diff --git a/changelog.md b/changelog.md
index 5048c20e1d..5d81fc8135 100644
--- a/changelog.md
+++ b/changelog.md
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
 
 ### Changes
 
+- [#4457](https://github.com/ignite/cli/pull/4457) Add `ski-build` flag to `chain serve` command to avoid building the chain
 - [#4094](https://github.com/ignite/cli/pull/4094) Scaffolding a multi-index map using `ignite s map foo bar baz --index foobar,foobaz` is no longer supported. Use one index instead of use `collections.IndexedMap`.
 - [#4058](https://github.com/ignite/cli/pull/4058) Simplify scaffolded modules by including `ValidateBasic()` logic in message handler.
 - [#4058](https://github.com/ignite/cli/pull/4058) Use `address.Codec` instead of `AccAddressFromBech32`.
diff --git a/ignite/cmd/chain_serve.go b/ignite/cmd/chain_serve.go
index bf23a6575c..27c6ede0d6 100644
--- a/ignite/cmd/chain_serve.go
+++ b/ignite/cmd/chain_serve.go
@@ -71,6 +71,7 @@ production, you may want to run "appd start" manually.
 	c.Flags().AddFlagSet(flagSetHome())
 	c.Flags().AddFlagSet(flagSetCheckDependencies())
 	c.Flags().AddFlagSet(flagSetSkipProto())
+	c.Flags().AddFlagSet(flagSetSkipBuild())
 	c.Flags().AddFlagSet(flagSetVerbose())
 	c.Flags().BoolP(flagForceReset, "f", false, "force reset of the app state on start and every source change")
 	c.Flags().BoolP(flagResetOnce, "r", false, "reset the app state once on init")
@@ -183,6 +184,10 @@ func chainServe(cmd *cobra.Command, session *cliui.Session) error {
 		serveOptions = append(serveOptions, chain.ServeSkipProto())
 	}
 
+	if flagGetSkipBuild(cmd) {
+		serveOptions = append(serveOptions, chain.ServeSkipBuild())
+	}
+
 	if quitOnFail {
 		serveOptions = append(serveOptions, chain.QuitOnFail())
 	}
diff --git a/ignite/cmd/cmd.go b/ignite/cmd/cmd.go
index e2ab8930b8..38f4cc1a76 100644
--- a/ignite/cmd/cmd.go
+++ b/ignite/cmd/cmd.go
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ const (
 	flagYes        = "yes"
 	flagClearCache = "clear-cache"
 	flagSkipProto  = "skip-proto"
+	flagSkipBuild  = "skip-build"
 
 	checkVersionTimeout = time.Millisecond * 600
 	cacheFileName       = "ignite_cache.db"
@@ -216,6 +217,17 @@ func flagGetSkipProto(cmd *cobra.Command) bool {
 	return skip
 }
 
+func flagSetSkipBuild() *flag.FlagSet {
+	fs := flag.NewFlagSet("", flag.ContinueOnError)
+	fs.Bool(flagSkipBuild, false, "skip initial build of the app (uses local binary)")
+	return fs
+}
+
+func flagGetSkipBuild(cmd *cobra.Command) bool {
+	skip, _ := cmd.Flags().GetBool(flagSkipBuild)
+	return skip
+}
+
 func flagSetClearCache(cmd *cobra.Command) {
 	cmd.PersistentFlags().Bool(flagClearCache, false, "clear the build cache (advanced)")
 }
diff --git a/ignite/services/chain/serve.go b/ignite/services/chain/serve.go
index 99df738b80..415b1ed5d2 100644
--- a/ignite/services/chain/serve.go
+++ b/ignite/services/chain/serve.go
@@ -69,6 +69,7 @@ type serveOptions struct {
 	forceReset      bool
 	resetOnce       bool
 	skipProto       bool
+	skipBuild       bool
 	quitOnFail      bool
 	generateClients bool
 	buildTags       []string
@@ -119,6 +120,14 @@ func ServeSkipProto() ServeOption {
 	}
 }
 
+// ServeSkipBuild allows to serve the app without rebuilding it.
+// It looks up the binary in the PATH.
+func ServeSkipBuild() ServeOption {
+	return func(c *serveOptions) {
+		c.skipBuild = true
+	}
+}
+
 // BuildTags set the build tags for the go build.
 func BuildTags(buildTags ...string) ServeOption {
 	return func(c *serveOptions) {
@@ -190,6 +199,7 @@ func (c *Chain) Serve(ctx context.Context, cacheStorage cache.Storage, options .
 					serveOptions.buildTags,
 					shouldReset,
 					serveOptions.skipProto,
+					serveOptions.skipBuild,
 					serveOptions.generateClients,
 				)
 				serveOptions.resetOnce = false
@@ -324,7 +334,7 @@ func (c *Chain) serve(
 	ctx context.Context,
 	cacheStorage cache.Storage,
 	buildTags []string,
-	forceReset, skipProto, generateClients bool,
+	forceReset, skipProto, skipBuild, generateClients bool,
 ) error {
 	conf, err := c.Config()
 	if err != nil {
@@ -406,7 +416,13 @@ func (c *Chain) serve(
 	}
 
 	// build phase
-	if !isInit || appModified {
+	// if the app is not initialized or the source/binary has been modified
+	// and if the --skip-build flag is not set
+	if skipBuild {
+		c.ev.SendInfo("Skip building activated. Binary won't be rebuilt, nor refresh on changes")
+	}
+
+	if (!isInit || appModified) && !skipBuild {
 		// build the blockchain app
 		if err := c.build(ctx, cacheStorage, buildTags, "", skipProto, generateClients, true); err != nil {
 			return err