diff --git a/Gemfile b/Gemfile
index 17deeed4..8cd4bd8f 100644
--- a/Gemfile
+++ b/Gemfile
@@ -3,22 +3,6 @@ source 'http://rubygems.org'
 gem 'rails', '3.0.0'
 #gem 'sqlite3-ruby', '~> 1.3.1', :require => 'sqlite3'
 
-# async wrappers
-gem 'eventmachine',     :git => 'git://github.com/eventmachine/eventmachine.git'
-gem 'rack-fiber_pool',  :require => 'rack/fiber_pool'
-gem 'em-synchrony',     :git => 'git://github.com/igrigorik/em-synchrony.git', :require => [
-  'em-synchrony',
-  'em-synchrony/em-http'
-  ]
-
-# async activerecord requires
-gem 'mysqlplus',      :git => 'git://github.com/oldmoe/mysqlplus.git',        :require => 'mysqlplus'
-gem 'em-mysqlplus',   :git => 'git://github.com/igrigorik/em-mysqlplus.git',  :require => 'em-activerecord'
-
-# async http requires
-gem 'em-http-request',:git => 'git://github.com/igrigorik/em-http-request.git', :require => 'em-http'
-gem 'addressable', :require => 'addressable/uri'
-
 gem 'compass', '~> 0.10.1'
 gem 'haml', '~> 3.0.18'
 gem 'rdiscount', '~> 1.6.5'
@@ -27,6 +11,24 @@ gem 'will_paginate', '~> 3.0.pre2'
 
 gem 'jammit', '~> 0.5.3'
 
+group :development_async, :production do
+  # async wrappers
+  gem 'eventmachine',     :git => 'git://github.com/eventmachine/eventmachine.git'
+  gem 'rack-fiber_pool',  :require => 'rack/fiber_pool'
+  gem 'em-synchrony',     :git => 'git://github.com/igrigorik/em-synchrony.git', :require => [
+    'em-synchrony',
+    'em-synchrony/em-http'
+    ]
+
+  # async activerecord requires
+  gem 'mysqlplus',      :git => 'git://github.com/oldmoe/mysqlplus.git',        :require => 'mysqlplus'
+  gem 'em-mysqlplus',   :git => 'git://github.com/igrigorik/em-mysqlplus.git',  :require => 'em-activerecord'
+
+  # async http requires
+  gem 'em-http-request',:git => 'git://github.com/igrigorik/em-http-request.git', :require => 'em-http'
+  gem 'addressable', :require => 'addressable/uri'
+end
+
 group :test do
   gem 'factory_girl_rails', '~> 1.0'
   gem 'rspec-rails', '~> 2.0.0.beta.22'
diff --git a/config.ru b/config.ru
index 038f2e06..b91ce3e5 100644
--- a/config.ru
+++ b/config.ru
@@ -2,5 +2,5 @@
 
 require ::File.expand_path('../config/environment',  __FILE__)
 
-use Rack::FiberPool
+use Rack::FiberPool if defined?(USE_FIBER_POOL) && USE_FIBER_POOL
 run OpenneoImpressItems::Application
diff --git a/config/environments/development.rb b/config/environments/development.rb
index ee23300e..3a320a36 100644
--- a/config/environments/development.rb
+++ b/config/environments/development.rb
@@ -18,10 +18,6 @@ OpenneoImpressItems::Application.configure do
   config.action_mailer.raise_delivery_errors = false
   
   config.active_support.deprecation = :log
-  
-  config.serve_static_assets = true
-  
-  config.threadsafe!
 end
 
 RemoteImpressHost = 'beta.impress.openneo.net'
diff --git a/config/environments/development_async.rb b/config/environments/development_async.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6f7f8c49
--- /dev/null
+++ b/config/environments/development_async.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+OpenneoImpressItems::Application.configure do
+  # Settings specified here will take precedence over those in config/environment.rb
+
+  # In the development environment your application's code is reloaded on
+  # every request.  This slows down response time but is perfect for development
+  # since you don't have to restart the webserver when you make code changes.
+  config.cache_classes = false
+
+  # Log error messages when you accidentally call methods on nil.
+  config.whiny_nils = true
+
+  # Show full error reports and disable caching
+  config.consider_all_requests_local       = true
+  config.action_view.debug_rjs             = true
+  config.action_controller.perform_caching = false
+
+  # Don't care if the mailer can't send
+  config.action_mailer.raise_delivery_errors = false
+  
+  config.active_support.deprecation = :log
+  
+  config.threadsafe!
+end
+
+RemoteImpressHost = 'beta.impress.openneo.net'
+
+USE_FIBER_POOL = true
diff --git a/config/environments/production.rb b/config/environments/production.rb
index 7e3655b8..4797a853 100644
--- a/config/environments/production.rb
+++ b/config/environments/production.rb
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ OpenneoImpressItems::Application.configure do
 
   # Disable Rails's static asset server
   # In production, Apache or nginx will already do this
-  config.serve_static_assets = true
+  # config.serve_static_assets = true
 
   # Enable serving of images, stylesheets, and javascripts from an asset server
   # config.action_controller.asset_host = "http://assets.example.com"
@@ -44,3 +44,5 @@ OpenneoImpressItems::Application.configure do
 end
 
 RemoteImpressHost = 'impress.openneo.net'
+
+USE_FIBER_POOL = true
diff --git a/lib/rocketamf/remote_gateway/request.rb b/lib/rocketamf/remote_gateway/request.rb
index 97073038..5b468029 100644
--- a/lib/rocketamf/remote_gateway/request.rb
+++ b/lib/rocketamf/remote_gateway/request.rb
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ module RocketAMF
       def fetch
         uri = @service.gateway.uri
         data = envelope.serialize
-        if EventMachine.reactor_running?
+        if defined?(EventMachine) && EventMachine.reactor_running?
           req = EM::HttpRequest.new(uri).post :body => data
           response_body = req.response
         else