diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index db884b54a8..afb89f1196 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
     "config:test": "ts-node --project ./tsconfig.ts-node.json scripts/set-mock-env.ts",
     "config:test:watch": "nodemon --config mock-nodemon.json",
     "config:dev:watch": "nodemon",
+    "config:check:rest": "yarn run config:prod && ts-node --project ./tsconfig.ts-node.json scripts/test-rest.ts",
     "prestart:dev": "yarn run config:dev",
     "prebuild": "yarn run config:dev",
     "pretest": "yarn run config:test",
diff --git a/scripts/test-rest.ts b/scripts/test-rest.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b12a9929c2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/test-rest.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,66 @@
+import * as http from 'http';
+import * as https from 'https';
+import { environment } from '../src/environments/environment';
+
+/**
+ * Script to test the connection with the configured REST API (in the 'rest' settings of your environment.*.ts)
+ *
+ * This script is useful to test for any Node.js connection issues with your REST API.
+ *
+ * Usage (see package.json): yarn test:rest-api
+ */
+
+// Get root URL of configured REST API
+const restUrl = environment.rest.baseUrl + '/api';
+console.log(`...Testing connection to REST API at ${restUrl}...\n`);
+
+// If SSL enabled, test via HTTPS, else via HTTP
+if (environment.rest.ssl) {
+    const req = https.request(restUrl, (res) => {
+        console.log(`RESPONSE: ${res.statusCode} ${res.statusMessage} \n`);
+        res.on('data', (data) => {
+            checkJSONResponse(data);
+        });
+    });
+
+    req.on('error', error => {
+        console.error('ERROR connecting to REST API\n' + error);
+    });
+
+    req.end();
+} else {
+    const req = http.request(restUrl, (res) => {
+        console.log(`RESPONSE: ${res.statusCode} ${res.statusMessage} \n`);
+        res.on('data', (data) => {
+            checkJSONResponse(data);
+        });
+    });
+
+    req.on('error', error => {
+        console.error('ERROR connecting to REST API\n' + error);
+    });
+
+    req.end();
+}
+
+/**
+ * Check JSON response from REST API to see if it looks valid. Log useful information
+ * @param responseData response data
+ */
+function checkJSONResponse(responseData: any): any {
+    let parsedData;
+    try {
+        parsedData = JSON.parse(responseData);
+        console.log('Checking JSON returned for validity...');
+        console.log(`\t"dspaceVersion" = ${parsedData.dspaceVersion}`);
+        console.log(`\t"dspaceUI" = ${parsedData.dspaceUI}`);
+        console.log(`\t"dspaceServer" = ${parsedData.dspaceServer}`);
+        console.log(`\t"dspaceServer" property matches UI's "rest" config? ${(parsedData.dspaceServer === environment.rest.baseUrl)}`);
+        // Check for "authn" and "sites" in "_links" section as they should always exist (even if no data)!
+        const linksFound: string[] = Object.keys(parsedData._links);
+        console.log(`\tDoes "/api" endpoint have HAL links ("_links" section)? ${linksFound.includes('authn') && linksFound.includes('sites')}`);
+    } catch (err) {
+        console.error('ERROR: INVALID DSPACE REST API! Response is not valid JSON!');
+        console.error(`Response returned:\n${responseData}`);
+    }
+}