diff --git a/configs/client-default.js b/configs/client-default.js
index 924a5a0d..d4b0a7b4 100644
--- a/configs/client-default.js
+++ b/configs/client-default.js
@@ -120,7 +120,9 @@ module.exports = function(options) {
             region: options.region,
             pid: options.project.id,
             servers: options.vfsServers,
-            updateServers: hosted
+            updateServers: hosted,
+            strictRegion: options.strictRegion
+                || options.mode === "beta" && "beta"
         },
         {
             packagePath: "plugins/c9.ide.auth/auth",
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 5554f95e..49888a60 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -112,6 +112,6 @@
         "c9.ide.threewaymerge": "#229382aa0b",
         "c9.ide.undo": "#b028bcb4d5",
         "c9.ide.upload": "#0bd010d3dc",
-        "c9.ide.welcome": "#890d055ff6"
+        "c9.ide.welcome": "#4b9685584c"
     }
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/plugins/c9.vfs.client/endpoint.js b/plugins/c9.vfs.client/endpoint.js
index 9ff97c77..bc35ebf4 100644
--- a/plugins/c9.vfs.client/endpoint.js
+++ b/plugins/c9.vfs.client/endpoint.js
@@ -43,7 +43,8 @@ define(function(require, exports, module) {
         if (query.vfs)
             options.updateServers = false;
             
-        var region = query.region || options.region;
+        var strictRegion = query.region || options.strictRegion;
+        var region = strictRegion || options.region;
 
         var servers;
         var pendingServerReqs = [];
@@ -170,8 +171,8 @@ define(function(require, exports, module) {
             
             // check for version
             if (vfsServers.length && !servers.length) {
-                if (region === "beta")
-                    return callback(fatalError("Staging VFS server(s) not working", "reload"));
+                if (strictRegion)
+                    return callback(fatalError("No VFS server(s) found for region " + strictRegion, "reload"));
                 return onProtocolChange(callback);
             }
                 
@@ -304,11 +305,11 @@ define(function(require, exports, module) {
 
         function shuffleServers(version, servers) {
             servers = servers.slice();
-            var isBetaClient = region === "beta";
-            servers = servers.filter(function(s) {
-                var isBetaServer = s.region === "beta";
-                return isBetaServer === isBetaClient;
-            });
+            if (strictRegion) {
+                servers = servers.filter(function(s) {
+                    return s.region === strictRegion;
+                });
+            }
             servers = servers.filter(function(s) {
                 return s.version == undefined || s.version == version;
             });