diff --git a/packages/extension/app/background.coffee b/packages/extension/app/background.coffee
index 5a57fc7e03ef..94d756006e5e 100644
--- a/packages/extension/app/background.coffee
+++ b/packages/extension/app/background.coffee
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ once    = require("lodash/once")
 Promise = require("bluebird")
 { client, circularParser } = require("@packages/socket/lib/browser")
 
+HOST_PATH_REPLACED = false
 HOST = "CHANGE_ME_HOST"
 PATH = "CHANGE_ME_PATH"
 
@@ -70,7 +71,8 @@ connect = (host, path) ->
   return ws
 
 ## initially connect
-connect(HOST, PATH)
+if HOST_PATH_REPLACED
+  connect(HOST, PATH)
 
 automation = {
   connect
diff --git a/packages/extension/lib/extension.coffee b/packages/extension/lib/extension.coffee
index b0152b2d79f7..61e8e6f0ee17 100644
--- a/packages/extension/lib/extension.coffee
+++ b/packages/extension/lib/extension.coffee
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ module.exports = {
     fs.readFileAsync(src, "utf8")
     .then (str) ->
       str
+      .replace("HOST_PATH_REPLACED = false", "HOST_PATH_REPLACED = true")
       .replace("CHANGE_ME_HOST", host)
       .replace("CHANGE_ME_PATH", path)