diff --git a/fluxer_api/src/api/auth/AuthRegistration.ts b/fluxer_api/src/api/auth/AuthRegistration.ts
index 402a5461f..3db6f5241 100644
--- a/fluxer_api/src/api/auth/AuthRegistration.ts
+++ b/fluxer_api/src/api/auth/AuthRegistration.ts
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ import {inputValidationErrorFromZodIssues} from '@app/api/Validator';
 import {AccountIdentityModes, TagStyles} from '@fluxer/constants/src/AccountIdentityConstants';
 import {AdminACLs} from '@fluxer/constants/src/AdminACLs';
 import {getRegionalMinimumAge} from '@fluxer/constants/src/RegionalMinimumAge';
-import {ProfileFieldPrivacyFlags, UserFlags} from '@fluxer/constants/src/UserConstants';
+import {ProfileFieldPrivacyFlags} from '@fluxer/constants/src/UserConstants';
 import {ValidationErrorCodes} from '@fluxer/constants/src/ValidationErrorCodes';
 import {RegistrationClosedError} from '@fluxer/errors/src/domains/auth/RegistrationClosedError';
 import {RegistrationCredentialsRequiredError} from '@fluxer/errors/src/domains/auth/RegistrationCredentialsRequiredError';
@@ -257,7 +257,6 @@ async function registerAccount(
 	const acceptLanguage = request.headers.get('accept-language');
 	const userLocale = parseAcceptLanguage(acceptLanguage);
 	const passwordHash = data.password ? await hashPassword(data.password) : null;
-	const flags = config.nodeEnv === 'development' ? UserFlags.STAFF : 0n;
 	const userRow: UserRow = {
 		...EMPTY_USER_ROW,
 		user_id: userId,
@@ -275,7 +274,7 @@ async function registerAccount(
 		timezone_privacy_flags: ProfileFieldPrivacyFlags.EVERYONE,
 		date_of_birth: dateOfBirth,
 		locale: userLocale,
-		flags,
+		flags: 0n,
 		terms_agreed_at: requiresTermsConsent ? now : null,
 		privacy_agreed_at: requiresPrivacyConsent ? now : null,
 		last_active_at: now,
diff --git a/fluxer_api/src/api/auth/tests/Registration.test.ts b/fluxer_api/src/api/auth/tests/Registration.test.ts
index 6b2068cc2..fa78c480e 100644
--- a/fluxer_api/src/api/auth/tests/Registration.test.ts
+++ b/fluxer_api/src/api/auth/tests/Registration.test.ts
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ import type {ApiTestHarness} from '@app/api/test/ApiTestHarness';
 import {HTTP_STATUS} from '@app/api/test/TestConstants';
 import {createBuilder, createBuilderWithoutAuth} from '@app/api/test/TestRequestBuilder';
 import {AdminACLs} from '@fluxer/constants/src/AdminACLs';
+import {UserFlags} from '@fluxer/constants/src/UserConstants';
 import {ValidationErrorCodes} from '@fluxer/constants/src/ValidationErrorCodes';
 import {getSameIpDecisionKey} from '@fluxer/ip_utils/src/IpAddress';
 import {ms} from 'itty-time';
@@ -126,6 +127,19 @@ describe('Auth registration', () => {
 		expect(reg.user_id.length).toBeGreaterThan(0);
 		expect(Object.keys(reg).sort()).toEqual(['token', 'user', 'user_id']);
 	});
+	it('does not flag accounts registered on a development instance as staff', async () => {
+		expect(getConfig().nodeEnv).toBe('development');
+		const reg = await registerUser(harness, {
+			email: createUniqueEmail('devnotstaff'),
+			username: createUniqueUsername('devnotstaff'),
+			global_name: 'Dev User',
+			password: 'a-strong-password',
+			date_of_birth: '2000-01-01',
+			consent: true,
+		});
+		const user = await getUserRepository().findUniqueAssert(createUserID(BigInt(reg.user_id)));
+		expect(user.flags & UserFlags.STAFF).toBe(0n);
+	});
 	it('grants wildcard admin ACL to first accepted local dev registration', async () => {
 		await getInstanceConfigRepository().updateCaptchaConfig({enabled: false});
 		await withBootstrapAdminConfig({selfHosted: false, testModeEnabled: false}, async () => {