Disable if need be

.idea/runConfigurations/server_dart.xml

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 <component name="ProjectRunConfigurationManager">
   <configuration default="false" name="server.dart" type="DartCommandLineRunConfigurationType" factoryName="Dart Command Line Application" singleton="true" nameIsGenerated="true">
-    <option name="VMOptions" value="--enable-vm-service" />
+    <option name="VMOptions" value="--observe" />
     <option name="filePath" value="$PROJECT_DIR$/example/basic/server.dart" />
     <option name="workingDirectory" value="$PROJECT_DIR$/example/basic" />
     <method />

.idea/runConfigurations/server_dart__No_VM_service_.xml

@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+<component name="ProjectRunConfigurationManager">
+  <configuration default="false" name="server.dart (No VM service)" type="DartCommandLineRunConfigurationType" factoryName="Dart Command Line Application" singleton="true">
+    <option name="filePath" value="$PROJECT_DIR$/example/basic/server.dart" />
+    <option name="workingDirectory" value="$PROJECT_DIR$/example/basic" />
+    <method />
+  </configuration>
+</component>

lib/angel_hot.dart

@@ -132,6 +132,13 @@ class HotReloader {
   }
 
   _listenToFilesystem() async {
+    if (!Platform.executableArguments.contains('--observe') &&
+        !Platform.executableArguments.contains('--enable-vm-service')) {
+      stderr.writeln(
+          'WARNING: You have instantiated a HotReloader without passing `--enable-vm-service` or `--observe` to the Dart VM. Hot reloading will be disabled.');
+      return;
+    }
+
     for (var path in _paths) {
       if (path is String) {
         await _listenToStat(path);

pubspec.yaml

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 name: angel_hot
 description: Supports hot reloading of Angel servers on file changes.
-version: 1.0.0
+version: 1.0.1
 author: Tobe O <thosakwe@gmail.com>
 homepage: https://github.com/angel-dart/hot
 environment: