diff --git a/cmd/init.go b/cmd/init.go
index 5dd3811f9..aa983e685 100644
--- a/cmd/init.go
+++ b/cmd/init.go
@@ -126,10 +126,6 @@ func initFS(staticDir, i18nDir string) stuffbin.FileSystem {
 			"config.toml.sample",
 			"queries.sql",
 			"schema.sql",
-			"static/email-templates",
-
-			// Alias /static/public to /public for the HTTP fileserver.
-			"static/public:/public",
 
 			// The frontend app's static assets are aliased to /frontend
 			// so that they are accessible at /frontend/js/* etc.
@@ -139,6 +135,11 @@ func initFS(staticDir, i18nDir string) stuffbin.FileSystem {
 			"i18n:/i18n",
 		}
 
+		// If no external static dir is provided, try to load from the working dir.
+		if staticDir == "" {
+			files = append(files, "static/email-templates", "static/public:/public")
+		}
+
 		fs, err = stuffbin.NewLocalFS("/", files...)
 		if err != nil {
 			lo.Fatalf("failed to initialize local file for assets: %v", err)