diff --git a/allianceauth/eveonline/providers.py b/allianceauth/eveonline/providers.py
index fb1749dd..d8c30604 100644
--- a/allianceauth/eveonline/providers.py
+++ b/allianceauth/eveonline/providers.py
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ from django.conf import settings
 from esi.clients import esi_client_factory
 
 from allianceauth import __version__
+from allianceauth.utils.django import StartupCommand
 
 
 SWAGGER_SPEC_PATH = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(
@@ -175,15 +176,16 @@ class EveProvider:
 
 class EveSwaggerProvider(EveProvider):
     def __init__(self, token=None, adapter=None):
-        if settings.DEBUG:
+        if settings.DEBUG or StartupCommand().is_management_command:
             self._client = None
-            logger.info(
-                'DEBUG mode detected: ESI client will be loaded on-demand.'
-            )
+            logger.info('ESI client will be loaded on-demand')
         else:
+            logger.info('Loading ESI client')
             try:
                 self._client = esi_client_factory(
-                    token=token, spec_file=SWAGGER_SPEC_PATH, app_info_text=("allianceauth v" + __version__)
+                    token=token,
+                    spec_file=SWAGGER_SPEC_PATH,
+                    app_info_text=f"allianceauth v{__version__}"
                 )
             except (HTTPError, RefResolutionError):
                 logger.exception(
diff --git a/allianceauth/utils/django.py b/allianceauth/utils/django.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..deb567aa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/allianceauth/utils/django.py
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+import sys
+from copy import copy
+from pathlib import Path
+
+
+class StartupCommand:
+    """Information about the command this Django instance was started with."""
+
+    def __init__(self) -> None:
+        self._argv = copy(sys.argv)
+
+    @property
+    def argv(self) -> list:
+        """Return raw list of command line arguments."""
+        return self._argv
+
+    @property
+    def script_name(self) -> str:
+        """Return the base script name."""
+        path = Path(self._argv[0])
+        return path.name
+
+    @property
+    def is_management_command(self) -> bool:
+        return self.script_name == "manage.py"
diff --git a/allianceauth/utils/tests/test_django.py b/allianceauth/utils/tests/test_django.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a2af2440
--- /dev/null
+++ b/allianceauth/utils/tests/test_django.py
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+from unittest.mock import patch
+
+from django.test import TestCase
+
+from allianceauth.utils.django import StartupCommand
+
+MODULE_PATH = "allianceauth.utils.django"
+
+
+class TestStartupCommand(TestCase):
+    def test_should_detect_management_command(self):
+        # when
+        with patch(MODULE_PATH + ".sys") as m:
+            m.argv = ["manage.py", "check"]
+            info = StartupCommand()
+        # then
+        self.assertTrue(info.is_management_command)
+
+    def test_should_detect_not_a_management_command(self):
+        # when
+        with patch(MODULE_PATH + ".sys") as m:
+            m.argv = ['/home/python/allianceauth-dev/venv/bin/gunicorn', 'myauth.wsgi']
+            info = StartupCommand()
+        # then
+        self.assertFalse(info.is_management_command)