diff --git a/crates/auto_update/src/auto_update.rs b/crates/auto_update/src/auto_update.rs
index cc7fd0a2b7..1231d632d6 100644
--- a/crates/auto_update/src/auto_update.rs
+++ b/crates/auto_update/src/auto_update.rs
@@ -141,8 +141,13 @@ pub fn init(http_client: Arc<HttpClientWithUrl>, cx: &mut AppContext) {
     let auto_updater = cx.new_model(|cx| {
         let updater = AutoUpdater::new(version, http_client);
 
+        let poll_for_updates = ReleaseChannel::try_global(cx)
+            .map(|channel| channel.poll_for_updates())
+            .unwrap_or(false);
+
         if option_env!("ZED_UPDATE_EXPLANATION").is_none()
             && env::var("ZED_UPDATE_EXPLANATION").is_err()
+            && poll_for_updates
         {
             let mut update_subscription = AutoUpdateSetting::get_global(cx)
                 .0
@@ -186,6 +191,13 @@ pub fn check(_: &Check, cx: &mut WindowContext) {
         return;
     }
 
+    if !ReleaseChannel::try_global(cx)
+        .map(|channel| channel.poll_for_updates())
+        .unwrap_or(false)
+    {
+        return;
+    }
+
     if let Some(updater) = AutoUpdater::get(cx) {
         updater.update(cx, |updater, cx| updater.poll(cx));
     } else {
diff --git a/crates/release_channel/src/lib.rs b/crates/release_channel/src/lib.rs
index b4fda53d79..2955384a48 100644
--- a/crates/release_channel/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/release_channel/src/lib.rs
@@ -118,6 +118,14 @@ impl ReleaseChannel {
             .map(|channel| channel.0)
     }
 
+    /// Returns whether we want to poll for updates for this [`ReleaseChannel`]
+    pub fn poll_for_updates(&self) -> bool {
+        match self {
+            ReleaseChannel::Dev => false,
+            _ => true,
+        }
+    }
+
     /// Returns the display name for this [`ReleaseChannel`].
     pub fn display_name(&self) -> &'static str {
         match self {