diff --git a/.github/workflows/releases.yml b/.github/workflows/releases.yml
index a17dc363b..2a5b327ad 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/releases.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/releases.yml
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@ jobs:
           version: latest
           args: release
         env:
-          APP_ENV: production
           GH_OAUTH_CLIENT_ID: 178c6fc778ccc68e1d6a
           GH_OAUTH_CLIENT_SECRET: ${{secrets.OAUTH_CLIENT_SECRET}}
           GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN}}
diff --git a/.goreleaser.yml b/.goreleaser.yml
index dbddbb888..7782698a1 100644
--- a/.goreleaser.yml
+++ b/.goreleaser.yml
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ builds:
       - -s -w -X github.com/github/gh-cli/command.Version={{.Version}} -X github.com/github/gh-cli/command.BuildDate={{.Date}}
       - -X github.com/github/gh-cli/context.oauthClientID={{.Env.GH_OAUTH_CLIENT_ID}}
       - -X github.com/github/gh-cli/context.oauthClientSecret={{.Env.GH_OAUTH_CLIENT_SECRET}}
+      - -X github.com/github/gh-cli.updaterEnabled=yes
     goos:
       - linux
       - darwin
diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index 38113f045..7aab6377b 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@ import (
 	"github.com/github/gh-cli/update"
 )
 
+var updaterEnabled = "no"
+
 func main() {
 	updateMessageChan := make(chan *string)
 	go updateInBackground(updateMessageChan)
@@ -29,7 +31,7 @@ func main() {
 }
 
 func updateInBackground(updateMessageChan chan *string) {
-	if os.Getenv("APP_ENV") != "production" {
+	if updaterEnabled != "yes" {
 		updateMessageChan <- nil
 		return
 	}