diff --git a/docs/website/package.json b/docs/website/package.json
index a21a8b5e84..1e5bd1bc55 100644
--- a/docs/website/package.json
+++ b/docs/website/package.json
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
   "private": true,
   "scripts": {
     "docusaurus": "docusaurus",
-    "start": "PYTHONPATH=. poetry run pydoc-markdown && node tools/preprocess_docs.js && node tools/update_version_env.js && docusaurus start",
+    "start": "node tools/preprocess_docs.js && node tools/update_version_env.js && docusaurus start",
     "watch-snippets": "node tools/update_snippets.js --watch",
     "build": "PYTHONPATH=. poetry run pydoc-markdown && node tools/preprocess_docs.js && node tools/update_version_env.js && docusaurus build",
     "build:netlify": "PYTHONPATH=. pydoc-markdown && node tools/preprocess_docs.js && node tools/update_version_env.js && docusaurus build --out-dir build/docs",
@@ -13,7 +13,8 @@
     "serve": "docusaurus serve",
     "write-translations": "docusaurus write-translations",
     "write-heading-ids": "docusaurus write-heading-ids",
-    "update-snippets": "node tools/update_snippets.js"
+    "update-snippets": "node tools/update_snippets.js",
+    "generate-api-reference": "PYTHONPATH=. poetry run pydoc-markdown"
   },
   "dependencies": {
     "@docusaurus/core": "2.4.1",
diff --git a/docs/website/sidebars.js b/docs/website/sidebars.js
index 703b5a94f9..2bc4caa85c 100644
--- a/docs/website/sidebars.js
+++ b/docs/website/sidebars.js
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
  */
 
 // @ts-check
+const fs = require('fs');
 
 /** @type {import('@docusaurus/plugin-content-docs').SidebarsConfig} */
 const sidebars = {
@@ -289,7 +290,6 @@ const sidebars = {
         keywords: ['reference'],
       },
       items: [
-        require("./docs_processed/api_reference/sidebar.json"),
         'reference/installation',
         'reference/command-line-interface',
         'reference/telemetry',
@@ -304,6 +304,15 @@ const sidebars = {
   ]
 };
 
+// inject api reference if it exists
+if (fs.existsSync('./docs_processed/api_reference/sidebar.json')) {
+  for (const item of sidebars.tutorialSidebar) {
+    if (item.label === 'Reference') {
+      item.items.splice(0,0,require("./docs_processed/api_reference/sidebar.json"));
+    }
+  }
+}
+
 // on the master branch link to devel and vice versa
 if (process.env.IS_MASTER_BRANCH) {
   sidebars.tutorialSidebar.push(    {