diff --git a/packages/core/strapi/lib/Strapi.js b/packages/core/strapi/lib/Strapi.js
index 35a3f539c4..91e05c1cf1 100644
--- a/packages/core/strapi/lib/Strapi.js
+++ b/packages/core/strapi/lib/Strapi.js
@@ -48,15 +48,40 @@ const LIFECYCLES = {
   DESTROY: 'destroy',
 };
 
+/**
+ * Resolve the working directories based on the instance options.
+ *
+ * Behavior:
+ * - `appDir` is the directory where Strapi will write every file (schemas, generated APIs, controllers or services)
+ * - `distDir` is the directory where Strapi will read configurations, schemas and any compiled code
+ *
+ * Default values:
+ * - If `appDir` is `undefined`, it'll be set to `process.cwd()`
+ * - If `distDir` is `undefined`, it'll be set to `appDir`
+ */
+const resolveWorkingDirectories = opts => {
+  const cwd = process.cwd();
+
+  const appDir = opts.appDir ? path.resolve(cwd, opts.appDir) : cwd;
+  const distDir = opts.distDir ? path.resolve(cwd, opts.distDir) : appDir;
+
+  return { appDir, distDir };
+};
+
 class Strapi {
   constructor(opts = {}) {
     destroyOnSignal(this);
-    this.dirs = utils.getDirs({
-      appDir: process.cwd(),
-      distDir: opts.dir ? path.resolve(process.cwd(), opts.dir) : process.cwd(),
-    });
+
+    // Create a mapping of every useful directory (both for the app and dist directories)
+    this.dirs = utils.getDirs(resolveWorkingDirectories(opts));
+
+    // Load the app configuration from the dist directory
     const appConfig = loadConfiguration(this.dirs.dist.root, opts);
+
+    // Instanciate the Strapi container
     this.container = createContainer(this);
+
+    // Register every Strapi registry in the container
     this.container.register('config', createConfigProvider(appConfig));
     this.container.register('content-types', contentTypesRegistry(this));
     this.container.register('services', servicesRegistry(this));
@@ -69,10 +94,14 @@ class Strapi {
     this.container.register('apis', apisRegistry(this));
     this.container.register('auth', createAuth(this));
 
+    // Strapi state management variables
     this.isLoaded = false;
     this.reload = this.reload();
+
+    // Instanciate the Koa app & the HTTP server
     this.server = createServer(this);
 
+    // Strapi utils instanciation
     this.fs = createStrapiFs(this);
     this.eventHub = createEventHub();
     this.startupLogger = createStartupLogger(this);
diff --git a/packages/core/strapi/lib/commands/builders/admin.js b/packages/core/strapi/lib/commands/builders/admin.js
index 547c698168..bb7cdefa0e 100644
--- a/packages/core/strapi/lib/commands/builders/admin.js
+++ b/packages/core/strapi/lib/commands/builders/admin.js
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ const getEnabledPlugins = require('../../core/loaders/plugins/get-enabled-plugin
 module.exports = async ({ buildDestDir, forceBuild = true, isTSProject, optimization, srcDir }) => {
   const strapiInstance = strapi({
     // TODO check if this is working @convly
-    dir: buildDestDir,
+    distDir: buildDestDir,
     autoReload: true,
     serveAdminPanel: false,
   });
diff --git a/packages/core/strapi/lib/commands/start.js b/packages/core/strapi/lib/commands/start.js
index 24daed1e94..802972ebed 100644
--- a/packages/core/strapi/lib/commands/start.js
+++ b/packages/core/strapi/lib/commands/start.js
@@ -5,4 +5,4 @@ const strapi = require('../index');
 /**
  * `$ strapi start`
  */
-module.exports = dir => strapi({ dir }).start();
+module.exports = distDir => strapi({ distDir }).start();
diff --git a/packages/core/strapi/lib/commands/watchAdmin.js b/packages/core/strapi/lib/commands/watchAdmin.js
index b698ad8fdb..d10e63889d 100644
--- a/packages/core/strapi/lib/commands/watchAdmin.js
+++ b/packages/core/strapi/lib/commands/watchAdmin.js
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ module.exports = async function({ browser }) {
   const buildDestDir = isTSProject ? path.join(currentDirectory, 'dist') : currentDirectory;
 
   const strapiInstance = strapi({
-    dir: buildDestDir,
+    distDir: buildDestDir,
     autoReload: true,
     serveAdminPanel: false,
   });
diff --git a/test/helpers/strapi.js b/test/helpers/strapi.js
index 8b41dbde0c..919f89f477 100644
--- a/test/helpers/strapi.js
+++ b/test/helpers/strapi.js
@@ -24,7 +24,10 @@ const createStrapiInstance = async ({
 } = {}) => {
   // read .env file as it could have been updated
   dotenv.config({ path: process.env.ENV_PATH });
-  const options = { dir: TEST_APP_URL };
+  const options = {
+    appDir: TEST_APP_URL,
+    distDir: TEST_APP_URL,
+  };
   const instance = strapi(options);
 
   if (bypassAuth) {