diff --git a/packages/cli/src/lib/bundler/server.ts b/packages/cli/src/lib/bundler/server.ts
index db046e1e18..653f02f5a5 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/lib/bundler/server.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/lib/bundler/server.ts
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ export async function serveBundle(options: ServeOptions) {
   const packageDetectionMode = options.fullConfig.getOptional(
     'app.experimental.packages',
   );
-  const extraPackages = [];
+  const extraPackages: string[] = [];
   if (packageDetectionMode === 'all') {
     for (const depName of Object.keys(pkg.dependencies ?? {})) {
       const depPackageJson: BackstagePackageJson = require(require.resolve(
@@ -61,9 +61,10 @@ export async function serveBundle(options: ServeOptions) {
       }
     }
   } else {
-    const packagesList = Array.isArray(packageDetectionMode)
-      ? packageDetectionMode
-      : [];
+    const packagesList = options.fullConfig.getStringArray(
+      'app.experimental.packages',
+    );
+
     for (const depName of packagesList ?? []) {
       const depPackageJson: BackstagePackageJson = require(require.resolve(
         `${depName}/package.json`,
@@ -203,7 +204,6 @@ export async function serveBundle(options: ServeOptions) {
           : false,
       host,
       port,
-      proxy: pkg.proxy,
       // When the dev server is behind a proxy, the host and public hostname differ
       allowedHosts: [url.hostname],
       client: {