diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 4627ff86..2e832c19 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -201,7 +201,7 @@ EXAMPLES
     $ sf lightning dev app --target-org myOrg --device-type ios --device-id "iPhone 15 Pro Max"
 ```
 
-_See code: [src/commands/lightning/dev/app.ts](https://github.com/salesforcecli/plugin-lightning-dev/blob/4.5.1/src/commands/lightning/dev/app.ts)_
+_See code: [src/commands/lightning/dev/app.ts](https://github.com/salesforcecli/plugin-lightning-dev/blob/4.5.2-alpha.0/src/commands/lightning/dev/app.ts)_
 
 ## `sf lightning dev component`
 
@@ -249,7 +249,7 @@ EXAMPLES
     $ sf lightning dev component --name myComponent
 ```
 
-_See code: [src/commands/lightning/dev/component.ts](https://github.com/salesforcecli/plugin-lightning-dev/blob/4.5.1/src/commands/lightning/dev/component.ts)_
+_See code: [src/commands/lightning/dev/component.ts](https://github.com/salesforcecli/plugin-lightning-dev/blob/4.5.2-alpha.0/src/commands/lightning/dev/component.ts)_
 
 ## `sf lightning dev site`
 
@@ -305,6 +305,6 @@ EXAMPLES
     $ sf lightning dev site --name "Partner Central" --target-org myOrg --get-latest
 ```
 
-_See code: [src/commands/lightning/dev/site.ts](https://github.com/salesforcecli/plugin-lightning-dev/blob/4.5.1/src/commands/lightning/dev/site.ts)_
+_See code: [src/commands/lightning/dev/site.ts](https://github.com/salesforcecli/plugin-lightning-dev/blob/4.5.2-alpha.0/src/commands/lightning/dev/site.ts)_
 
 <!-- commandsstop -->
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index fa113e54..eb70cfda 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 {
   "name": "@salesforce/plugin-lightning-dev",
   "description": "Lightning development tools for LEX, Mobile, and Experience Sites",
-  "version": "4.5.1",
+  "version": "4.5.2-alpha.0",
   "author": "Salesforce",
   "bugs": "https://github.com/forcedotcom/cli/issues",
   "dependencies": {
diff --git a/src/commands/lightning/dev/component.ts b/src/commands/lightning/dev/component.ts
index 0b40dd36..1aca172e 100644
--- a/src/commands/lightning/dev/component.ts
+++ b/src/commands/lightning/dev/component.ts
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import { ComponentUtils } from '../../../shared/componentUtils.js';
 import { PromptUtils } from '../../../shared/promptUtils.js';
 import { PreviewUtils } from '../../../shared/previewUtils.js';
 import { startLWCServer } from '../../../lwc-dev-server/index.js';
+import { MetaUtils } from '../../../shared/metaUtils.js';
 
 Messages.importMessagesDirectoryFromMetaUrl(import.meta.url);
 const messages = Messages.loadMessages('@salesforce/plugin-lightning-dev', 'lightning.dev.component');
@@ -65,6 +66,15 @@ export default class LightningDevComponent extends SfCommand<ComponentPreviewRes
     const targetOrg = flags['target-org'];
     const apiVersion = flags['api-version'];
 
+    // Auto enable local dev
+    if (process.env.AUTO_ENABLE_LOCAL_DEV === 'true') {
+      try {
+        await MetaUtils.ensureLightningPreviewEnabled(targetOrg.getConnection(undefined));
+      } catch (error) {
+        this.log('Error autoenabling local dev', error);
+      }
+    }
+
     const { ldpServerId, ldpServerToken } = await PreviewUtils.initializePreviewConnection(targetOrg);
 
     logger.debug('Determining the next available port for Local Dev Server');
@@ -154,8 +164,11 @@ export default class LightningDevComponent extends SfCommand<ComponentPreviewRes
     // Construct and log the full URL that will be opened
     const connection = targetOrg.getConnection(apiVersion);
 
+    // strip trailing slashes
+    const instanceUrl = connection.instanceUrl.replace(/\/$/, '');
+
     const previewUrl = PreviewUtils.generateComponentPreviewUrl(
-      connection.instanceUrl,
+      instanceUrl,
       ldpServerUrl,
       ldpServerId,
       componentName,
@@ -164,7 +177,7 @@ export default class LightningDevComponent extends SfCommand<ComponentPreviewRes
 
     // Prepare the result for JSON output
     const result: ComponentPreviewResult = {
-      instanceUrl: connection.instanceUrl,
+      instanceUrl,
       ldpServerUrl,
       ldpServerId,
       componentName: componentName ?? '',
diff --git a/src/shared/metaUtils.ts b/src/shared/metaUtils.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..2fe63ca4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/shared/metaUtils.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,230 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (c) 2024, salesforce.com, inc.
+ * All rights reserved.
+ * Licensed under the BSD 3-Clause license.
+ * For full license text, see LICENSE.txt file in the repo root or https://opensource.org/licenses/BSD-3-Clause
+ */
+
+import { Connection, Logger } from '@salesforce/core';
+
+type LightningExperienceSettingsMetadata = {
+  [key: string]: unknown;
+  fullName?: string;
+  enableLightningPreviewPref?: string | boolean;
+};
+
+type MyDomainSettingsMetadata = {
+  [key: string]: unknown;
+  fullName?: string;
+  isFirstPartyCookieUseRequired?: string | boolean;
+};
+
+type MetadataUpdateResult = {
+  success: boolean;
+  fullName: string;
+  errors?: Array<{ message: string }>;
+};
+
+/**
+ * Utility class for managing Salesforce metadata settings related to Lightning Development.
+ */
+export class MetaUtils {
+  private static logger = Logger.childFromRoot('metaUtils');
+
+  /**
+   * Retrieves the Lightning Experience Settings metadata from the org.
+   *
+   * @param connection the connection to the org
+   * @returns LightningExperienceSettingsMetadata object containing the settings
+   * @throws Error if unable to retrieve the metadata
+   */
+  public static async getLightningExperienceSettings(
+    connection: Connection
+  ): Promise<LightningExperienceSettingsMetadata> {
+    this.logger.debug('Retrieving Lightning Experience Settings metadata');
+
+    const metadata = await connection.metadata.read('LightningExperienceSettings', 'enableLightningPreviewPref');
+
+    if (!metadata) {
+      throw new Error('Unable to retrieve Lightning Experience Settings metadata.');
+    }
+
+    if (Array.isArray(metadata)) {
+      if (metadata.length === 0) {
+        throw new Error('Lightning Experience Settings metadata response was empty.');
+      }
+      return metadata[0] as LightningExperienceSettingsMetadata;
+    }
+
+    return metadata as LightningExperienceSettingsMetadata;
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Checks if Lightning Preview (Local Dev) is enabled for the org.
+   *
+   * @param connection the connection to the org
+   * @returns boolean indicating whether Lightning Preview is enabled
+   */
+  public static async isLightningPreviewEnabled(connection: Connection): Promise<boolean> {
+    try {
+      const settings = await this.getLightningExperienceSettings(connection);
+      const flagValue = settings.enableLightningPreviewPref ?? 'false';
+      const enabled = String(flagValue).toLowerCase().trim() === 'true';
+      this.logger.debug(`Lightning Preview enabled: ${enabled}`);
+      return enabled;
+    } catch (error) {
+      this.logger.warn('Error checking Lightning Preview status, assuming disabled:', error);
+      return false;
+    }
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Enables or disables Lightning Preview (Local Dev) for the org by updating the metadata.
+   *
+   * @param connection the connection to the org
+   * @param enable boolean indicating whether to enable (true) or disable (false) Lightning Preview
+   * @throws Error if the metadata update fails
+   */
+  public static async setLightningPreviewEnabled(connection: Connection, enable: boolean): Promise<void> {
+    this.logger.debug(`Setting Lightning Preview enabled to: ${enable}`);
+
+    const updateResult = await connection.metadata.update('LightningExperienceSettings', {
+      fullName: 'enableLightningPreviewPref',
+      enableLightningPreviewPref: enable ? 'true' : 'false',
+    });
+
+    const results = Array.isArray(updateResult) ? updateResult : [updateResult];
+    const typedResults = results as MetadataUpdateResult[];
+    const errors = typedResults.filter((result) => !result.success);
+
+    if (errors.length > 0) {
+      const message = errors
+        .flatMap((result) => (Array.isArray(result.errors) ? result.errors : result.errors ? [result.errors] : []))
+        .filter((error): error is { message: string } => Boolean(error))
+        .map((error) => error.message)
+        .join(' ');
+
+      throw new Error(message || 'Failed to update Lightning Preview setting.');
+    }
+
+    this.logger.debug('Successfully updated Lightning Preview setting');
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Retrieves the My Domain Settings metadata from the org.
+   *
+   * @param connection the connection to the org
+   * @returns MyDomainSettingsMetadata object containing the settings
+   * @throws Error if unable to retrieve the metadata
+   */
+  public static async getMyDomainSettings(connection: Connection): Promise<MyDomainSettingsMetadata> {
+    this.logger.debug('Retrieving My Domain Settings metadata');
+
+    const metadata = await connection.metadata.read('MyDomainSettings', 'MyDomain');
+
+    if (!metadata) {
+      throw new Error('Unable to retrieve My Domain settings metadata.');
+    }
+
+    if (Array.isArray(metadata)) {
+      if (metadata.length === 0) {
+        throw new Error('My Domain settings metadata response was empty.');
+      }
+      return metadata[0] as MyDomainSettingsMetadata;
+    }
+
+    return metadata as MyDomainSettingsMetadata;
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Checks if first-party cookies are required for the org.
+   *
+   * @param connection the connection to the org
+   * @returns boolean indicating whether first-party cookies are required
+   */
+  public static async isFirstPartyCookieRequired(connection: Connection): Promise<boolean> {
+    try {
+      const settings = await this.getMyDomainSettings(connection);
+      const flagValue = settings.isFirstPartyCookieUseRequired ?? 'false';
+      const required = String(flagValue).toLowerCase().trim() === 'true';
+      this.logger.debug(`First-party cookie required: ${required}`);
+      return required;
+    } catch (error) {
+      this.logger.warn('Error checking first-party cookie requirement, assuming not required:', error);
+      return false;
+    }
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Updates the My Domain setting that controls whether first-party cookies are required.
+   *
+   * @param connection the connection to the org
+   * @param requireFirstPartyCookies boolean indicating whether to require first-party cookies
+   * @throws Error if the metadata update fails
+   */
+  public static async setMyDomainFirstPartyCookieRequirement(
+    connection: Connection,
+    requireFirstPartyCookies: boolean
+  ): Promise<void> {
+    this.logger.debug(`Setting first-party cookie requirement to: ${requireFirstPartyCookies}`);
+
+    const updateResult = await connection.metadata.update('MyDomainSettings', {
+      fullName: 'MyDomain',
+      isFirstPartyCookieUseRequired: requireFirstPartyCookies ? 'true' : 'false',
+    });
+
+    const results = Array.isArray(updateResult) ? updateResult : [updateResult];
+    const typedResults = results as MetadataUpdateResult[];
+    const errors = typedResults.filter((result) => !result.success);
+
+    if (errors.length > 0) {
+      const message = errors
+        .flatMap((result) => (Array.isArray(result.errors) ? result.errors : result.errors ? [result.errors] : []))
+        .filter((error): error is { message: string } => Boolean(error))
+        .map((error) => error.message)
+        .join(' ');
+
+      throw new Error(message || 'Failed to update My Domain first-party cookie requirement.');
+    }
+
+    this.logger.debug('Successfully updated first-party cookie requirement');
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Ensures Lightning Preview is enabled for the org. If it's not enabled, this method will enable it.
+   *
+   * @param connection the connection to the org
+   * @returns boolean indicating whether Lightning Preview was already enabled (true) or had to be enabled (false)
+   */
+  public static async ensureLightningPreviewEnabled(connection: Connection): Promise<boolean> {
+    const isEnabled = await this.isLightningPreviewEnabled(connection);
+
+    if (!isEnabled) {
+      this.logger.info('Lightning Preview is not enabled. Enabling it now...');
+      await this.setLightningPreviewEnabled(connection, true);
+      return false;
+    }
+
+    this.logger.debug('Lightning Preview is already enabled');
+    return true;
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Ensures first-party cookies are not required for the org. If they are required, this method will disable the requirement.
+   *
+   * @param connection the connection to the org
+   * @returns boolean indicating whether first-party cookies were already not required (true) or had to be disabled (false)
+   */
+  public static async ensureFirstPartyCookiesNotRequired(connection: Connection): Promise<boolean> {
+    const isRequired = await this.isFirstPartyCookieRequired(connection);
+
+    if (isRequired) {
+      this.logger.info('First-party cookies are required. Disabling requirement...');
+      await this.setMyDomainFirstPartyCookieRequirement(connection, false);
+      return false;
+    }
+
+    this.logger.debug('First-party cookies are not required');
+    return true;
+  }
+}