diff --git a/config-sample.ini b/config-sample.ini
index c7f5f2df2..a18d940a4 100644
--- a/config-sample.ini
+++ b/config-sample.ini
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 instanceName=
 
 [Network]
+# port setting is relevant only for web deployments, desktop builds run on random free port
 port=8080
 # true for TLS/SSL/HTTPS (secure), false for HTTP (unsecure).
 https=false
diff --git a/electron.js b/electron.js
index 99eb48c29..867cbfc0b 100644
--- a/electron.js
+++ b/electron.js
@@ -2,9 +2,9 @@
 
 const electron = require('electron');
 const path = require('path');
-const config = require('./src/services/config');
 const log = require('./src/services/log');
 const url = require("url");
+const port = require('./src/services/port');
 
 const app = electron.app;
 const globalShortcut = electron.globalShortcut;
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ function onClosed() {
     mainWindow = null;
 }
 
-function createMainWindow() {
+async function createMainWindow() {
     const win = new electron.BrowserWindow({
         width: 1200,
         height: 900,
@@ -31,10 +31,8 @@ function createMainWindow() {
         icon: path.join(__dirname, 'src/public/images/app-icons/png/256x256.png')
     });
 
-    const port = config['Network']['port'] || '3000';
-
     win.setMenu(null);
-    win.loadURL('http://localhost:' + port);
+    win.loadURL('http://localhost:' + await port);
     win.on('closed', onClosed);
 
     win.webContents.on('new-window', (e, url) => {
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 5020ac50d..14d8725c7 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@
     "express": "~4.16.3",
     "express-session": "^1.15.6",
     "fs-extra": "^6.0.1",
+    "get-port": "^4.0.0",
     "helmet": "^3.12.1",
     "html": "^1.0.0",
     "image-type": "^3.0.0",
diff --git a/src/services/port.js b/src/services/port.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4748c98e6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/services/port.js
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+const getPort = require('get-port');
+const config = require('./config');
+const utils = require('./utils');
+
+if (utils.isElectron()) {
+    module.exports = getPort();
+}
+else {
+    module.exports = Promise.resolve(config['Network']['port'] || '3000');
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/www b/src/www
index 146acfed6..28d9a982d 100755
--- a/src/www
+++ b/src/www
@@ -18,70 +18,53 @@ const log = require('./services/log');
 const appInfo = require('./services/app_info');
 const messagingService = require('./services/messaging');
 const utils = require('./services/utils');
-const sqlInit = require('./services/sql_init.js');
+const sqlInit = require('./services/sql_init');
+const port = require('./services/port');
 
-const port = normalizePort(config['Network']['port'] || '3000');
-app.set('port', port);
-
-/**
- * Create HTTP server.
- */
 let httpServer;
 
-if (config['Network']['https']) {
-    const options = {
-        key: fs.readFileSync(config['Network']['keyPath']),
-        cert: fs.readFileSync(config['Network']['certPath'])
-    };
+async function startTrilium() {
+    const usedPort = await port;
 
-    httpServer = https.createServer(options, app);
+    app.set('port', usedPort);
 
-    log.info("App HTTPS server starting up at port " + port);
-}
-else {
-    httpServer = http.createServer(app);
+    if (config['Network']['https']) {
+        const options = {
+            key: fs.readFileSync(config['Network']['keyPath']),
+            cert: fs.readFileSync(config['Network']['certPath'])
+        };
 
-    log.info("App HTTP server starting up at port " + port);
-}
+        httpServer = https.createServer(options, app);
 
-log.info(JSON.stringify(appInfo, null, 2));
+        log.info("App HTTPS server starting up at port " + usedPort);
+    }
+    else {
+        httpServer = http.createServer(app);
 
-/**
- * Listen on provided port, on all network interfaces.
- */
-
-httpServer.keepAliveTimeout = 120000 * 5;
-httpServer.listen(port);
-httpServer.on('error', onError);
-httpServer.on('listening', onListening);
-
-sqlInit.dbReady.then(() => messagingService.init(httpServer, sessionParser));
-
-if (utils.isElectron()) {
-    const electronRouting = require('./routes/electron');
-    electronRouting(app);
-}
-
-/**
- * Normalize a port into a number, string, or false.
- */
-
-function normalizePort(val) {
-    const port = parseInt(val, 10);
-
-    if (isNaN(port)) {
-        // named pipe
-        return val;
+        log.info("App HTTP server starting up at port " + usedPort);
     }
 
-    if (port >= 0) {
-        // port number
-        return port;
-    }
+    log.info(JSON.stringify(appInfo, null, 2));
 
-    return false;
+    /**
+     * Listen on provided port, on all network interfaces.
+     */
+
+    httpServer.keepAliveTimeout = 120000 * 5;
+    httpServer.listen(usedPort);
+    httpServer.on('error', onError);
+    httpServer.on('listening', () => debug('Listening on port' + httpServer.address().port));
+
+    sqlInit.dbReady.then(() => messagingService.init(httpServer, sessionParser));
+
+    if (utils.isElectron()) {
+        const electronRouting = require('./routes/electron');
+        electronRouting(app);
+    }
 }
 
+startTrilium();
+
 /**
  * Event listener for HTTP server "error" event.
  */
@@ -91,36 +74,19 @@ function onError(error) {
         throw error;
     }
 
-    const bind = typeof port === 'string'
-        ? 'Pipe ' + port
-        : 'Port ' + port;
-
     // handle specific listen errors with friendly messages
     switch (error.code) {
         case 'EACCES':
-            console.error(bind + ' requires elevated privileges');
+            console.error('Port requires elevated privileges');
             process.exit(1);
         break;
 
         case 'EADDRINUSE':
-            console.error(bind + ' is already in use');
+            console.error('Port is already in use');
             process.exit(1);
         break;
 
         default:
             throw error;
     }
-}
-
-/**
- * Event listener for HTTP server "listening" event.
- */
-
-function onListening() {
-    const addr = httpServer.address();
-    const bind = typeof addr === 'string'
-        ? 'pipe ' + addr
-        : 'port ' + addr.port;
-
-    debug('Listening on ' + bind);
 }
\ No newline at end of file