diff --git a/frappe/__init__.py b/frappe/__init__.py
index fc1861d640..de597894e0 100644
--- a/frappe/__init__.py
+++ b/frappe/__init__.py
@@ -263,7 +263,7 @@ def init(site: str, sites_path: str = ".", new_site: bool = False, force: bool =
 	local.form_dict = _dict()
 	local.preload_assets = {"style": [], "script": [], "icons": []}
 	local.session = _dict()
-	local.dev_server = _dev_server
+	local.dev_server = _dev_server  # only for backwards compatibility
 	local.qb = get_query_builder(local.conf.db_type)
 	if not cache or not client_cache:
 		setup_redis_cache_connection()
diff --git a/frappe/build.py b/frappe/build.py
index d499cea553..83fe189ba6 100644
--- a/frappe/build.py
+++ b/frappe/build.py
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ def build_missing_files():
 		folder = os.path.join(sites_path, "assets", "frappe", "dist", type)
 		current_asset_files.extend(os.listdir(folder))
 
-	development = frappe.local.conf.developer_mode or frappe.local.dev_server
+	development = frappe.local.conf.developer_mode or frappe._dev_server
 	build_mode = "development" if development else "production"
 
 	assets_json = frappe.read_file("assets/assets.json")
diff --git a/frappe/commands/utils.py b/frappe/commands/utils.py
index ed126dff24..1446fb7d2c 100644
--- a/frappe/commands/utils.py
+++ b/frappe/commands/utils.py
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ def build(
 			skip_frappe = False
 
 		# don't minify in developer_mode for faster builds
-		development = frappe.local.conf.developer_mode or frappe.local.dev_server
+		development = frappe.local.conf.developer_mode or frappe._dev_server
 		mode = "development" if development else "production"
 		if production:
 			mode = "production"
diff --git a/frappe/utils/safe_exec.py b/frappe/utils/safe_exec.py
index 0d055525b6..6cbc9201af 100644
--- a/frappe/utils/safe_exec.py
+++ b/frappe/utils/safe_exec.py
@@ -287,7 +287,7 @@ def get_safe_globals():
 		scrub=scrub,
 		guess_mimetype=mimetypes.guess_type,
 		html2text=html2text,
-		dev_server=frappe.local.dev_server,
+		dev_server=frappe._dev_server,
 		run_script=run_script,
 		is_job_queued=is_job_queued,
 		get_visible_columns=get_visible_columns,
diff --git a/frappe/website/path_resolver.py b/frappe/website/path_resolver.py
index 69aafe35e3..e07663aa7f 100644
--- a/frappe/website/path_resolver.py
+++ b/frappe/website/path_resolver.py
@@ -196,7 +196,7 @@ def get_website_rules():
 
 		return rules
 
-	if frappe.local.dev_server:
+	if frappe._dev_server:
 		# dont cache in development
 		return _get()
 
diff --git a/frappe/website/utils.py b/frappe/website/utils.py
index 5d2747f634..f3b06647b2 100644
--- a/frappe/website/utils.py
+++ b/frappe/website/utils.py
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ def get_home_page():
 
 		return home_page
 
-	if frappe.local.dev_server:
+	if frappe._dev_server:
 		# dont return cached homepage in development
 		return _get_home_page()