diff --git a/src/bornhack/environment_settings.py.dist b/src/bornhack/environment_settings.py.dist
index 1e7bc68fc..e169c6ece 100644
--- a/src/bornhack/environment_settings.py.dist
+++ b/src/bornhack/environment_settings.py.dist
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ DATABASES = {
 }
 
 DEBUG={{ django_debug }}
+DEBUG_TOOLBAR_ENABLED={{ django_debug_toolbar_enabled }}
 
 
 # start redirecting to the next camp instead of the previous camp after
diff --git a/src/bornhack/environment_settings.py.dist.dev b/src/bornhack/environment_settings.py.dist.dev
index 97be3dd37..0d95c21b9 100644
--- a/src/bornhack/environment_settings.py.dist.dev
+++ b/src/bornhack/environment_settings.py.dist.dev
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ DATABASES = {
     }
 }
 DEBUG = True
+DEBUG_TOOLBAR_ENABLED = DEBUG
 CHANNEL_LAYERS = {}
 
 ASGI_APPLICATION = "bornhack.routing.application"
diff --git a/src/bornhack/settings.py b/src/bornhack/settings.py
index 43b8db2c4..1c11a159b 100644
--- a/src/bornhack/settings.py
+++ b/src/bornhack/settings.py
@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@
 CORS_ORIGIN_ALLOW_ALL = True
 CORS_URLS_REGEX = r"^/api/*$"
 
-if DEBUG:  # noqa: F405
+if DEBUG_TOOLBAR_ENABLED:  # noqa: F405
     EMAIL_BACKEND = "django.core.mail.backends.console.EmailBackend"
     INSTALLED_APPS += ["debug_toolbar"]
     MIDDLEWARE = ["debug_toolbar.middleware.DebugToolbarMiddleware"] + MIDDLEWARE
diff --git a/src/bornhack/urls.py b/src/bornhack/urls.py
index 31a3a86a2..8a2a5e3b4 100644
--- a/src/bornhack/urls.py
+++ b/src/bornhack/urls.py
@@ -188,7 +188,7 @@
     ),
 ]
 
-if settings.DEBUG:
+if settings.DEBUG_TOOLBAR_ENABLED:
     import debug_toolbar
 
     urlpatterns = [path("__debug__/", include(debug_toolbar.urls))] + urlpatterns