diff --git a/scm-core/src/main/java/sonia/scm/BasicContextProvider.java b/scm-core/src/main/java/sonia/scm/BasicContextProvider.java
index bd55d8c682..cc30c81fdd 100644
--- a/scm-core/src/main/java/sonia/scm/BasicContextProvider.java
+++ b/scm-core/src/main/java/sonia/scm/BasicContextProvider.java
@@ -75,6 +75,12 @@ public class BasicContextProvider implements SCMContextProvider
   /** Maven property for the version of the artifact */
   public static final String MAVEN_PROPERTY_VERSION = "version";
 
+  /**
+   * Java system property for the SCM-Manager project stage
+   * @since 1.12
+   */
+  public static final String STAGE_PROPERTY = "scm.stage";
+
   //~--- constructors ---------------------------------------------------------
 
   /**
@@ -85,6 +91,7 @@ public class BasicContextProvider implements SCMContextProvider
   {
     baseDirectory = findBaseDirectory();
     version = loadVersion();
+    stage = loadProjectStage();
   }
 
   //~--- methods --------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -119,6 +126,17 @@ public class BasicContextProvider implements SCMContextProvider
     return baseDirectory;
   }
 
+  /**
+   * {@inheritDoc}
+   *
+   * @return
+   */
+  @Override
+  public Stage getStage()
+  {
+    return stage;
+  }
+
   /**
    * Returns the version of the SCM-Manager. If the version is not set, the
    * {@link #DEFAULT_VERSION} is returned.
@@ -170,6 +188,35 @@ public class BasicContextProvider implements SCMContextProvider
     return directory;
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Find the current stage.
+   *
+   *
+   * @return current stage
+   */
+  private Stage loadProjectStage()
+  {
+    Stage s = Stage.PRODUCTION;
+    String stageProperty = System.getProperty(STAGE_PROPERTY);
+
+    if (Util.isNotEmpty(stageProperty))
+    {
+      try
+      {
+        s = Stage.valueOf(stageProperty.toUpperCase());
+      }
+      catch (IllegalArgumentException ex)
+      {
+
+        // do not use logger or IOUtil,
+        // http://www.slf4j.org/codes.html#substituteLogger
+        ex.printStackTrace(System.err);
+      }
+    }
+
+    return s;
+  }
+
   /**
    * Loads the version of the SCM-Manager from maven properties file.
    *
@@ -269,6 +316,9 @@ public class BasicContextProvider implements SCMContextProvider
   /** The base directory of the SCM-Manager */
   private File baseDirectory;
 
+  /** stage of the current SCM-Manager instance */
+  private Stage stage;
+
   /** the version of the SCM-Manager */
   private String version;
 }
diff --git a/scm-core/src/main/java/sonia/scm/SCMContextProvider.java b/scm-core/src/main/java/sonia/scm/SCMContextProvider.java
index 6a5d14b796..f8906b02d7 100644
--- a/scm-core/src/main/java/sonia/scm/SCMContextProvider.java
+++ b/scm-core/src/main/java/sonia/scm/SCMContextProvider.java
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ import java.io.File;
 
 /**
  * The main class for retrieving the home and the version of the SCM-Manager.
- * This class is a singleton which can be retrieved via injection 
+ * This class is a singleton which can be retrieved via injection
  * or with the static {@link SCMContext#getContext()} method.
  *
  * @author Sebastian Sdorra
@@ -65,6 +65,15 @@ public interface SCMContextProvider extends Closeable
    */
   public File getBaseDirectory();
 
+  /**
+   * Returns the current stage of SCM-Manager.
+   *
+   *
+   * @return stage of SCM-Manager
+   * @since 1.12
+   */
+  public Stage getStage();
+
   /**
    * Returns the version of the SCM-Manager.
    *
diff --git a/scm-core/src/main/java/sonia/scm/Stage.java b/scm-core/src/main/java/sonia/scm/Stage.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..78b8ba890b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scm-core/src/main/java/sonia/scm/Stage.java
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+/**
+ * Copyright (c) 2010, Sebastian Sdorra All rights reserved.
+ *
+ * Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
+ * modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are met:
+ *
+ * 1. Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright notice,
+ * this list of conditions and the following disclaimer. 2. Redistributions in
+ * binary form must reproduce the above copyright notice, this list of
+ * conditions and the following disclaimer in the documentation and/or other
+ * materials provided with the distribution. 3. Neither the name of SCM-Manager;
+ * nor the names of its contributors may be used to endorse or promote products
+ * derived from this software without specific prior written permission.
+ *
+ * THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS "AS IS"
+ * AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE
+ * IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE
+ * ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE REGENTS OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR
+ * ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL
+ * DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR
+ * SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER
+ * CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY,
+ * OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE
+ * OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
+ *
+ * http://bitbucket.org/sdorra/scm-manager
+ *
+ */
+
+
+
+package sonia.scm;
+
+/**
+ * The constants in this class represent the current state of the running
+ * SCM_Manager instance. The stage can be queried by calling
+ * {@link SCMContextProvider#getProjectStage()}.
+ *
+ * @author Sebastian Sdorra
+ * @since 1.12
+ */
+public enum Stage
+{
+
+  /**
+   * This value indicates SCM-Manager is right now in development.
+   */
+  DEVELOPMENT,
+
+  /**
+   * This value indicates SCM-Manager is right now productive.
+   */
+  PRODUCTION
+}
diff --git a/scm-webapp/pom.xml b/scm-webapp/pom.xml
index fb6a7ac420..f474375601 100644
--- a/scm-webapp/pom.xml
+++ b/scm-webapp/pom.xml
@@ -311,6 +311,10 @@
               <name>scm.home</name>
               <value>${scm.home}</value>
             </systemProperty>
+            <systemProperty>
+              <name>scm.stage</name>
+              <value>${scm.stage}</value>
+            </systemProperty>
           </systemProperties>
           <connectors>
             <connector implementation="org.mortbay.jetty.nio.SelectChannelConnector">
@@ -333,6 +337,7 @@
   </build>
 
   <properties>
+    <scm.stage>DEVELOPMENT</scm.stage>
     <scm.home>target/scm-it</scm.home>
     <environment.profile>default</environment.profile>
     <enunciate.version>1.25</enunciate.version>
diff --git a/scm-webapp/src/main/java/sonia/scm/boot/BootstrapListener.java b/scm-webapp/src/main/java/sonia/scm/boot/BootstrapListener.java
index f2eda228b0..9e8e90f47e 100644
--- a/scm-webapp/src/main/java/sonia/scm/boot/BootstrapListener.java
+++ b/scm-webapp/src/main/java/sonia/scm/boot/BootstrapListener.java
@@ -102,6 +102,12 @@ public class BootstrapListener implements ServletContextListener
   @Override
   public void contextInitialized(ServletContextEvent sce)
   {
+    if (logger.isInfoEnabled())
+    {
+      logger.info("start scm-manager in stage: {}",
+                  SCMContext.getContext().getStage());
+    }
+
     ClassLoader classLoader = null;
     File pluginDirectory = new File(SCMContext.getContext().getBaseDirectory(),
                                     PLUGIN_DIRECTORY);
@@ -130,7 +136,11 @@ public class BootstrapListener implements ServletContextListener
 
     if (classLoader != null)
     {
-      logger.info("try to use ScmBootstrapClassLoader");
+      if (logger.isInfoEnabled())
+      {
+        logger.info("try to use ScmBootstrapClassLoader");
+      }
+
       scmContextListener = BootstrapUtil.loadClass(classLoader,
               ServletContextListener.class, LISTENER);
       Thread.currentThread().setContextClassLoader(classLoader);
@@ -139,7 +149,11 @@ public class BootstrapListener implements ServletContextListener
 
     if (scmContextListener == null)
     {
-      logger.warn("fallback to default classloader");
+      if (logger.isWarnEnabled())
+      {
+        logger.warn("fallback to default classloader");
+      }
+
       scmContextListener =
         BootstrapUtil.loadClass(ServletContextListener.class, LISTENER);
     }