diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index c074683e..7ba72a62 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -193,6 +193,14 @@ you can use the `--use_venv false` option to [./dhib_env.py](./dhib_env.py).
     ```
 4) Build a [deephaven-ib](https://github.com/deephaven-examples/deephaven-ib) virtual environment:
 
+   **Quick Start:** For a one-command setup that builds the environment and starts the server, use the convenience script:
+    ```bash
+    ./build_and_run.sh
+    ```
+   This script automatically creates the virtual environment, installs the latest release version, and starts the Deephaven server. Press Ctrl-C to stop the server when done.
+
+   **Manual Setup:** For more control over the installation process, follow these steps:
+
    First, create a small, local virtual environment that will be used only to run the `dhib_env.py` script (this avoids installing packages system-wide):
     ```bash
     python3 -m venv .venv-installer
@@ -201,7 +209,7 @@ you can use the `--use_venv false` option to [./dhib_env.py](./dhib_env.py).
 
    Install the dependencies needed to run the script into this installer virtual environment:
     ```bash
-    pip --upgrade pip
+    python -m pip install --upgrade pip
     pip install -r requirements_dhib_env.txt
     ```
 
diff --git a/build_and_run.sh b/build_and_run.sh
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..48a5187e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/build_and_run.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+# Exit on any error, undefined variable, or error in a pipeline
+set -e
+set -u
+set -o pipefail
+
+# Convenience script to build a release virtual environment and start the Deephaven server.
+# This script automates the process of:
+# 1. Creating a temporary installer virtual environment
+# 2. Building the release virtual environment with deephaven-ib, deephaven-server, and ibapi
+# 3. Starting the Deephaven server
+#
+# Press Ctrl-C to stop the server when done.
+
+# Display Java home (required for Deephaven)
+if [ -z "${JAVA_HOME:-}" ]; then
+    echo "Error: JAVA_HOME is not set. Deephaven requires Java. Please set JAVA_HOME before running this script." >&2
+    exit 1
+fi
+echo "JAVA_HOME=${JAVA_HOME}"
+
+# Clean up any existing virtual environments
+deactivate 2>/dev/null || true  # Deactivate if already in a venv
+rm -rf .venv-installer
+rm -rf venv-release-dhib*
+
+# Create temporary installer virtual environment
+# This small venv is only used to run the dhib_env.py script
+python3.12 -m venv .venv-installer
+source .venv-installer/bin/activate
+
+# Install dependencies needed to run dhib_env.py
+python -m pip install --upgrade pip
+pip install -r requirements_dhib_env.txt
+
+# Build the release virtual environment
+# This creates venv-release-dhib-<version> with all required packages
+python ./dhib_env.py release
+
+# Clean up temporary installer venv
+deactivate
+rm -rf .venv-installer
+
+# Activate the release virtual environment and start Deephaven server
+source ./venv-release-dhib*/bin/activate
+# Ensure the release virtual environment is deactivated when the script exits
+trap 'deactivate 2>/dev/null || true' EXIT INT TERM
+deephaven server
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/dhib_env.py b/dhib_env.py
index 44bc8327..6f4461d3 100755
--- a/dhib_env.py
+++ b/dhib_env.py
@@ -338,9 +338,9 @@ def venv_path(is_release: bool, dh_version: str, dh_ib_version: str) -> Path:
         The path to the new virtual environment.
     """
     if is_release:
-        return Path(f"venv-release-dhib={dh_version}").absolute()
+        return Path(f"venv-release-dhib-{dh_version}").absolute()
     else:
-        return Path(f"venv-dev-dhib={dh_ib_version}-dh={dh_version}").absolute()
+        return Path(f"venv-dev-dhib-{dh_ib_version}-dh-{dh_version}").absolute()
 
 
 ########################################################################################################################
@@ -578,13 +578,13 @@ def dev(
         logging.warning(f"Using system python: {python}")
         pyenv = Pyenv(python)
 
+    logging.warning(f"Installing deephaven-server: {dh_version}")
+    pyenv.pip_install("deephaven-server", f"~={dh_version}")
+
     ib_wheel = IbWheel(ib_version)
     ib_wheel.build(pyenv)
     ib_wheel.install(pyenv)
 
-    logging.warning(f"Installing deephaven-server: {dh_version}")
-    pyenv.pip_install("deephaven-server", f"~={dh_version}")
-
     if install_dhib:
         if use_dev:
             logging.warning(f"Building deephaven-ib from source: {dh_ib_version}")
@@ -649,13 +649,13 @@ def release(
         logging.warning(f"Using system python: {python}")
         pyenv = Pyenv(python)
 
+    logging.warning(f"Installing deephaven-server: {dh_version}")
+    pyenv.pip_install("deephaven-server", f"~={dh_version}")
+
     ib_wheel = IbWheel(ib_version)
     ib_wheel.build(pyenv)
     ib_wheel.install(pyenv)
 
-    logging.warning(f"Installing deephaven-server: {dh_version}")
-    pyenv.pip_install("deephaven-server", f"~={dh_version}")
-
     logging.warning(f"Installing deephaven-ib from PyPI: {dh_ib_version}")
     pyenv.pip_install("deephaven-ib", f"=={dh_ib_version}")
     success(pyenv)