views/home/error";
   import { isDelegate } from "@app/lib/roles";
   import { preferredSeeds } from "@app/lib/seeds";
@@ -127,54 +128,65 @@
 
 <AppLayout>
   <div class="wrapper">
-    <div class="global-hide-on-mobile">
-      <HomepageSection
-        loading={$httpdStore.state !== "stopped" && localProjects === undefined}
-        empty={$httpdStore.state === "stopped" ||
-          (filteredLocalProjects instanceof Array &&
-            !filteredLocalProjects.length) ||
-          localProjects instanceof Error}
-        title="Local projects"
-        subtitle="Projects you're seeding with your local node">
-        <svelte:fragment slot="actions">
-          <FilterButton disabled={!nodeId} bind:value={$localProjectsFilter} />
-          <NewProjectButton disabled={!nodeId} />
-        </svelte:fragment>
-        <svelte:fragment slot="empty">
-          <div class="empty-state">
-            {#if !nodeId}
-              <div style="text-align: left; width: 100%;">
-                <ConnectInstructions />
-              </div>
-            {:else if localProjects instanceof Error}
-              <ErrorMessage
-                {...handleError(localProjects, baseUrlToString(api.baseUrl))} />
-            {:else if !localProjects?.length}
-              <div class="heading">No local projects</div>
-              <div class="label">
-                Seed or check out a project to work with it on your local node.
-              </div>
-            {:else}
-              <div class="heading">Nothing to see here</div>
-              <div class="label">
-                No local projects matched your filter settings.
-              </div>
+    {#if $experimental}
+      <div class="global-hide-on-mobile">
+        <HomepageSection
+          loading={$httpdStore.state !== "stopped" &&
+            localProjects === undefined}
+          empty={$httpdStore.state === "stopped" ||
+            (filteredLocalProjects instanceof Array &&
+              !filteredLocalProjects.length) ||
+            localProjects instanceof Error}
+          title="Local projects"
+          subtitle="Projects you're seeding with your local node">
+          <svelte:fragment slot="actions">
+            <FilterButton
+              disabled={!nodeId}
+              bind:value={$localProjectsFilter} />
+            <NewProjectButton disabled={!nodeId} />
+          </svelte:fragment>
+          <svelte:fragment slot="empty">
+            <div class="empty-state">
+              {#if !nodeId}
+                <div style="text-align: left; width: 100%;">
+                  <ConnectInstructions />
+                </div>
+              {:else if localProjects instanceof Error}
+                <ErrorMessage
+                  {...handleError(
+                    localProjects,
+                    baseUrlToString(api.baseUrl),
+                  )} />
+              {:else if !localProjects?.length}
+                <div class="heading">No local projects</div>
+                <div class="label">
+                  Seed or check out a project to work with it on your local
+                  node.
+                </div>
+              {:else}
+                <div class="heading">Nothing to see here</div>
+                <div class="label">
+                  No local projects matched your filter settings.
+                </div>
+              {/if}
+            </div>
+          </svelte:fragment>
+          <div class="project-grid">
+            {#if filteredLocalProjects && !(filteredLocalProjects instanceof Error)}
+              {#each filteredLocalProjects as projectInfo}
+                <ProjectCard
+                  {projectInfo}
+                  isSeeding={true}
+                  isDelegate={isDelegate(
+                    nodeId,
+                    projectInfo.project.delegates,
+                  ) ?? false} />
+              {/each}
             {/if}
           </div>
-        </svelte:fragment>
-        <div class="project-grid">
-          {#if filteredLocalProjects && !(filteredLocalProjects instanceof Error)}
-            {#each filteredLocalProjects as projectInfo}
-              <ProjectCard
-                {projectInfo}
-                isSeeding={true}
-                isDelegate={isDelegate(nodeId, projectInfo.project.delegates) ??
-                  false} />
-            {/each}
-          {/if}
-        </div>
-      </HomepageSection>
-    </div>
+        </HomepageSection>
+      </div>
+    {/if}
 
     <HomepageSection
       loading={preferredSeedProjects === undefined}
diff --git a/src/views/projects/Header/SeedButton.svelte b/src/views/projects/Header/SeedButton.svelte
index 2b52fe394..d2cbf90d7 100644
--- a/src/views/projects/Header/SeedButton.svelte
+++ b/src/views/projects/Header/SeedButton.svelte
@@ -1,8 +1,10 @@
 <script lang="ts">
   import * as modal from "@app/lib/modal";
+  import { experimental } from "@app/lib/appearance";
   import { httpdStore, api } from "@app/lib/httpd";
 
   import Button from "@app/components/Button.svelte";
+  import Command from "@app/components/Command.svelte";
   import ErrorModal from "@app/modals/ErrorModal.svelte";
   import IconSmall from "@app/components/IconSmall.svelte";
   import Popover from "@app/components/Popover.svelte";
@@ -70,63 +72,80 @@
   .counter {
     font-weight: var(--font-weight-regular);
     border-radius: var(--border-radius-tiny);
-    background-color: var(--color-fill-secondary-counter);
+    background-color: var(--color-fill-ghost-hover);
     border: 1px solid var(--color-border-secondary-counter);
-    color: var(--color-foreground-match-background);
+    color: var(--color-foreground-contrast);
     padding: 0 0.25rem;
   }
   .seeding {
     background-color: var(--color-fill-counter-emphasized);
     color: var(--color-foreground-emphasized);
   }
+  .not-seeding {
+    background-color: var(--color-fill-secondary-counter);
+    color: var(--color-foreground-match-background);
+  }
   .disabled {
-    background-color: var(--color-fill-ghost-hover);
+    background-color: var(--color-fill-float-hover);
     color: var(--color-foreground-disabled);
   }
 </style>
 
 <Popover popoverPositionTop="2.5rem" popoverPositionRight="0">
   <Button
-    disabled={!canEditSeeding}
     slot="toggle"
+    disabled={$experimental ? !canEditSeeding : false}
     let:toggle
     on:click={async () => {
-      if (!seeding && canEditSeeding) {
+      if ($experimental && !seeding && canEditSeeding) {
         await editSeeding();
       } else {
         toggle();
       }
     }}
-    variant={seeding ? "secondary-toggle-on" : "secondary-toggle-off"}>
+    variant={!$experimental
+      ? "outline"
+      : seeding
+        ? "secondary-toggle-on"
+        : "secondary-toggle-off"}>
     <IconSmall name="network" />
     <span class="title-counter">
       {seeding ? "Seeding" : "Seed"}
       <span
         class="counter"
-        class:seeding
-        class:disabled={!canEditSeeding}
+        class:seeding={$experimental ? seeding : false}
+        class:not-seeding={$experimental ? !seeding : false}
+        class:disabled={$experimental ? !canEditSeeding : false}
         style:font-weight="var(--font-weight-regular)">
         {seedCount}
       </span>
     </span>
   </Button>
 
-  <div slot="popover" let:toggle style:width={seeding ? "19.5rem" : "30.5rem"}>
-    <div class="seed-label txt-bold">Stop seeding</div>
-    <div class="seed-label">
-      Are you sure you want to stop seeding this project? If you don't seed a
-      project it won't appear in the local projects section anymore and any
-      changes you make to it won't propagate to the network.
-    </div>
-    <Button
-      styleWidth="100%"
-      disabled={editSeedingInProgress}
-      on:click={async () => {
-        await editSeeding();
-        toggle();
-      }}>
-      <IconSmall name="network" />
-      Stop seeding
-    </Button>
+  <div
+    slot="popover"
+    style:width={$experimental ? (seeding ? "19.5rem" : "30.5rem") : "auto"}>
+    {#if $experimental && canEditSeeding && seeding}
+      <div class="seed-label txt-bold">Stop seeding</div>
+      <div class="seed-label">
+        Are you sure you want to stop seeding this project? If you don't seed a
+        project it won't appear in the local projects section anymore and any
+        changes you make to it won't propagate to the network.
+      </div>
+      <Button
+        styleWidth="100%"
+        disabled={editSeedingInProgress}
+        on:click={async () => {
+          await editSeeding();
+        }}>
+        <IconSmall name="network" />
+        Stop seeding
+      </Button>
+    {:else}
+      <span class="seed-label">
+        Use the Radicle CLI to {seeding ? "stop" : "start"} seeding this project.
+      </span>
+      <Command command={`rad ${seeding ? "unseed" : "seed"} ${projectId}`} />
+    {/if}
   </div>
 </Popover>
diff --git a/src/views/projects/Issue.svelte b/src/views/projects/Issue.svelte
index ef6176d2d..aa321485c 100644
--- a/src/views/projects/Issue.svelte
+++ b/src/views/projects/Issue.svelte
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
   import * as role from "@app/lib/roles";
   import * as router from "@app/lib/router";
   import * as utils from "@app/lib/utils";
+  import { experimental } from "@app/lib/appearance";
   import { HttpdClient } from "@httpd-client";
   import { closeFocused } from "@app/components/Popover.svelte";
   import { httpdStore } from "@app/lib/httpd";
@@ -537,7 +538,7 @@
           {/if}
         </svelte:fragment>
         <div slot="description">
-          {#if issueState !== "read"}
+          {#if $experimental && issueState !== "read"}
             <ExtendedTextarea
               isValid={() => newTitle.length > 0}
               disallowEmptyBody
@@ -578,7 +579,7 @@
             <span class="txt-missing">No description</span>
           {/if}
           <div class="reactions">
-            {#if session}
+            {#if $experimental && session}
               <ReactionSelector
                 reactions={issue.discussion[0].reactions}
                 on:select={async ({ detail: { authors, emoji } }) => {
@@ -635,14 +636,20 @@
                   session?.publicKey,
                   project.delegates,
                 )}
-                editComment={session && partial(editComment, session.id)}
-                createReply={session && partial(createReply, session.id)}
-                reactOnComment={session && partial(reactOnComment, session)} />
+                editComment={$experimental &&
+                  session &&
+                  partial(editComment, session.id)}
+                createReply={$experimental &&
+                  session &&
+                  partial(createReply, session.id)}
+                reactOnComment={$experimental &&
+                  session &&
+                  partial(reactOnComment, session)} />
               <div class="connector" />
             {/each}
           </div>
         {/if}
-        {#if session}
+        {#if $experimental && session}
           {#if threads.length === 0}
             <div class="connector" />{/if}
           <CommentToggleInput
diff --git a/src/views/projects/Issues.svelte b/src/views/projects/Issues.svelte
index c76a6e18a..3b0b85a70 100644
--- a/src/views/projects/Issues.svelte
+++ b/src/views/projects/Issues.svelte
@@ -1,12 +1,13 @@
 <script lang="ts">
   import type { BaseUrl, Issue, IssueState, Project } from "@httpd-client";
 
+  import capitalize from "lodash/capitalize";
   import { HttpdClient } from "@httpd-client";
   import { ISSUES_PER_PAGE } from "./router";
-  import { closeFocused } from "@app/components/Popover.svelte";
-  import { httpdStore } from "@app/lib/httpd";
   import { baseUrlToString, isLocal } from "@app/lib/utils";
-  import capitalize from "lodash/capitalize";
+  import { closeFocused } from "@app/components/Popover.svelte";
+  import { experimental } from "@app/lib/appearance";
+  import { httpdStore } from "@app/lib/httpd";
 
   import Button from "@app/components/Button.svelte";
   import DropdownList from "@app/components/DropdownList.svelte";
@@ -146,7 +147,7 @@
 
     <div style="margin-left: auto; display: flex; gap: 1rem;">
       <Share {baseUrl} />
-      {#if $httpdStore.state === "authenticated" && isLocal(baseUrl.hostname)}
+      {#if $experimental && $httpdStore.state === "authenticated" && isLocal(baseUrl.hostname)}
         <Link
           route={{
             resource: "project.newIssue",
diff --git a/src/views/projects/Patch.svelte b/src/views/projects/Patch.svelte
index 91f0d6067..4730543ba 100644
--- a/src/views/projects/Patch.svelte
+++ b/src/views/projects/Patch.svelte
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@
   import * as role from "@app/lib/roles";
   import * as router from "@app/lib/router";
   import * as utils from "@app/lib/utils";
+  import { experimental } from "@app/lib/appearance";
   import capitalize from "lodash/capitalize";
   import isEqual from "lodash/isEqual";
   import partial from "lodash/partial";
@@ -767,7 +768,7 @@
         </svelte:fragment>
         <svelte:fragment slot="description">
           <div class="revision-description">
-            {#if session && patchState !== "read" && lastEdit}
+            {#if $experimental && session && patchState !== "read" && lastEdit}
               <ExtendedTextarea
                 isValid={() => patch.title.length > 0}
                 enableAttachments
@@ -802,7 +803,7 @@
             {:else}
               <span class="txt-missing">No description available</span>
             {/if}
-            {#if session || (firstRevision.revisionReactions && firstRevision.revisionReactions.length > 0)}
+            {#if ($experimental && session) || (firstRevision.revisionReactions && firstRevision.revisionReactions.length > 0)}
               <div class="actions">
                 {#if session}
                   <ReactionSelector
@@ -979,15 +980,20 @@
                 session?.publicKey,
                 project.delegates,
               )}
-              editRevision={session &&
+              editRevision={$experimental &&
+                session &&
                 partial(editRevision, session.id, revision.revisionId)}
-              editComment={session &&
+              editComment={$experimental &&
+                session &&
                 partial(editComment, session.id, revision.revisionId)}
-              reactOnComment={session &&
+              reactOnComment={$experimental &&
+                session &&
                 partial(reactOnComment, session, revision.revisionId)}
-              reactOnRevision={session &&
+              reactOnRevision={$experimental &&
+                session &&
                 partial(reactOnRevision, session, revision.revisionId)}
-              createReply={session &&
+              createReply={$experimental &&
+                session &&
                 partial(createReply, session.id, revision.revisionId)}
               patchId={patch.id}
               patchState={patch.state}
@@ -995,7 +1001,7 @@
               previousRevId={previousRevision?.id}
               previousRevOid={previousRevision?.oid}>
               {#if index === patch.revisions.length - 1}
-                {#if session && view.name === "activity"}
+                {#if $experimental && session && view.name === "activity"}
                   <div class="connector" />
                   <CommentToggleInput
                     rawPath={rawPath(patch.revisions[0].id)}
diff --git a/src/views/projects/Patches.svelte b/src/views/projects/Patches.svelte
index 00922b438..33f899b17 100644
--- a/src/views/projects/Patches.svelte
+++ b/src/views/projects/Patches.svelte
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
   import capitalize from "lodash/capitalize";
 
   import { PATCHES_PER_PAGE } from "./router";
+  import { experimental } from "@app/lib/appearance";
   import { httpdStore } from "@app/lib/httpd";
   import { baseUrlToString, isLocal } from "@app/lib/utils";
 
@@ -160,7 +161,7 @@
 
     <div style="margin-left: auto; display: flex; gap: 1rem;">
       <Share {baseUrl} />
-      {#if $httpdStore.state === "authenticated" && isLocal(baseUrl.hostname)}
+      {#if $experimental && $httpdStore.state === "authenticated" && isLocal(baseUrl.hostname)}
         <Popover popoverPositionTop="2.5rem" popoverPositionRight="0">
           <Button
             slot="toggle"
diff --git a/src/views/projects/Sidebar.svelte b/src/views/projects/Sidebar.svelte
index f175e229c..2396b0060 100644
--- a/src/views/projects/Sidebar.svelte
+++ b/src/views/projects/Sidebar.svelte
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
   import type { ActiveTab } from "./Header.svelte";
   import type { BaseUrl, Project } from "@httpd-client";
 
+  import { experimental } from "@app/lib/appearance";
   import { queryProject } from "@app/lib/projects";
   import { httpdStore, api } from "@app/lib/httpd";
   import { isLocal } from "@app/lib/utils";
@@ -36,7 +37,9 @@
   let queryingLocalProject: boolean = true;
   let localProject: "notFound" | "found" | undefined = undefined;
   $: hideContextHelp =
-    isLocal(baseUrl.hostname) && $httpdStore.state === "authenticated";
+    $experimental &&
+    isLocal(baseUrl.hostname) &&
+    $httpdStore.state === "authenticated";
 
   httpdStore.subscribe(async () => {
     if ($httpdStore.state !== "stopped" && !queryingLocalProject) {
@@ -65,7 +68,13 @@
     queryingLocalProject = false;
   }
 
-  onMount(async () => await detectLocalProject());
+  onMount(async () => {
+    if ($httpdStore.state !== "stopped") {
+      await detectLocalProject();
+    } else {
+      localProject = "notFound";
+    }
+  });
 </script>
 
 <style>
@@ -250,7 +259,7 @@
   </div>
   <div class="bottom">
     <div class="help" class:expanded>
-      {#if !hideContextHelp && expanded}
+      {#if !hideContextHelp && expanded && $experimental}
         {#if !localProject}
           <div
             style="display: flex; justify-content: center; align-items: center; height: 2rem;">
diff --git a/src/views/projects/Source/ProjectNameHeader.svelte b/src/views/projects/Source/ProjectNameHeader.svelte
index 73ce139db..dff115e66 100644
--- a/src/views/projects/Source/ProjectNameHeader.svelte
+++ b/src/views/projects/Source/ProjectNameHeader.svelte
@@ -4,12 +4,12 @@
   import { twemoji } from "@app/lib/utils";
 
   import Badge from "@app/components/Badge.svelte";
-  import CloneButton from "../Header/CloneButton.svelte";
+  import CloneButton from "@app/views/projects/Header/CloneButton.svelte";
   import CopyableId from "@app/components/CopyableId.svelte";
+  import IconSmall from "@app/components/IconSmall.svelte";
   import InlineMarkdown from "@app/components/InlineMarkdown.svelte";
   import Link from "@app/components/Link.svelte";
-  import IconSmall from "@app/components/IconSmall.svelte";
-  import SeedButton from "../Header/SeedButton.svelte";
+  import SeedButton from "@app/views/projects/Header/SeedButton.svelte";
   import Share from "@app/views/projects/Share.svelte";
 
   export let project: Project;
diff --git a/src/views/projects/router.ts b/src/views/projects/router.ts
index d6663462a..b722ea2fb 100644
--- a/src/views/projects/router.ts
+++ b/src/views/projects/router.ts
@@ -27,6 +27,8 @@ import { ResponseError } from "@httpd-client/lib/fetcher";
 import { handleError } from "@app/views/projects/error";
 import { nodePath } from "@app/views/nodes/router";
 import { unreachable } from "@app/lib/utils";
+import { get } from "svelte/store";
+import { experimental } from "@app/lib/appearance";
 
 export const COMMITS_PER_PAGE = 30;
 export const PATCHES_PER_PAGE = 10;
@@ -242,6 +244,9 @@ function parseRevisionToOid(
 }
 
 async function isLocalNodeSeeding(route: ProjectRoute): Promise<boolean> {
+  if (!get(experimental) && get(httpd.httpdStore).state === "stopped") {
+    return false;
+  }
   try {
     const tracking = await httpd.api.getTracking();
     return tracking.some(({ id }) => id === route.project);
diff --git a/tests/build/smoke.spec.ts b/tests/build/smoke.spec.ts
index 434260114..fa62ca256 100644
--- a/tests/build/smoke.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/build/smoke.spec.ts
@@ -5,5 +5,5 @@ test("exceptions in production build", async ({ page }) => {
   // Wait for scripts to finish executing, there might be exceptions that
   // happen after the page has been painted.
   await page.waitForTimeout(2000);
-  await expect(page.getByText("Local projects")).toBeVisible();
+  await expect(page.getByText("Explore", { exact: true })).toBeVisible();
 });
diff --git a/tests/e2e/landingPage.spec.ts b/tests/e2e/landingPage.spec.ts
index 30ad51fcd..8057a7385 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/landingPage.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/e2e/landingPage.spec.ts
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ test.use({
 });
 
 test("show pinned projects", async ({ page }) => {
+  await page.addInitScript(() => localStorage.setItem("experimental", "true"));
   await page.addInitScript(appConfigWithFixture);
   await page.goto("/");
   await expect(page.getByText("Local projects")).toBeVisible();
diff --git a/tests/support/fixtures.ts b/tests/support/fixtures.ts
index e82f5be01..02bf560d9 100644
--- a/tests/support/fixtures.ts
+++ b/tests/support/fixtures.ts
@@ -151,6 +151,9 @@ export const test = base.extend<{
   },
 
   authenticatedPeer: async ({ page, peerManager }, use) => {
+    await page.addInitScript(() => {
+      window.localStorage.setItem("experimental", "true");
+    });
     const peer = await peerManager.createPeer({
       name: "httpd",
       gitOptions: gitOptions["bob"],
@@ -161,6 +164,8 @@ export const test = base.extend<{
     const { stdout } = await peer.spawn("rad-web", [
       "http://localhost:3001",
       "--no-open",
+      "--path",
+      "/",
       "--connect",
       `${peer.httpdBaseUrl.hostname}:${peer.httpdBaseUrl.port}`,
     ]);