diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index d912f353..632d043c 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -103,6 +103,9 @@ VITE_LAUNCH_CLIENT_ID=smart-forms
 
 In development mode, create a `.env.local` file in the `apps/smart-forms-app` directory and tweak the environment variables as needed.
 
+> Note: in the local development mode, set 
+VITE_PRESERVE_SYM_LINKS=false so that it allows `tsc -w` to watch the latest changes. If preserveSymLink: true local changes will be ignored.
+
 
 
 ### Run app locally
diff --git a/apps/smart-forms-app/.env b/apps/smart-forms-app/.env
index fd0bbb6d..3b49ad87 100644
--- a/apps/smart-forms-app/.env
+++ b/apps/smart-forms-app/.env
@@ -5,3 +5,4 @@ VITE_LAUNCH_SCOPE=fhirUser online_access openid profile patient/Condition.rs pat
 VITE_LAUNCH_CLIENT_ID=a57d90e3-5f69-4b92-aa2e-2992180863c1
 
 VITE_IN_APP_POPULATE=true
+VITE_PRESERVE_SYM_LINKS=true
diff --git a/apps/smart-forms-app/.env.production b/apps/smart-forms-app/.env.production
index fd0bbb6d..3b49ad87 100644
--- a/apps/smart-forms-app/.env.production
+++ b/apps/smart-forms-app/.env.production
@@ -5,3 +5,4 @@ VITE_LAUNCH_SCOPE=fhirUser online_access openid profile patient/Condition.rs pat
 VITE_LAUNCH_CLIENT_ID=a57d90e3-5f69-4b92-aa2e-2992180863c1
 
 VITE_IN_APP_POPULATE=true
+VITE_PRESERVE_SYM_LINKS=true
diff --git a/apps/smart-forms-app/src/vite-env.d.ts b/apps/smart-forms-app/src/vite-env.d.ts
index 517f185a..f1cf6ad6 100644
--- a/apps/smart-forms-app/src/vite-env.d.ts
+++ b/apps/smart-forms-app/src/vite-env.d.ts
@@ -30,6 +30,8 @@ interface ImportMetaEnv {
   readonly VITE_LAUNCH_CLIENT_ID: string;
   readonly VITE_IN_APP_POPULATE: boolean;
   readonly VITE_SHOW_DEBUG_MODE: string;
+  readonly VITE_PRESERVE_SYM_LINKS: boolean;
+
 }
 
 interface ImportMeta {
diff --git a/apps/smart-forms-app/vite.config.ts b/apps/smart-forms-app/vite.config.ts
index 3436febf..2fdc99b3 100644
--- a/apps/smart-forms-app/vite.config.ts
+++ b/apps/smart-forms-app/vite.config.ts
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@ import { defineConfig } from 'vite';
 import react from '@vitejs/plugin-react';
 import svgr from 'vite-plugin-svgr';
 
+const preserveSymlinks = process.env.VITE_PRESERVE_SYM_LINKS === 'true';//resolve preserveSymlink to boolean(Explicitly parse the string to a boolean)
+
 // https://vitejs.dev/config/
 export default defineConfig({
   plugins: [react(), svgr()],
@@ -13,5 +15,6 @@ export default defineConfig({
       include: [/node_modules/, '@aehrc/sdc-assemble', '@aehrc/sdc-populate']
     }
   },
-  resolve: { preserveSymlinks: true }
+  resolve: { preserveSymlinks: preserveSymlinks }
 });
+
diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index bd2238bb..356f9070 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 {
-  "name": "smart-forms",
+  "name": "smart-forms-alpha-jv",
   "lockfileVersion": 3,
   "requires": true,
   "packages": {