diff --git a/templates/webpack.angular.js b/templates/webpack.angular.js
index d244b5d6..a10d2b96 100644
--- a/templates/webpack.angular.js
+++ b/templates/webpack.angular.js
@@ -243,14 +243,6 @@ module.exports = env => {
             }),
             // Remove all files from the out dir.
             new CleanWebpackPlugin([`${dist}/**/*`]),
-            // Copy native app resources to out dir.
-            new CopyWebpackPlugin([
-                {
-                    from: `${appResourcesFullPath}/${appResourcesPlatformDir}`,
-                    to: `${dist}/App_Resources/${appResourcesPlatformDir}`,
-                    context: projectRoot
-                },
-            ]),
             // Copy assets to out dir. Add your own globs as needed.
             new CopyWebpackPlugin([
                 { from: { glob: "fonts/**" } },
@@ -277,6 +269,18 @@ module.exports = env => {
         ],
     };
 
+    // Copy the native app resources to the out dir
+    // only if doing a full build (tns run/build) and not previewing (tns preview)
+    if (!externals || externals.length === 0) {
+        config.plugins.push(new CopyWebpackPlugin([
+            {
+                from: `${appResourcesFullPath}/${appResourcesPlatformDir}`,
+                to: `${dist}/App_Resources/${appResourcesPlatformDir}`,
+                context: projectRoot
+            },
+        ]));
+    }
+
 
     if (report) {
         // Generate report files for bundles content
diff --git a/templates/webpack.config.spec.ts b/templates/webpack.config.spec.ts
index 74c6f41e..ee5a62dc 100644
--- a/templates/webpack.config.spec.ts
+++ b/templates/webpack.config.spec.ts
@@ -83,7 +83,8 @@ describe('webpack.config.js', () => {
                     });
 
                     it('returns empty array when externals are not passed', () => {
-                        const config = webpackConfig(getInput({ platform }));
+                        const input = getInput({ platform });
+                        const config = webpackConfig(input);
                         expect(config.externals).toEqual([]);
                     });
 
diff --git a/templates/webpack.javascript.js b/templates/webpack.javascript.js
index b2b6d3fa..c98cdad7 100644
--- a/templates/webpack.javascript.js
+++ b/templates/webpack.javascript.js
@@ -195,14 +195,6 @@ module.exports = env => {
             }),
             // Remove all files from the out dir.
             new CleanWebpackPlugin([ `${dist}/**/*` ]),
-           // Copy native app resources to out dir.
-            new CopyWebpackPlugin([
-              {
-                from: `${appResourcesFullPath}/${appResourcesPlatformDir}`,
-                to: `${dist}/App_Resources/${appResourcesPlatformDir}`,
-                context: projectRoot
-              },
-            ]),
             // Copy assets to out dir. Add your own globs as needed.
             new CopyWebpackPlugin([
                 { from: { glob: "fonts/**" } },
@@ -232,6 +224,18 @@ module.exports = env => {
         ],
     };
 
+    // Copy the native app resources to the out dir
+    // only if doing a full build (tns run/build) and not previewing (tns preview)
+    if (!externals || externals.length === 0) {
+        config.plugins.push(new CopyWebpackPlugin([
+            {
+                from: `${appResourcesFullPath}/${appResourcesPlatformDir}`,
+                to: `${dist}/App_Resources/${appResourcesPlatformDir}`,
+                context: projectRoot
+            },
+        ]));
+    }
+
     if (report) {
         // Generate report files for bundles content
         config.plugins.push(new BundleAnalyzerPlugin({
diff --git a/templates/webpack.typescript.js b/templates/webpack.typescript.js
index 8f970251..ec088514 100644
--- a/templates/webpack.typescript.js
+++ b/templates/webpack.typescript.js
@@ -208,14 +208,6 @@ module.exports = env => {
             }),
             // Remove all files from the out dir.
             new CleanWebpackPlugin([ `${dist}/**/*` ]),
-            // Copy native app resources to out dir.
-            new CopyWebpackPlugin([
-              {
-                from: `${appResourcesFullPath}/${appResourcesPlatformDir}`,
-                to: `${dist}/App_Resources/${appResourcesPlatformDir}`,
-                context: projectRoot
-              },
-            ]),
             // Copy assets to out dir. Add your own globs as needed.
             new CopyWebpackPlugin([
                 { from: { glob: "fonts/**" } },
@@ -245,6 +237,18 @@ module.exports = env => {
         ],
     };
 
+    // Copy the native app resources to the out dir
+    // only if doing a full build (tns run/build) and not previewing (tns preview)
+    if (!externals || externals.length === 0) {
+        config.plugins.push(new CopyWebpackPlugin([
+            {
+                from: `${appResourcesFullPath}/${appResourcesPlatformDir}`,
+                to: `${dist}/App_Resources/${appResourcesPlatformDir}`,
+                context: projectRoot
+            },
+        ]));
+    }
+
     if (report) {
         // Generate report files for bundles content
         config.plugins.push(new BundleAnalyzerPlugin({
diff --git a/templates/webpack.vue.js b/templates/webpack.vue.js
index def82f1a..4ad892d3 100644
--- a/templates/webpack.vue.js
+++ b/templates/webpack.vue.js
@@ -217,12 +217,6 @@ module.exports = env => {
             }),
             // Remove all files from the out dir.
             new CleanWebpackPlugin([`${dist}/**/*`]),
-            // Copy native app resources to out dir.
-            new CopyWebpackPlugin([{
-                from: `${appResourcesFullPath}/${appResourcesPlatformDir}`,
-                to: `${dist}/App_Resources/${appResourcesPlatformDir}`,
-                context: projectRoot,
-            }]),
             // Copy assets to out dir. Add your own globs as needed.
             new CopyWebpackPlugin([
                 { from: { glob: "fonts/**" } },
@@ -252,6 +246,18 @@ module.exports = env => {
         ],
     };
 
+    // Copy the native app resources to the out dir
+    // only if doing a full build (tns run/build) and not previewing (tns preview)
+    if (!externals || externals.length === 0) {
+        config.plugins.push(new CopyWebpackPlugin([
+            {
+                from: `${appResourcesFullPath}/${appResourcesPlatformDir}`,
+                to: `${dist}/App_Resources/${appResourcesPlatformDir}`,
+                context: projectRoot
+            },
+        ]));
+    }
+
     if (report) {
         // Generate report files for bundles content
         config.plugins.push(new BundleAnalyzerPlugin({