diff --git a/deployment/bare_metal/.env.dist b/deployment/bare_metal/.env.dist
index 80c1b36a1..0e3f2d995 100644
--- a/deployment/bare_metal/.env.dist
+++ b/deployment/bare_metal/.env.dist
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@ WEBHOOK_ELOPAGE_SECRET=secret
 # FEDERATION_DHT_TOPIC=GRADIDO_HUB
 # FEDERATION_DHT_SEED=64ebcb0e3ad547848fef4197c6e2332f
 FEDERATION_CONFIG_VERSION=v1.2023-01-09
+FEDERATION_PORT=5000
 FEDERATION_API=1_0
 
 # database
diff --git a/deployment/bare_metal/start.sh b/deployment/bare_metal/start.sh
index a7ffbd036..19d1d8852 100755
--- a/deployment/bare_metal/start.sh
+++ b/deployment/bare_metal/start.sh
@@ -184,14 +184,16 @@ yarn install
 yarn build
 # TODO maybe handle this differently?
 export NODE_ENV=production
+pm2 delete gradido-federation
 # set FEDERATION_PORT from ARG_API
 port=${ARG_API//_/}
+FEDERATION_PORT=${FEDERATION_PORT:-5000}
 FEDERATION_PORT=$(($FEDERATION_PORT + $port))
 export FEDERATION_PORT
 echo "===================================================="
-echo " start federation listening on port=$FEDERATION_PORT
+echo " start federation listening on port=$FEDERATION_PORT"
 echo "===================================================="
-pm2 delete gradido-federation || : && pm2 start --name gradido-federation "yarn --cwd $PROJECT_ROOT/federation start" -l $GRADIDO_LOG_PATH/pm2.federation.$TODAY.log --log-date-format 'YYYY-MM-DD HH:mm:ss.SSS'
+pm2 start --name gradido-federation "yarn --cwd $PROJECT_ROOT/federation start" -l $GRADIDO_LOG_PATH/pm2.federation.$TODAY.log --log-date-format 'YYYY-MM-DD HH:mm:ss.SSS'
 pm2 save
 
 # let nginx showing gradido