diff --git a/.changeset/itchy-rabbits-exist.md b/.changeset/itchy-rabbits-exist.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..acac771a97
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/itchy-rabbits-exist.md
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+---
+'@backstage/cli': minor
+---
+
+The new backend start command that used to be enabled by setting `EXPERIMENTAL_BACKEND_START` is now the default. To revert to the old behavior, set `LEGACY_BACKEND_START` instead.
+
+This new command is no longer based on Webpack, but instead uses Node.js loaders to transpile on the fly. Rather than hot reloading modules the entire backend is now restarted on change, but the SQLite database state is still maintained across restarts via a parent process.
diff --git a/.github/vale/Vocab/Backstage/accept.txt b/.github/vale/Vocab/Backstage/accept.txt
index 4e3ef18a65..aadbaa3985 100644
--- a/.github/vale/Vocab/Backstage/accept.txt
+++ b/.github/vale/Vocab/Backstage/accept.txt
@@ -401,6 +401,7 @@ tooltip
 tooltips
 touchpoint
 transpilation
+transpile
 transpiled
 transpiler
 transpilers
diff --git a/packages/backend-next/package.json b/packages/backend-next/package.json
index 1ac1be2681..3a2c337013 100644
--- a/packages/backend-next/package.json
+++ b/packages/backend-next/package.json
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
     "backstage"
   ],
   "scripts": {
-    "start": "EXPERIMENTAL_BACKEND_START=1 backstage-cli package start",
+    "start": "backstage-cli package start",
     "build": "backstage-cli package build",
     "lint": "backstage-cli package lint",
     "test": "backstage-cli package test",
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/commands/start/startBackend.ts b/packages/cli/src/commands/start/startBackend.ts
index 622eeb9d1b..967a1108a0 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/commands/start/startBackend.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/commands/start/startBackend.ts
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ export async function startBackend(options: StartBackendOptions) {
     });
 
     await waitForExit();
-  } else if (process.env.EXPERIMENTAL_BACKEND_START) {
+  } else if (!process.env.LEGACY_BACKEND_START) {
     const waitForExit = await startBackendExperimental({
       entry: 'src/index',
       checksEnabled: false, // not supported