diff --git a/Gemfile b/Gemfile
index dbea62d2a90..e23b919a510 100644
--- a/Gemfile
+++ b/Gemfile
@@ -144,10 +144,10 @@ group :test, :development do
   gem 'spork-rails'
   gem 'pry-nav'
   gem 'byebug', require: ENV['RM_INFO'].nil?
-  gem 'bullet'
 end
 
 group :development do
+  gem 'bullet', require: !!ENV['BULLET']
   gem 'better_errors'
   gem 'binding_of_caller'
   gem 'librarian', '>= 0.0.25', require: false
diff --git a/config/environments/development.rb b/config/environments/development.rb
index 992a231e8ee..a422173a670 100644
--- a/config/environments/development.rb
+++ b/config/environments/development.rb
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 Discourse::Application.configure do
+
   # Settings specified here will take precedence over those in config/application.rb
 
   # In the development environment your application's code is reloaded on
@@ -53,7 +54,9 @@ Discourse::Application.configure do
   end
 
   config.after_initialize do
-    Bullet.enable = true
-    Bullet.rails_logger = true
+    if ENV['BULLET']
+      Bullet.enable = true
+      Bullet.rails_logger = true
+    end
   end
 end