diff --git a/Barotrauma/BarotraumaShared/SharedSource/LuaCs/LuaCsSetup.cs b/Barotrauma/BarotraumaShared/SharedSource/LuaCs/LuaCsSetup.cs
index a141890f0..619ea555d 100644
--- a/Barotrauma/BarotraumaShared/SharedSource/LuaCs/LuaCsSetup.cs
+++ b/Barotrauma/BarotraumaShared/SharedSource/LuaCs/LuaCsSetup.cs
@@ -53,6 +53,18 @@ namespace Barotrauma
         public const bool IsClient = true;
 #endif
 
+        public static bool IsRunningInsideWorkshop
+        {
+            get
+            {
+#if SERVER
+                return Path.GetDirectoryName(System.Reflection.Assembly.GetEntryAssembly().Location) == Directory.GetCurrentDirectory();
+#else
+                return false; // unnecessary but just keeps things clear that this is NOT for client stuff
+#endif
+            }
+        }
+
         private static int executionNumber = 0;
 
 
diff --git a/Barotrauma/BarotraumaShared/SharedSource/LuaCs/Plugins/CsPackageManager.cs b/Barotrauma/BarotraumaShared/SharedSource/LuaCs/Plugins/CsPackageManager.cs
index 4ae563c26..84784a161 100644
--- a/Barotrauma/BarotraumaShared/SharedSource/LuaCs/Plugins/CsPackageManager.cs
+++ b/Barotrauma/BarotraumaShared/SharedSource/LuaCs/Plugins/CsPackageManager.cs
@@ -334,10 +334,12 @@ public sealed class CsPackageManager : IDisposable
         
         void GetFiles(List<string> list, string searchQuery)
         {
+            bool workshopFirst = _luaCsSetup.Config.PreferToUseWorkshopLuaSetup || LuaCsSetup.IsRunningInsideWorkshop;
+
             var publicizedDir = Path.Combine(Environment.CurrentDirectory, "Publicized");
             
             // if using workshop lua setup is checked, try to use the publicized assemblies in the content package there instead.
-            if (_luaCsSetup.Config.PreferToUseWorkshopLuaSetup)
+            if (workshopFirst)
             {
                 var pck = LuaCsSetup.GetPackage(LuaCsSetup.LuaForBarotraumaId);
                 if (pck is not null)
@@ -353,7 +355,7 @@ public sealed class CsPackageManager : IDisposable
             // no directory found, use the other one
             catch (DirectoryNotFoundException)
             {
-                if (_luaCsSetup.Config.PreferToUseWorkshopLuaSetup)
+                if (workshopFirst)
                 {
                     ModUtils.Logging.PrintError($"Unable to find <LuaCsPackage>/Binary/Publicized/ . Using Game folder instead.");
                     publicizedDir = Path.Combine(Environment.CurrentDirectory, "Publicized");