diff --git a/cmd/tile38-server/main.go b/cmd/tile38-server/main.go
index 20658aea..de876dfd 100644
--- a/cmd/tile38-server/main.go
+++ b/cmd/tile38-server/main.go
@@ -80,6 +80,7 @@ Advanced Options:
   --http-transport yes/no : HTTP transport (default: yes)
   --protected-mode yes/no : protected mode (default: yes)
   --threads num           : number of network threads (default: num cores)
+  --evio yes/no           : use the evio package (default: no)
 
 Developer Options:
   --dev                             : enable developer mode
@@ -146,10 +147,10 @@ Developer Options:
 			if i < len(os.Args) {
 				switch strings.ToLower(os.Args[i]) {
 				case "no":
-					core.ProtectedMode = "no"
+					core.ProtectedMode = false
 					continue
 				case "yes":
-					core.ProtectedMode = "yes"
+					core.ProtectedMode = true
 					continue
 				}
 			}
@@ -163,10 +164,10 @@ Developer Options:
 			if i < len(os.Args) {
 				switch strings.ToLower(os.Args[i]) {
 				case "no":
-					core.AppendOnly = "no"
+					core.AppendOnly = false
 					continue
 				case "yes":
-					core.AppendOnly = "yes"
+					core.AppendOnly = true
 					continue
 				}
 			}
@@ -213,6 +214,20 @@ Developer Options:
 			}
 			fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "http-transport must be 'yes' or 'no'\n")
 			os.Exit(1)
+		case "--evio", "-evio":
+			i++
+			if i < len(os.Args) {
+				switch strings.ToLower(os.Args[i]) {
+				case "no":
+					core.Evio = false
+					continue
+				case "yes":
+					core.Evio = true
+					continue
+				}
+			}
+			fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "evio must be 'yes' or 'no'\n")
+			os.Exit(1)
 		}
 		nargs = append(nargs, os.Args[i])
 	}
diff --git a/core/options.go b/core/options.go
index 76172062..97776727 100644
--- a/core/options.go
+++ b/core/options.go
@@ -7,10 +7,10 @@ var DevMode = false
 var ShowDebugMessages = false
 
 // ProtectedMode forces Tile38 to default in protected mode.
-var ProtectedMode = "yes"
+var ProtectedMode = true
 
 // AppendOnly allows for disabling the appendonly file.
-var AppendOnly = "yes"
+var AppendOnly = true
 
 // AppendFileName allows for custom appendonly file path
 var AppendFileName string
@@ -20,3 +20,6 @@ var QueueFileName string
 
 // NumThreads is the number of network threads to use.
 var NumThreads int
+
+// Evio set the networking to use the evio package.
+var Evio = false
diff --git a/core/version.go b/core/version.go
index 70a0e018..708d09a4 100644
--- a/core/version.go
+++ b/core/version.go
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 package core
 
+// Build variables
 var (
 	Version   = "0.0.0"   // Placeholder for the version
 	BuildTime = ""        // Placeholder for the build time
diff --git a/internal/server/server.go b/internal/server/server.go
index 7915b595..546209e6 100644
--- a/internal/server/server.go
+++ b/internal/server/server.go
@@ -36,8 +36,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/tidwall/tile38/internal/log"
 )
 
-const useEvio = false
-
 var errOOM = errors.New("OOM command not allowed when used memory > 'maxmemory'")
 
 const goingLive = "going live"
@@ -237,7 +235,7 @@ func Serve(host string, port int, dir string, http bool) error {
 	if err := server.migrateAOF(); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	if core.AppendOnly == "yes" {
+	if core.AppendOnly == true {
 		f, err := os.OpenFile(core.AppendFileName, os.O_CREATE|os.O_RDWR, 0600)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
@@ -272,14 +270,14 @@ func Serve(host string, port int, dir string, http bool) error {
 	}()
 
 	// Start the network server
-	if useEvio {
+	if core.Evio {
 		return server.evioServe()
 	}
 	return server.netServe()
 }
 
 func (server *Server) isProtected() bool {
-	if core.ProtectedMode == "no" {
+	if core.ProtectedMode == false {
 		// --protected-mode no
 		return false
 	}