diff --git a/domain-server/src/AssetsBackupHandler.cpp b/domain-server/src/AssetsBackupHandler.cpp
index 2369b01690..6bcabc0bf1 100644
--- a/domain-server/src/AssetsBackupHandler.cpp
+++ b/domain-server/src/AssetsBackupHandler.cpp
@@ -34,8 +34,9 @@ static const chrono::minutes MAX_REFRESH_TIME { 5 };
 Q_DECLARE_LOGGING_CATEGORY(asset_backup)
 Q_LOGGING_CATEGORY(asset_backup, "hifi.asset-backup");
 
-AssetsBackupHandler::AssetsBackupHandler(const QString& backupDirectory) :
-    _assetsDirectory(backupDirectory + ASSETS_DIR)
+AssetsBackupHandler::AssetsBackupHandler(const QString& backupDirectory, bool assetServerEnabled) :
+    _assetsDirectory(backupDirectory + ASSETS_DIR),
+    _assetServerEnabled(assetServerEnabled)
 {
     // Make sure the asset directory exists.
     QDir(_assetsDirectory).mkpath(".");
@@ -53,6 +54,7 @@ void AssetsBackupHandler::setupRefreshTimer() {
     auto nodeList = DependencyManager::get<LimitedNodeList>();
     QObject::connect(nodeList.data(), &LimitedNodeList::nodeActivated, this, [this](SharedNodePointer node) {
         if (node->getType() == NodeType::AssetServer) {
+            assert(_assetServerEnabled);
             // run immediately for the first time.
             _mappingsRefreshTimer.start(0);
         }
@@ -233,12 +235,12 @@ void AssetsBackupHandler::createBackup(const QString& backupName, QuaZip& zip) {
         return;
     }
 
-    if (_lastMappingsRefresh.time_since_epoch().count() == 0) {
+    if (_assetServerEnabled && _lastMappingsRefresh.time_since_epoch().count() == 0) {
         qCWarning(asset_backup) << "Current mappings not yet loaded.";
         return;
     }
 
-    if ((p_high_resolution_clock::now() - _lastMappingsRefresh) > MAX_REFRESH_TIME) {
+    if (_assetServerEnabled && (p_high_resolution_clock::now() - _lastMappingsRefresh) > MAX_REFRESH_TIME) {
         qCWarning(asset_backup) << "Backing up asset mappings that might be stale.";
     }
 
diff --git a/domain-server/src/AssetsBackupHandler.h b/domain-server/src/AssetsBackupHandler.h
index 82d684c2c3..427dc6831a 100644
--- a/domain-server/src/AssetsBackupHandler.h
+++ b/domain-server/src/AssetsBackupHandler.h
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ class AssetsBackupHandler : public QObject, public BackupHandlerInterface {
     Q_OBJECT
 
 public:
-    AssetsBackupHandler(const QString& backupDirectory);
+    AssetsBackupHandler(const QString& backupDirectory, bool assetServerEnabled);
 
     std::pair<bool, float> isAvailable(const QString& backupName) override;
     std::pair<bool, float> getRecoveryStatus() override;
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ private:
     void updateMappings();
 
     QString _assetsDirectory;
+    bool _assetServerEnabled { false };
 
     QTimer _mappingsRefreshTimer;
     p_high_resolution_clock::time_point _lastMappingsRefresh;
diff --git a/domain-server/src/DomainServer.cpp b/domain-server/src/DomainServer.cpp
index 4e65df495c..45a911d097 100644
--- a/domain-server/src/DomainServer.cpp
+++ b/domain-server/src/DomainServer.cpp
@@ -308,7 +308,7 @@ DomainServer::DomainServer(int argc, char* argv[]) :
 
     connect(_contentManager.get(), &DomainContentBackupManager::started, _contentManager.get(), [this](){
         _contentManager->addBackupHandler(BackupHandlerPointer(new EntitiesBackupHandler(getEntitiesFilePath(), getEntitiesReplacementFilePath())));
-        _contentManager->addBackupHandler(BackupHandlerPointer(new AssetsBackupHandler(getContentBackupDir())));
+        _contentManager->addBackupHandler(BackupHandlerPointer(new AssetsBackupHandler(getContentBackupDir(), isAssetServerEnabled())));
         _contentManager->addBackupHandler(BackupHandlerPointer(new ContentSettingsBackupHandler(_settingsManager)));
     });
 
@@ -990,15 +990,11 @@ void DomainServer::populateDefaultStaticAssignmentsExcludingTypes(const QSet<Ass
          defaultedType =  static_cast<Assignment::Type>(static_cast<int>(defaultedType) + 1)) {
         if (!excludedTypes.contains(defaultedType) && defaultedType != Assignment::AgentType) {
 
-            if (defaultedType == Assignment::AssetServerType) {
-                // Make sure the asset-server is enabled before adding it here.
-                // Initially we do not assign it by default so we can test it in HF domains first
-                static const QString ASSET_SERVER_ENABLED_KEYPATH = "asset_server.enabled";
-
-                if (!_settingsManager.valueOrDefaultValueForKeyPath(ASSET_SERVER_ENABLED_KEYPATH).toBool()) {
-                    // skip to the next iteration if asset-server isn't enabled
-                    continue;
-                }
+            // Make sure the asset-server is enabled before adding it here.
+            // Initially we do not assign it by default so we can test it in HF domains first
+            if (defaultedType == Assignment::AssetServerType && !isAssetServerEnabled()) {
+                // skip to the next iteraion if asset-server isn't enabled
+                continue;
             }
 
             // type has not been set from a command line or config file config, use the default
@@ -2945,6 +2941,12 @@ bool DomainServer::shouldReplicateNode(const Node& node) {
     }
 };
 
+
+bool DomainServer::isAssetServerEnabled() {
+    static const QString ASSET_SERVER_ENABLED_KEYPATH = "asset_server.enabled";
+    return _settingsManager.valueOrDefaultValueForKeyPath(ASSET_SERVER_ENABLED_KEYPATH).toBool();
+}
+
 void DomainServer::nodeAdded(SharedNodePointer node) {
     // we don't use updateNodeWithData, so add the DomainServerNodeData to the node here
     node->setLinkedData(std::unique_ptr<DomainServerNodeData> { new DomainServerNodeData() });
diff --git a/domain-server/src/DomainServer.h b/domain-server/src/DomainServer.h
index 01adbd99a9..d128ae068c 100644
--- a/domain-server/src/DomainServer.h
+++ b/domain-server/src/DomainServer.h
@@ -72,6 +72,8 @@ public:
 
     static const QString REPLACEMENT_FILE_EXTENSION;
 
+    bool isAssetServerEnabled();
+
 public slots:
     /// Called by NodeList to inform us a node has been added
     void nodeAdded(SharedNodePointer node);