diff --git a/k9mail/build.gradle b/k9mail/build.gradle
index 59d8577c8..8e935d7b7 100644
--- a/k9mail/build.gradle
+++ b/k9mail/build.gradle
@@ -49,11 +49,15 @@ android {
             if (project.hasProperty('storeFile')) {
                 signingConfig signingConfigs.release
             }
+
+            buildConfigField "boolean", "DEVELOPER_MODE", "false"
         }
 
         debug {
             applicationIdSuffix ".debug"
             testCoverageEnabled rootProject.testCoverage
+
+            buildConfigField "boolean", "DEVELOPER_MODE", "true"
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/k9mail/src/main/java/com/fsck/k9/K9.java b/k9mail/src/main/java/com/fsck/k9/K9.java
index c4b51b4f3..87fa1237d 100644
--- a/k9mail/src/main/java/com/fsck/k9/K9.java
+++ b/k9mail/src/main/java/com/fsck/k9/K9.java
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ public class K9 extends Application {
      * It should NEVER be on for Market builds
      * Right now, it just governs strictmode
      **/
-    public static boolean DEVELOPER_MODE = true;
+    public static boolean DEVELOPER_MODE = BuildConfig.DEVELOPER_MODE;
 
 
     /**