diff --git a/docker/services/swh-web/entrypoint.sh b/docker/services/swh-web/entrypoint.sh
index b8de8bb..c828f46 100755
--- a/docker/services/swh-web/entrypoint.sh
+++ b/docker/services/swh-web/entrypoint.sh
@@ -1,64 +1,54 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
 set -e
 
 source /srv/softwareheritage/utils/pgsql.sh
 setup_pgsql
 
-# when overriding swh-web sources only
-if [[ -d /src/swh-web ]] ; then
-    echo "Install and compile swh-web static assets"
-    pushd /src/swh-web
-    yarn install --frozen-lockfile
-    # execute webpack-dev-server in background
-    yarn start-dev&
-    popd
-fi
-
 source /srv/softwareheritage/utils/pyutils.sh
 setup_pip
 
 case "$1" in
     "shell")
         exec bash -i
         ;;
     "cron")
         wait-for-it swh-web:5004 -s --timeout=0
 
         echo "Start periodic save code now refresh statuses routine (in background)"
         exec sh -c 'trap exit TERM INT; while :; do
         (date && django-admin refresh_savecodenow_statuses \
                   --settings=${DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE} 2>&1)
         sleep 15 &
         wait ${!}
         done'
         ;;
 
      *)
         wait_pgsql
 
         echo "Migrating db using ${DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE}"
         django-admin migrate --settings=${DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE}
 
         echo "Creating Django test users"
         SWH_WEB_SRC_DIR=$(python3 -c "import os; from swh import web; print(os.path.dirname(web.__file__))")
         for create_user_script in $SWH_WEB_SRC_DIR/tests/create_test_*
         do
             cat $create_user_script | python3 -m swh.web.manage shell
         done
 
         echo "starting the swh-web server"
         if [[ -d /src/swh-web ]] ; then
             # run django development server when overriding swh-web sources
             exec django-admin runserver --nostatic --settings=${DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE} 0.0.0.0:5004
         else
             # run gunicorn workers as in production otherwise
             exec gunicorn --bind 0.0.0.0:5004 \
                 --threads 2 \
                 --workers 2 \
                 --timeout 3600 \
                 --access-logfile '-' \
                 --config 'python:swh.web.gunicorn_config' \
                 'django.core.wsgi:get_wsgi_application()'
         fi
 esac
diff --git a/docker/utils/pyutils.sh b/docker/utils/pyutils.sh
index bb3237b..f5c226a 100755
--- a/docker/utils/pyutils.sh
+++ b/docker/utils/pyutils.sh
@@ -1,28 +1,42 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
-
 setup_pip () {
   echo Using pip from $(which pip)
 
   if [[ -d /src ]] ; then
     tmpdir=`mktemp -d`
     pushd /src
     for srcrepo in swh-* ; do
-      if [ -w $srcrepo ]
-      then
-        # Install package in editable mode if source directory is writable
-        pip install -e $srcrepo
-      else
+      if [ ! -w $srcrepo ]; then
+        echo "$srcrepo is read-only; install from a local copy"
         # Source directories might not be writeable, but building them writes
         # in-tree; so we're copying them to a location guaranteed to be writeable.
         rsync -a --chmod=+w $srcrepo $tmpdir/ --exclude "*/__pycache__/" --exclude "*/.tox/" --exclude "*/.hypothesis/"
-        pip install $tmpdir/$srcrepo
+        pushd $tmpdir/$srcrepo
+      else
+        pushd $srcrepo
+      fi
+      # Install package in editable mode if source directory is writable
+      pip install -e .
+      # swh-web special case to handle frontend assets compilation
+      if [ -f package.json ]; then
+        yarn install --frozen-lockfile
+        if [ ! -w . ]; then
+          # swh-web source directory is not writable, there is no interest to
+          # use webpack-dev-server as we made a copy of assets source files,
+          # simply compile the assets then
+          yarn build-dev
+        else
+          # webpack-dev-server can be used, web application will be automatically
+          # reloaded in the browser when modifying assets sources (js, css, ...)
+          yarn start-dev&
+        fi
       fi
+      popd
     done
     popd
-    rm -rf $tmpdir
   fi
 
   echo Installed Python packages:
   pip list
 }