diff --git a/flake.nix b/flake.nix
index d8ad47a8..e3497d85 100644
--- a/flake.nix
+++ b/flake.nix
@@ -212,6 +212,8 @@
                 # be expected on non-debug builds.
                 "jemalloc_prof"
                 "jemalloc_stats"
+                # conduwuit_mods is a development-only hot reload feature
+                "conduwuit_mods"
             ];
         };
         all-features-debug = scopeHost.main.override {
@@ -224,6 +226,8 @@
                 "hardened_malloc"
                 # dont include experimental features
                 "experimental"
+                # conduwuit_mods is a development-only hot reload feature
+                "conduwuit_mods"
             ];
         };
         hmalloc = scopeHost.main.override { features = ["hardened_malloc"]; };
@@ -241,6 +245,8 @@
                 # be expected on non-debug builds.
                 "jemalloc_prof"
                 "jemalloc_stats"
+                # conduwuit_mods is a development-only hot reload feature
+                "conduwuit_mods"
             ];
           };
         };
@@ -255,6 +261,8 @@
                 "hardened_malloc"
                 # dont include experimental features
                 "experimental"
+                # conduwuit_mods is a development-only hot reload feature
+                "conduwuit_mods"
             ];
           };
         };
@@ -330,6 +338,8 @@
                         # be expected on non-debug builds.
                         "jemalloc_prof"
                         "jemalloc_stats"
+                        # conduwuit_mods is a development-only hot reload feature
+                        "conduwuit_mods"
                     ];
                   };
                 }
@@ -349,6 +359,8 @@
                         # be expected on non-debug builds.
                         "jemalloc_prof"
                         "jemalloc_stats"
+                        # conduwuit_mods is a development-only hot reload feature
+                        "conduwuit_mods"
                     ];
                     x86_64_haswell_target_optimised = (if (crossSystem == "x86_64-linux-gnu" || crossSystem == "x86_64-linux-musl") then true else false);
                   };
@@ -367,6 +379,8 @@
                         "hardened_malloc"
                         # dont include experimental features
                         "experimental"
+                        # conduwuit_mods is a development-only hot reload feature
+                        "conduwuit_mods"
                     ];
                   };
                 }
@@ -423,6 +437,8 @@
                           # be expected on non-debug builds.
                           "jemalloc_prof"
                           "jemalloc_stats"
+                          # conduwuit_mods is a development-only hot reload feature
+                          "conduwuit_mods"
                       ];
                     };
                   };
@@ -444,6 +460,8 @@
                           # be expected on non-debug builds.
                           "jemalloc_prof"
                           "jemalloc_stats"
+                          # conduwuit_mods is a development-only hot reload feature
+                          "conduwuit_mods"
                       ];
                       x86_64_haswell_target_optimised = (if (crossSystem == "x86_64-linux-gnu" || crossSystem == "x86_64-linux-musl") then true else false);
                     };
@@ -464,6 +482,8 @@
                           "hardened_malloc"
                           # dont include experimental features
                           "experimental"
+                          # conduwuit_mods is a development-only hot reload feature
+                          "conduwuit_mods"
                       ];
                     };
                   };
@@ -510,6 +530,8 @@
                 # be expected on non-debug builds.
                 "jemalloc_prof"
                 "jemalloc_stats"
+                # conduwuit_mods is a development-only hot reload feature
+                "conduwuit_mods"
             ];
         };
         }));
diff --git a/src/core/Cargo.toml b/src/core/Cargo.toml
index 4a9cc462..c716e9c2 100644
--- a/src/core/Cargo.toml
+++ b/src/core/Cargo.toml
@@ -50,6 +50,9 @@ zstd_compression = [
 ]
 perf_measurements = []
 sentry_telemetry = []
+conduwuit_mods = [
+    "dep:libloading"
+]
 
 [dependencies]
 argon2.workspace = true
@@ -75,6 +78,7 @@ ipaddress.workspace = true
 itertools.workspace = true
 libc.workspace = true
 libloading.workspace = true
+libloading.optional = true
 log.workspace = true
 num-traits.workspace = true
 rand.workspace = true
diff --git a/src/core/mod.rs b/src/core/mod.rs
index 87cb58ae..1416ed9e 100644
--- a/src/core/mod.rs
+++ b/src/core/mod.rs
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ pub use crate as conduwuit_core;
 
 rustc_flags_capture! {}
 
-#[cfg(not(conduwuit_mods))]
+#[cfg(any(not(conduwuit_mods), not(feature = "conduwuit_mods")))]
 pub mod mods {
 	#[macro_export]
 	macro_rules! mod_ctor {
diff --git a/src/core/mods/mod.rs b/src/core/mods/mod.rs
index ac0c333b..b8f06f29 100644
--- a/src/core/mods/mod.rs
+++ b/src/core/mods/mod.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#![cfg(conduwuit_mods)]
+#![cfg(all(conduwuit_mods, feature = "conduwuit_mods"))]
 
 pub(crate) use libloading::os::unix::{Library, Symbol};
 
diff --git a/src/core/server.rs b/src/core/server.rs
index 8a4d9f66..948eea36 100644
--- a/src/core/server.rs
+++ b/src/core/server.rs
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ impl Server {
 	}
 
 	pub fn reload(&self) -> Result<()> {
-		if cfg!(not(conduwuit_mods)) {
+		if cfg!(any(not(conduwuit_mods), not(feature = "conduwuit_mods"))) {
 			return Err!("Reloading not enabled");
 		}
 
diff --git a/src/main/Cargo.toml b/src/main/Cargo.toml
index 38eb7188..baf5336f 100644
--- a/src/main/Cargo.toml
+++ b/src/main/Cargo.toml
@@ -135,6 +135,9 @@ zstd_compression = [
 	"conduwuit-database/zstd_compression",
 	"conduwuit-router/zstd_compression",
 ]
+conduwuit_mods = [
+    "conduwuit-core/conduwuit_mods",
+]
 
 [dependencies]
 conduwuit-admin.workspace = true
diff --git a/src/main/main.rs b/src/main/main.rs
index e7aaf3fc..dacc2a2e 100644
--- a/src/main/main.rs
+++ b/src/main/main.rs
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ fn main() -> Result<(), Error> {
 
 /// Operate the server normally in release-mode static builds. This will start,
 /// run and stop the server within the asynchronous runtime.
-#[cfg(not(conduwuit_mods))]
+#[cfg(any(not(conduwuit_mods), not(feature = "conduwuit_mods")))]
 #[tracing::instrument(
 	name = "main",
 	parent = None,
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ async fn async_main(server: &Arc<Server>) -> Result<(), Error> {
 /// Operate the server in developer-mode dynamic builds. This will start, run,
 /// and hot-reload portions of the server as-needed before returning for an
 /// actual shutdown. This is not available in release-mode or static builds.
-#[cfg(conduwuit_mods)]
+#[cfg(all(conduwuit_mods, feature = "conduwuit_mods"))]
 async fn async_main(server: &Arc<Server>) -> Result<(), Error> {
 	let mut starts = true;
 	let mut reloads = true;
diff --git a/src/main/mods.rs b/src/main/mods.rs
index ca799b90..9ab36e6c 100644
--- a/src/main/mods.rs
+++ b/src/main/mods.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#![cfg(conduwuit_mods)]
+#![cfg(all(conduwuit_mods, feature = "conduwuit_mods"))]
 
 #[unsafe(no_link)]
 extern crate conduwuit_service;
diff --git a/src/main/server.rs b/src/main/server.rs
index a81b708d..359a029c 100644
--- a/src/main/server.rs
+++ b/src/main/server.rs
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ pub(crate) struct Server {
 	#[cfg(feature = "sentry_telemetry")]
 	_sentry_guard: Option<::sentry::ClientInitGuard>,
 
-	#[cfg(conduwuit_mods)]
+	#[cfg(all(conduwuit_mods, feature = "conduwuit_mods"))]
 	// Module instances; TODO: move to mods::loaded mgmt vector
 	pub(crate) mods: tokio::sync::RwLock<Vec<conduwuit::mods::Module>>,
 }
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ impl Server {
 			#[cfg(feature = "sentry_telemetry")]
 			_sentry_guard: sentry_guard,
 
-			#[cfg(conduwuit_mods)]
+			#[cfg(all(conduwuit_mods, feature = "conduwuit_mods"))]
 			mods: tokio::sync::RwLock::new(Vec::new()),
 		}))
 	}
diff --git a/src/main/signal.rs b/src/main/signal.rs
index 0f541099..cecb718b 100644
--- a/src/main/signal.rs
+++ b/src/main/signal.rs
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ pub(super) async fn signal(server: Arc<Server>) {
 	use unix::SignalKind;
 
 	const CONSOLE: bool = cfg!(feature = "console");
-	const RELOADING: bool = cfg!(all(conduwuit_mods, not(CONSOLE)));
+	const RELOADING: bool = cfg!(all(conduwuit_mods, feature = "conduwuit_mods", not(CONSOLE)));
 
 	let mut quit = unix::signal(SignalKind::quit()).expect("SIGQUIT handler");
 	let mut term = unix::signal(SignalKind::terminate()).expect("SIGTERM handler");