diff --git a/backend/run.sh b/backend/run.sh
index 7e05591..41d906c 100755
--- a/backend/run.sh
+++ b/backend/run.sh
@@ -1,3 +1,62 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 
-poetry run hypercorn linkpulse.app:app --reload
\ No newline at end of file
+# Check whether CWD is 'backend'
+if [ "$(basename "$(pwd)")" != "backend" ]; then
+    echo "error: This script must be run from the 'backend' directory."
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+# Default to development mode if not defined
+export ENVIRONMENT=${ENVIRONMENT:-development}
+COMMAND='poetry run hypercorn linkpulse.app:app --reload'
+
+# Check if Railway CLI is available
+RAILWAY_AVAILABLE=false
+if command -v railway &> /dev/null; then
+    RAILWAY_AVAILABLE=true
+fi
+
+# Check if .env file exists
+ENV_FILE_EXISTS=false
+if [ -f .env ]; then
+    ENV_FILE_EXISTS=true
+fi
+
+# Check if DATABASE_URL is defined
+DATABASE_DEFINED=false
+if [ -n "$DATABASE_URL" ]; then
+    DATABASE_DEFINED=true
+else
+    if $ENV_FILE_EXISTS; then
+        if grep -E '^DATABASE_URL=.+' .env &> /dev/null; then
+            DATABASE_DEFINED=true
+        fi
+    fi
+fi
+
+# Check if Railway project is linked
+PROJECT_LINKED=false
+if $RAILWAY_AVAILABLE; then
+    if railway status &> /dev/null; then
+        PROJECT_LINKED=true
+    fi
+fi
+
+if $DATABASE_DEFINED; then
+    $COMMAND
+else
+    if $RAILWAY_AVAILABLE; then
+        if $PROJECT_LINKED; then
+            DATABASE_URL="$(railway variables -s Postgres --json | jq .DATABASE_PUBLIC_URL -cMr)" $COMMAND
+        else
+            echo "error: Railway project not linked."
+            echo "Run 'railway link' to link the project."
+            exit 1
+        fi
+        
+    else
+        echo "error: Could not find DATABASE_URL environment variable."
+        echo "Install the Railway CLI and link the project, or create a .env file with a DATABASE_URL variable."
+        exit 1
+    fi
+fi
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/frontend/run.sh b/frontend/run.sh
index 0c47c16..dfa3753 100755
--- a/frontend/run.sh
+++ b/frontend/run.sh
@@ -1,3 +1,10 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 
+# Check whether CWD is 'frontend'
+if [ "$(basename "$(pwd)")" != "frontend" ]; then
+    echo "error: This script must be run from the 'frontend' directory."
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+export VITE_BACKEND_TARGET=${VITE_BACKEND_TARGET:-localhost:8000}
 pnpm run dev
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