I'd like to revisit this for JSF2.1 - https://javaserverfaces-spec-public.dev.java.net/issues/show_bug.cgi?id=499 Project stage is something that needs to be configurable without modifying the underlying WAR (and while JNDI support is provided, it requires container configuration, admittedly not a huge downside.) However, for those who do not primarily use JNDI for configuration, a -D system property makes a lot of sense. I'd also like to propose one other enhancement, which is runtime configuration of the PROJECT_STAGE through an exposed API. This is something that I think should be able to turn on and off while the server is running (For the same reason it must be possible to enable or disable debug logging or auditing at runtime.) A simple API on javax.faces.application.Application to grant functionality of setting PROJECT_STAGE. This is something that is very easy for us to do, but also grants extreme flexibility, allowing people to use it how they please. public void setProjectStage(ProjectStage) { ... } Thoughts? Thanks, -- Lincoln Baxter, III http://ocpsoft.com http://scrumshark.com "Keep it Simple"