diff --git a/build/runtime.php b/build/runtime.php
index e78f4cc05..89cf063d2 100644
--- a/build/runtime.php
+++ b/build/runtime.php
@@ -22,6 +22,8 @@
     exit(1);
 }
 
+$_ENV['FLOW_PHAR_APP'] = 1;
+
 \ini_set('memory_limit', -1);
 
 (new SingleCommandApplication())
diff --git a/examples/bootstrap.php b/examples/bootstrap.php
index 6077883ff..fcd170acf 100644
--- a/examples/bootstrap.php
+++ b/examples/bootstrap.php
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 <?php declare(strict_types=1);
 
-if ('' === \Phar::running(false)) {
+if (!($_ENV['FLOW_PHAR_APP'] ?? false)) {
     require __DIR__ . '/../vendor/autoload.php';
 }
 
diff --git a/examples/topics/aggregations/power_plant.php b/examples/topics/aggregations/power_plant.php
index 12b8c025d..8ed34fccc 100644
--- a/examples/topics/aggregations/power_plant.php
+++ b/examples/topics/aggregations/power_plant.php
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@
     ->withEntry('consumption', concat(ref('consumption'), lit('%')))
     ->write(To::output(truncate: false));
 
-if ('' !== \Phar::running(false)) {
+if ($_ENV['FLOW_PHAR_APP'] ?? false) {
     return $flow;
 }
 
diff --git a/examples/topics/aggregations/power_plant_bar_chart.php b/examples/topics/aggregations/power_plant_bar_chart.php
index 08e0f52ed..f4873d12d 100644
--- a/examples/topics/aggregations/power_plant_bar_chart.php
+++ b/examples/topics/aggregations/power_plant_bar_chart.php
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@
         )
     );
 
-if ('' !== \Phar::running(false)) {
+if ($_ENV['FLOW_PHAR_APP'] ?? false) {
     return $flow;
 }
 
diff --git a/examples/topics/async/bootstrap.php b/examples/topics/async/bootstrap.php
index cc85669e8..fd01219cf 100644
--- a/examples/topics/async/bootstrap.php
+++ b/examples/topics/async/bootstrap.php
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 <?php declare(strict_types=1);
 
-if ('' !== \Phar::running(false)) {
-    print 'This example cannot be run in PHAR, please use CLI approach.';
+if ($_ENV['FLOW_PHAR_APP'] ?? false) {
+    print "This example cannot be run in PHAR, please use CLI approach.\n";
 
     exit(1);
 }
diff --git a/examples/topics/db/db_clean.php b/examples/topics/db/db_clean.php
index 67cffd158..38da3b4c8 100755
--- a/examples/topics/db/db_clean.php
+++ b/examples/topics/db/db_clean.php
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env php
 <?php
 
-if ('' !== \Phar::running(false)) {
-    print 'This example cannot be run in PHAR, please use CLI approach.';
+if ($_ENV['FLOW_PHAR_APP'] ?? false) {
+    print "This example cannot be run in PHAR, please use CLI approach.\n";
 
     exit(1);
 }
diff --git a/examples/topics/db/db_source.php b/examples/topics/db/db_source.php
index 8dbf97a79..c039ff853 100644
--- a/examples/topics/db/db_source.php
+++ b/examples/topics/db/db_source.php
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env php
 <?php
 
-if ('' !== \Phar::running(false)) {
-    print 'This example cannot be run in PHAR, please use CLI approach.';
+if ($_ENV['FLOW_PHAR_APP'] ?? false) {
+    print "This example cannot be run in PHAR, please use CLI approach.\n";
 
     exit(1);
 }
diff --git a/examples/topics/db/db_to_db_sync.php b/examples/topics/db/db_to_db_sync.php
index df437ed79..aa1fa318a 100644
--- a/examples/topics/db/db_to_db_sync.php
+++ b/examples/topics/db/db_to_db_sync.php
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 <?php declare(strict_types=1);
 
-if ('' !== \Phar::running(false)) {
-    print 'This example cannot be run in PHAR, please use CLI approach.';
+if ($_ENV['FLOW_PHAR_APP'] ?? false) {
+    print "This example cannot be run in PHAR, please use CLI approach.\n";
 
     exit(1);
 }
diff --git a/examples/topics/fs/remote/json_remote_stream.php b/examples/topics/fs/remote/json_remote_stream.php
index 47054f38a..48c37afb3 100644
--- a/examples/topics/fs/remote/json_remote_stream.php
+++ b/examples/topics/fs/remote/json_remote_stream.php
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 <?php declare(strict_types=1);
 
-if ('' !== \Phar::running(false)) {
-    print 'This example cannot be run in PHAR, please use CLI approach.';
+if ($_ENV['FLOW_PHAR_APP'] ?? false) {
+    print "This example cannot be run in PHAR, please use CLI approach.\n";
 
     exit(1);
 }
diff --git a/examples/topics/fs/remote/json_remote_stream_glob.php b/examples/topics/fs/remote/json_remote_stream_glob.php
index ca7da3e38..577edafec 100644
--- a/examples/topics/fs/remote/json_remote_stream_glob.php
+++ b/examples/topics/fs/remote/json_remote_stream_glob.php
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 <?php declare(strict_types=1);
 
-if ('' !== \Phar::running(false)) {
-    print 'This example cannot be run in PHAR, please use CLI approach.';
+if ($_ENV['FLOW_PHAR_APP'] ?? false) {
+    print "This example cannot be run in PHAR, please use CLI approach.\n";
 
     exit(1);
 }
diff --git a/examples/topics/http/psr_http_dynamic.php b/examples/topics/http/psr_http_dynamic.php
index 9946d9199..c73a2d740 100644
--- a/examples/topics/http/psr_http_dynamic.php
+++ b/examples/topics/http/psr_http_dynamic.php
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ public function create(?Message\ResponseInterface $previousResponse = null) : ?M
     ->select('name', 'html_url', 'blog')
     ->write(To::output(false));
 
-if ('' !== \Phar::running(false)) {
+if ($_ENV['FLOW_PHAR_APP'] ?? false) {
     return $flow;
 }
 
diff --git a/examples/topics/join/left_anti/left_anti_join.php b/examples/topics/join/left_anti/left_anti_join.php
index 85454db70..b7986c10d 100644
--- a/examples/topics/join/left_anti/left_anti_join.php
+++ b/examples/topics/join/left_anti/left_anti_join.php
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@
     )
     ->write(To::output());
 
-if ('' !== \Phar::running(false)) {
+if ($_ENV['FLOW_PHAR_APP'] ?? false) {
     return $flow;
 }
 
diff --git a/examples/topics/join/left_anti/left_anti_join_each.php b/examples/topics/join/left_anti/left_anti_join_each.php
index 3425aeba0..8d94c0153 100644
--- a/examples/topics/join/left_anti/left_anti_join_each.php
+++ b/examples/topics/join/left_anti/left_anti_join_each.php
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ private function findRowsInDatabase(Rows $rows) : Rows
     )
     ->write(To::output());
 
-if ('' !== \Phar::running(false)) {
+if ($_ENV['FLOW_PHAR_APP'] ?? false) {
     return $flow;
 }
 
diff --git a/examples/topics/transformations/aggregate.php b/examples/topics/transformations/aggregate.php
index dea2b4b10..5595f6887 100644
--- a/examples/topics/transformations/aggregate.php
+++ b/examples/topics/transformations/aggregate.php
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
     ->aggregate(Aggregation::sum(ref('a')))
     ->write(To::output(false));
 
-if ('' !== \Phar::running(false)) {
+if ($_ENV['FLOW_PHAR_APP'] ?? false) {
     return $flow;
 }
 
diff --git a/examples/topics/transformations/array_expand.php b/examples/topics/transformations/array_expand.php
index c3bf69e19..c9f2310f4 100644
--- a/examples/topics/transformations/array_expand.php
+++ b/examples/topics/transformations/array_expand.php
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
     ->withEntry('expanded', array_expand(ref('array')))
     ->write(To::output(false));
 
-if ('' !== \Phar::running(false)) {
+if ($_ENV['FLOW_PHAR_APP'] ?? false) {
     return $flow;
 }
 
diff --git a/examples/topics/transformations/array_unpack.php b/examples/topics/transformations/array_unpack.php
index b753f08ce..a9fcffc41 100644
--- a/examples/topics/transformations/array_unpack.php
+++ b/examples/topics/transformations/array_unpack.php
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
     ->withEntry('unpacked', ref('array')->unpack())
     ->write(To::output(false));
 
-if ('' !== \Phar::running(false)) {
+if ($_ENV['FLOW_PHAR_APP'] ?? false) {
     return $flow;
 }
 
diff --git a/examples/topics/transformations/filter_divide.php b/examples/topics/transformations/filter_divide.php
index 32f002e61..96efb7b97 100644
--- a/examples/topics/transformations/filter_divide.php
+++ b/examples/topics/transformations/filter_divide.php
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
     ->withEntry('new_b', ref('b')->multiply(lit(2))->multiply(lit(5)))
     ->write(To::output(false));
 
-if ('' !== \Phar::running(false)) {
+if ($_ENV['FLOW_PHAR_APP'] ?? false) {
     return $flow;
 }
 
diff --git a/examples/topics/transformations/filter_mod.php b/examples/topics/transformations/filter_mod.php
index 86e4d2d7b..fc146121a 100644
--- a/examples/topics/transformations/filter_mod.php
+++ b/examples/topics/transformations/filter_mod.php
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
     ->filter(ref('b')->mod(lit(2))->equals(lit(0)))
     ->write(To::output(false));
 
-if ('' !== \Phar::running(false)) {
+if ($_ENV['FLOW_PHAR_APP'] ?? false) {
     return $flow;
 }
 
diff --git a/examples/topics/transformations/group_by.php b/examples/topics/transformations/group_by.php
index f5b768787..44f56f6dd 100644
--- a/examples/topics/transformations/group_by.php
+++ b/examples/topics/transformations/group_by.php
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
     ->groupBy(ref('a'))
     ->write(To::output(false));
 
-if ('' !== \Phar::running(false)) {
+if ($_ENV['FLOW_PHAR_APP'] ?? false) {
     return $flow;
 }
 
diff --git a/examples/topics/transformations/literals.php b/examples/topics/transformations/literals.php
index abe2b5b50..ea1c93b3a 100644
--- a/examples/topics/transformations/literals.php
+++ b/examples/topics/transformations/literals.php
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
     ->withEntry('number', lit(1))
     ->write(To::output(false));
 
-if ('' !== \Phar::running(false)) {
+if ($_ENV['FLOW_PHAR_APP'] ?? false) {
     return $flow;
 }
 
diff --git a/examples/topics/transformations/math.php b/examples/topics/transformations/math.php
index 7699c81ac..7f74354e8 100644
--- a/examples/topics/transformations/math.php
+++ b/examples/topics/transformations/math.php
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
     ->withEntry('d', ref('b')->minus(ref('a')))
     ->write(To::output(false));
 
-if ('' !== \Phar::running(false)) {
+if ($_ENV['FLOW_PHAR_APP'] ?? false) {
     return $flow;
 }
 
diff --git a/examples/topics/transformations/size.php b/examples/topics/transformations/size.php
index ff8155851..e3d3ab59d 100644
--- a/examples/topics/transformations/size.php
+++ b/examples/topics/transformations/size.php
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
     ->withEntry('array_size', ref('array')->size())
     ->write(To::output(false));
 
-if ('' !== \Phar::running(false)) {
+if ($_ENV['FLOW_PHAR_APP'] ?? false) {
     return $flow;
 }
 
diff --git a/examples/topics/transformations/sort.php b/examples/topics/transformations/sort.php
index 867b9631e..129f75b48 100644
--- a/examples/topics/transformations/sort.php
+++ b/examples/topics/transformations/sort.php
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
     ->sortBy(ref('id')->desc())
     ->write(To::output(false));
 
-if ('' !== \Phar::running(false)) {
+if ($_ENV['FLOW_PHAR_APP'] ?? false) {
     return $flow;
 }
 
diff --git a/examples/topics/transformations/when_null.php b/examples/topics/transformations/when_null.php
index 4d53d79d0..23a181d19 100644
--- a/examples/topics/transformations/when_null.php
+++ b/examples/topics/transformations/when_null.php
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@
     )
     ->write(To::output(false));
 
-if ('' !== \Phar::running(false)) {
+if ($_ENV['FLOW_PHAR_APP'] ?? false) {
     return $flow;
 }
 
diff --git a/examples/topics/transformations/when_odd.php b/examples/topics/transformations/when_odd.php
index 9b5b3a88d..db6078865 100644
--- a/examples/topics/transformations/when_odd.php
+++ b/examples/topics/transformations/when_odd.php
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
     )
     ->write(To::output(false));
 
-if ('' !== \Phar::running(false)) {
+if ($_ENV['FLOW_PHAR_APP'] ?? false) {
     return $flow;
 }
 
diff --git a/examples/topics/types/csv/csv_read.php b/examples/topics/types/csv/csv_read.php
index 8124758bc..d0f321478 100644
--- a/examples/topics/types/csv/csv_read.php
+++ b/examples/topics/types/csv/csv_read.php
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
     ->drop(col('row'))
     ->limit(10_000);
 
-if ('' !== \Phar::running(false)) {
+if ($_ENV['FLOW_PHAR_APP'] ?? false) {
     return $flow;
 }
 
diff --git a/examples/topics/types/csv/csv_read_partitioned.php b/examples/topics/types/csv/csv_read_partitioned.php
index a51a4e006..8696ebf10 100644
--- a/examples/topics/types/csv/csv_read_partitioned.php
+++ b/examples/topics/types/csv/csv_read_partitioned.php
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
     ->sortBy(ref('id'))
     ->write(To::output());
 
-if ('' !== \Phar::running(false)) {
+if ($_ENV['FLOW_PHAR_APP'] ?? false) {
     return $flow;
 }
 
diff --git a/examples/topics/types/csv/csv_read_partitioned_filter.php b/examples/topics/types/csv/csv_read_partitioned_filter.php
index 1242919d8..52707d932 100644
--- a/examples/topics/types/csv/csv_read_partitioned_filter.php
+++ b/examples/topics/types/csv/csv_read_partitioned_filter.php
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
     ->sortBy(ref('id'))
     ->write(To::output());
 
-if ('' !== \Phar::running(false)) {
+if ($_ENV['FLOW_PHAR_APP'] ?? false) {
     return $flow;
 }
 
diff --git a/examples/topics/types/csv/csv_to_avro.php b/examples/topics/types/csv/csv_to_avro.php
index 8cc46dfdd..0da65948f 100644
--- a/examples/topics/types/csv/csv_to_avro.php
+++ b/examples/topics/types/csv/csv_to_avro.php
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
     ->rename('last name', 'last_name')
     ->write(Avro::to(__FLOW_OUTPUT__ . '/dataset.avro'));
 
-if ('' !== \Phar::running(false)) {
+if ($_ENV['FLOW_PHAR_APP'] ?? false) {
     return $flow;
 }
 
diff --git a/examples/topics/types/csv/csv_to_json.php b/examples/topics/types/csv/csv_to_json.php
index 3c0da7669..0ce1d071a 100644
--- a/examples/topics/types/csv/csv_to_json.php
+++ b/examples/topics/types/csv/csv_to_json.php
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
     ->drop(col('row'))
     ->write(Json::to(__FLOW_OUTPUT__ . '/dataset.json'));
 
-if ('' !== \Phar::running(false)) {
+if ($_ENV['FLOW_PHAR_APP'] ?? false) {
     return $flow;
 }
 
diff --git a/examples/topics/types/csv/csv_to_parquet_100k.php b/examples/topics/types/csv/csv_to_parquet_100k.php
index 716728e31..18e1e95b2 100644
--- a/examples/topics/types/csv/csv_to_parquet_100k.php
+++ b/examples/topics/types/csv/csv_to_parquet_100k.php
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
     ->drop(col('row'))
     ->write(Parquet::to(__FLOW_OUTPUT__ . '/dataset_100k.parquet', 100_000));
 
-if ('' !== \Phar::running(false)) {
+if ($_ENV['FLOW_PHAR_APP'] ?? false) {
     return $flow;
 }
 
diff --git a/examples/topics/types/csv/csv_to_parquet_10k.php b/examples/topics/types/csv/csv_to_parquet_10k.php
index ae0b69032..5f56ee45d 100644
--- a/examples/topics/types/csv/csv_to_parquet_10k.php
+++ b/examples/topics/types/csv/csv_to_parquet_10k.php
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
     ->drop(col('row'))
     ->write(Parquet::to(__FLOW_OUTPUT__ . '/dataset_10k.parquet', 10_000));
 
-if ('' !== \Phar::running(false)) {
+if ($_ENV['FLOW_PHAR_APP'] ?? false) {
     return $flow;
 }
 
diff --git a/examples/topics/types/csv/php_to_csv.php b/examples/topics/types/csv/php_to_csv.php
index 0f8a52d79..67d9d8def 100644
--- a/examples/topics/types/csv/php_to_csv.php
+++ b/examples/topics/types/csv/php_to_csv.php
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
     ->drop(col('row'))
     ->write(CSV::to(__FLOW_OUTPUT__ . '/dataset.csv'));
 
-if ('' !== \Phar::running(false)) {
+if ($_ENV['FLOW_PHAR_APP'] ?? false) {
     return $flow;
 }
 
diff --git a/examples/topics/types/csv/php_to_csv_and_json.php b/examples/topics/types/csv/php_to_csv_and_json.php
index 9617aa63a..be6f04e79 100644
--- a/examples/topics/types/csv/php_to_csv_and_json.php
+++ b/examples/topics/types/csv/php_to_csv_and_json.php
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
     ->write(CSV::to(__FLOW_OUTPUT__ . '/dataset.csv'))
     ->write(Json::to(__FLOW_OUTPUT__ . '/dataset.json'));
 
-if ('' !== \Phar::running(false)) {
+if ($_ENV['FLOW_PHAR_APP'] ?? false) {
     return $flow;
 }
 
diff --git a/examples/topics/types/csv/php_to_csv_partition.php b/examples/topics/types/csv/php_to_csv_partition.php
index e44938302..b09064182 100644
--- a/examples/topics/types/csv/php_to_csv_partition.php
+++ b/examples/topics/types/csv/php_to_csv_partition.php
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
     ->partitionBy('country_code', 't_shirt_color')
     ->write(CSV::to(__FLOW_OUTPUT__ . '/partitioned'));
 
-if ('' !== \Phar::running(false)) {
+if ($_ENV['FLOW_PHAR_APP'] ?? false) {
     return $flow;
 }
 
diff --git a/examples/topics/types/xml/reading.php b/examples/topics/types/xml/reading.php
index 4a9a5b6a6..d59239149 100644
--- a/examples/topics/types/xml/reading.php
+++ b/examples/topics/types/xml/reading.php
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
     ->read(XML::from(__FLOW_DATA__ . '/simple_items.xml', 'root/items/item'))
     ->write(To::output(false));
 
-if ('' !== \Phar::running(false)) {
+if ($_ENV['FLOW_PHAR_APP'] ?? false) {
     return $flow;
 }
 
diff --git a/examples/topics/types/xml/salaries.php b/examples/topics/types/xml/salaries.php
index 242f136a4..36d7ed41c 100644
--- a/examples/topics/types/xml/salaries.php
+++ b/examples/topics/types/xml/salaries.php
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
     ->rename('department_salary_sum', 'total_monthly_salaries')
     ->write(To::output(false));
 
-if ('' !== \Phar::running(false)) {
+if ($_ENV['FLOW_PHAR_APP'] ?? false) {
     return $flow;
 }