diff --git a/examples/custom-server/.env.example b/examples/custom-server/.env.example
index bb16827c88..8e607e9b0b 100644
--- a/examples/custom-server/.env.example
+++ b/examples/custom-server/.env.example
@@ -3,4 +3,3 @@ PAYLOAD_SECRET=PAYLOAD_CUSTOM_SERVER_EXAMPLE_SECRET_KEY
 PAYLOAD_PUBLIC_SERVER_URL=http://localhost:3000
 NEXT_PUBLIC_SERVER_URL=http://localhost:3000
 PAYLOAD_SEED=true
-PAYLOAD_DROP_DATABASE=true
diff --git a/examples/custom-server/src/app/page.tsx b/examples/custom-server/src/app/page.tsx
index 8de752082d..8b7c78cec7 100644
--- a/examples/custom-server/src/app/page.tsx
+++ b/examples/custom-server/src/app/page.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import React, { Fragment } from 'react'
 import { notFound } from 'next/navigation'
 
+import { getPayloadClient } from '../getPayload'
 import { Page } from './../payload-types'
 import { Gutter } from './_components/Gutter'
 import { RichText } from './_components/RichText'
@@ -8,11 +9,17 @@ import { RichText } from './_components/RichText'
 import classes from './page.module.scss'
 
 export default async function Home() {
-  const home: Page = await fetch(
-    `${process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_SERVER_URL}/api/pages?where[slug][equals]=home`,
-  )
-    .then(res => res.json())
-    .then(res => res?.docs?.[0])
+  const payload = await getPayloadClient()
+  const { docs } = await payload.find({
+    collection: 'pages',
+    where: {
+      slug: {
+        equals: 'home',
+      },
+    },
+  })
+
+  const home = docs?.[0] as Page
 
   if (!home) {
     return notFound()
diff --git a/examples/custom-server/src/getPayload.ts b/examples/custom-server/src/getPayload.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..2c33560b26
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/custom-server/src/getPayload.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+import dotenv from 'dotenv'
+import path from 'path'
+import type { Payload } from 'payload'
+import payload from 'payload'
+import type { InitOptions } from 'payload/config'
+
+import { seed as seedData } from './seed'
+
+dotenv.config({
+  path: path.resolve(__dirname, '../.env'),
+})
+
+let cached = (global as any).payload
+
+if (!cached) {
+  cached = (global as any).payload = { client: null, promise: null }
+}
+
+interface Args {
+  initOptions?: Partial<InitOptions>
+  seed?: boolean
+}
+
+export const getPayloadClient = async ({ initOptions, seed }: Args = {}): Promise<Payload> => {
+  if (!process.env.MONGODB_URI) {
+    throw new Error('MONGODB_URI environment variable is missing')
+  }
+
+  if (!process.env.PAYLOAD_SECRET) {
+    throw new Error('PAYLOAD_SECRET environment variable is missing')
+  }
+
+  if (cached.client) {
+    return cached.client
+  }
+
+  if (!cached.promise) {
+    cached.promise = payload.init({
+      mongoURL: process.env.MONGODB_URI,
+      secret: process.env.PAYLOAD_SECRET,
+      local: initOptions?.express ? false : true,
+      ...(initOptions || {}),
+    })
+  }
+
+  try {
+    cached.client = await cached.promise
+
+    if (seed) {
+      payload.logger.info('---- SEEDING DATABASE ----')
+      process.env.PAYLOAD_DROP_DATABASE = 'true'
+      await seedData(payload)
+      process.env.PAYLOAD_DROP_DATABASE = 'false'
+    }
+  } catch (e: unknown) {
+    cached.promise = null
+    throw e
+  }
+
+  return cached.client
+}
diff --git a/examples/custom-server/src/server.ts b/examples/custom-server/src/server.ts
index 727ca6e990..d9b2de20f1 100644
--- a/examples/custom-server/src/server.ts
+++ b/examples/custom-server/src/server.ts
@@ -8,28 +8,23 @@ dotenv.config({
 })
 
 import express from 'express'
-import payload from 'payload'
 
-import { seed } from './seed'
+import { getPayloadClient } from './getPayload'
 
 const app = express()
 const PORT = process.env.PORT || 3000
 
 const start = async (): Promise<void> => {
-  await payload.init({
-    secret: process.env.PAYLOAD_SECRET || '',
-    mongoURL: process.env.MONGODB_URI || '',
-    express: app,
-    onInit: () => {
-      payload.logger.info(`Payload Admin URL: ${payload.getAdminURL()}`)
+  const payload = await getPayloadClient({
+    initOptions: {
+      express: app,
+      onInit: async newPayload => {
+        newPayload.logger.info(`Payload Admin URL: ${newPayload.getAdminURL()}`)
+      },
     },
+    seed: process.env.PAYLOAD_SEED === 'true',
   })
 
-  if (process.env.PAYLOAD_SEED === 'true') {
-    payload.logger.info('---- SEEDING DATABASE ----')
-    await seed(payload)
-  }
-
   if (process.env.NEXT_BUILD) {
     app.listen(PORT, async () => {
       payload.logger.info(`Next.js is now building...`)