diff --git a/common/params.cc b/common/params.cc
index 54168165a176ec..d1d3513469d22d 100644
--- a/common/params.cc
+++ b/common/params.cc
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ std::unordered_map<std::string, uint32_t> keys = {
     {"DoReboot", CLEAR_ON_MANAGER_START},
     {"DoShutdown", CLEAR_ON_MANAGER_START},
     {"DoUninstall", CLEAR_ON_MANAGER_START},
-    {"ExperimentalLongitudinalEnabled", PERSISTENT},
+    {"ExperimentalLongitudinalEnabled", PERSISTENT | DEVELOPMENT_ONLY},
     {"ExperimentalMode", PERSISTENT},
     {"ExperimentalModeConfirmed", PERSISTENT},
     {"FirmwareQueryDone", CLEAR_ON_MANAGER_START | CLEAR_ON_ONROAD_TRANSITION},
diff --git a/common/params.h b/common/params.h
index fbe0bba6b0da3c..aa586a158159c8 100644
--- a/common/params.h
+++ b/common/params.h
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ enum ParamKeyType {
   CLEAR_ON_ONROAD_TRANSITION = 0x08,
   CLEAR_ON_OFFROAD_TRANSITION = 0x10,
   DONT_LOG = 0x20,
+  DEVELOPMENT_ONLY = 0x40,
   ALL = 0xFFFFFFFF
 };
 
diff --git a/common/params_pyx.pyx b/common/params_pyx.pyx
index de52c490b3e38e..db8f496d3011be 100644
--- a/common/params_pyx.pyx
+++ b/common/params_pyx.pyx
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ cdef extern from "common/params.h":
     CLEAR_ON_MANAGER_START
     CLEAR_ON_ONROAD_TRANSITION
     CLEAR_ON_OFFROAD_TRANSITION
+    DEVELOPMENT_ONLY
     ALL
 
   cdef cppclass c_Params "Params":
diff --git a/selfdrive/controls/controlsd.py b/selfdrive/controls/controlsd.py
index aca074c95add90..421139e449e9bb 100755
--- a/selfdrive/controls/controlsd.py
+++ b/selfdrive/controls/controlsd.py
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
 from openpilot.common.conversions import Conversions as CV
 from panda import ALTERNATIVE_EXPERIENCE
 from openpilot.system.swaglog import cloudlog
-from openpilot.system.version import is_release_branch, get_short_branch
+from openpilot.system.version import get_short_branch
 from openpilot.selfdrive.boardd.boardd import can_list_to_can_capnp
 from openpilot.selfdrive.car.car_helpers import get_car, get_startup_event, get_one_can
 from openpilot.selfdrive.controls.lib.lateral_planner import CAMERA_OFFSET
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ def __init__(self, CI=None):
       get_one_can(self.can_sock)
 
       num_pandas = len(messaging.recv_one_retry(self.sm.sock['pandaStates']).pandaStates)
-      experimental_long_allowed = self.params.get_bool("ExperimentalLongitudinalEnabled") and not is_release_branch()
+      experimental_long_allowed = self.params.get_bool("ExperimentalLongitudinalEnabled")
       self.CI, self.CP = get_car(self.can_sock, self.pm.sock['sendcan'], experimental_long_allowed, num_pandas)
     else:
       self.CI, self.CP = CI, CI.CP
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ def __init__(self, CI=None):
     put_nonblocking("CarParamsPersistent", cp_bytes)
 
     # cleanup old params
-    if not self.CP.experimentalLongitudinalAvailable or is_release_branch():
+    if not self.CP.experimentalLongitudinalAvailable:
       self.params.remove("ExperimentalLongitudinalEnabled")
     if not self.CP.openpilotLongitudinalControl:
       self.params.remove("ExperimentalMode")
diff --git a/selfdrive/manager/manager.py b/selfdrive/manager/manager.py
index a739437de74193..9be448499edb54 100755
--- a/selfdrive/manager/manager.py
+++ b/selfdrive/manager/manager.py
@@ -37,6 +37,8 @@ def manager_init() -> None:
   params.clear_all(ParamKeyType.CLEAR_ON_MANAGER_START)
   params.clear_all(ParamKeyType.CLEAR_ON_ONROAD_TRANSITION)
   params.clear_all(ParamKeyType.CLEAR_ON_OFFROAD_TRANSITION)
+  if is_release_branch():
+    params.clear_all(ParamKeyType.DEVELOPMENT_ONLY)
 
   default_params: List[Tuple[str, Union[str, bytes]]] = [
     ("CompletedTrainingVersion", "0"),