diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 64c473c9..8a453a27 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -58,3 +58,6 @@
 
 #spreadsheet stuff
 */~$*.xlsx
+
+#General cache for the engine
+/.cache
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/main/java/electrosphere/engine/Globals.java b/src/main/java/electrosphere/engine/Globals.java
index 7c1e0522..8064170d 100644
--- a/src/main/java/electrosphere/engine/Globals.java
+++ b/src/main/java/electrosphere/engine/Globals.java
@@ -160,6 +160,7 @@ public class Globals {
     public static boolean RUN_CLIENT = true;
     public static boolean RUN_HIDDEN = false; //glfw session will be created with hidden window
     public static boolean RUN_AUDIO = true;
+    public static boolean RUN_SCRIPTS = false;
     public static int clientCharacterID;
     public static NetConfig netConfig = null;
     
@@ -545,7 +546,6 @@ public class Globals {
         for(String path : audioToInit){
             Globals.assetManager.addAudioPathToQueue(path);
         }
-        Globals.assetManager.loadAssetsInQueue();
         Globals.movementAudioService.init();
     }
 
diff --git a/src/main/java/electrosphere/engine/Main.java b/src/main/java/electrosphere/engine/Main.java
index c448780a..ea9edc15 100644
--- a/src/main/java/electrosphere/engine/Main.java
+++ b/src/main/java/electrosphere/engine/Main.java
@@ -86,8 +86,9 @@ public class Main {
         Globals.initGlobals();
 
         //init scripting engine
-        Globals.scriptEngine.init();
-        // Globals.threadManager.start(new LoadingThread(LoadingThreadType.SCRIPT_ENGINE));
+        if(Globals.RUN_SCRIPTS){
+            Globals.threadManager.start(new LoadingThread(LoadingThreadType.SCRIPT_ENGINE));
+        }
 
         //controls
         if(Globals.RUN_CLIENT){
diff --git a/src/main/java/electrosphere/script/ScriptEngine.java b/src/main/java/electrosphere/script/ScriptEngine.java
index 4a138299..ea536f42 100644
--- a/src/main/java/electrosphere/script/ScriptEngine.java
+++ b/src/main/java/electrosphere/script/ScriptEngine.java
@@ -59,6 +59,11 @@ public class ScriptEngine {
      */
     Value hookManager;
 
+    /**
+     * Tracks the initialization status of the script engine
+     */
+    boolean initialized = false;
+
     //The files that are loaded on init to bootstrap the script engine
     static final String[] filesToLoadOnInit = new String[]{
         //polyfills
@@ -102,6 +107,7 @@ public class ScriptEngine {
     public void init(){
         //init datastructures
         sourceMap = new HashMap<String,Source>();
+        initialized = false;
 
         //create engine with flag to disable warning
         Engine engine = Engine.newBuilder()
@@ -166,6 +172,7 @@ public class ScriptEngine {
         //     // TODO Auto-generated catch block
         //     e.printStackTrace();
         // }
+        initialized = true;
     }
 
     /**
@@ -409,6 +416,14 @@ public class ScriptEngine {
         Value fireSignal = this.hookManager.getMember("fireSignal");
         fireSignal.execute(sceneInstanceId,signal,args);
     }
+
+    /**
+     * Gets the initialization status of the script engine
+     * @return true if initialized, false otherwise
+     */
+    public boolean isInitialized(){
+        return this.initialized;
+    }
     
     
 }
diff --git a/src/main/java/electrosphere/server/datacell/Realm.java b/src/main/java/electrosphere/server/datacell/Realm.java
index 4eee8ff4..cdfeba3a 100644
--- a/src/main/java/electrosphere/server/datacell/Realm.java
+++ b/src/main/java/electrosphere/server/datacell/Realm.java
@@ -272,10 +272,12 @@ public class Realm {
      * @param args The arguments provided alongside the signal
      */
     public void fireSignal(String signalName, Object ... args){
-        if(this.sceneInstanceId != NO_SCENE_INSTANCE){
-            Globals.scriptEngine.fireSignal(signalName, sceneInstanceId, args);
-        } else {
-            Globals.scriptEngine.fireSignal(signalName, ScriptEngine.GLOBAL_SCENE, args);
+        if(Globals.scriptEngine != null && Globals.scriptEngine.isInitialized()){
+            if(this.sceneInstanceId != NO_SCENE_INSTANCE){
+                Globals.scriptEngine.fireSignal(signalName, sceneInstanceId, args);
+            } else {
+                Globals.scriptEngine.fireSignal(signalName, ScriptEngine.GLOBAL_SCENE, args);
+            }
         }
     }
     
diff --git a/src/test/java/electrosphere/test/testutils/EngineInit.java b/src/test/java/electrosphere/test/testutils/EngineInit.java
index 79d94c5c..e961448b 100644
--- a/src/test/java/electrosphere/test/testutils/EngineInit.java
+++ b/src/test/java/electrosphere/test/testutils/EngineInit.java
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ public class EngineInit {
         Globals.RUN_CLIENT = true;
         Globals.RUN_SERVER = true;
         Globals.RUN_AUDIO = false;
+        Globals.RUN_SCRIPTS = false;
         Globals.HEADLESS = false;
         Profiler.PROFILE = false;
         NetUtils.setPort(0);