diff --git a/config/config.devenv.json b/config/config.devenv.json
index df0ff4c1..f99c4bbd 100644
--- a/config/config.devenv.json
+++ b/config/config.devenv.json
@@ -15,5 +15,6 @@
     "delayed_leave_event_delay_ms": 18000,
     "delayed_leave_event_restart_ms": 4000,
     "network_error_retry_ms": 100
-  }
+  },
+  "trust_localhost_for_mute_state": true
 }
diff --git a/scripts/playwright-webserver-command.sh b/scripts/playwright-webserver-command.sh
index 35d5fd38..8c00909b 100755
--- a/scripts/playwright-webserver-command.sh
+++ b/scripts/playwright-webserver-command.sh
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 #!/bin/sh
 if [ -n "$USE_DOCKER" ]; then
     set -ex
-    yarn build --mode development
+    yarn build
     docker build -t element-call:testing .
     exec docker run --rm --name element-call-testing -p 8080:8080 -v ./config/config.devenv.json:/app/config.json:ro,Z element-call:testing
 else
diff --git a/src/config/ConfigOptions.ts b/src/config/ConfigOptions.ts
index 44cdf128..a392eb9b 100644
--- a/src/config/ConfigOptions.ts
+++ b/src/config/ConfigOptions.ts
@@ -164,6 +164,9 @@ export interface ResolvedConfigOptions extends ConfigOptions {
   };
   ssla: string;
   app_prompt: boolean;
+  // For privacy reasons when lobby is skipped we do not unmute by default on full builds
+  // but for development builds we want to unmute by default to speed up testing.
+  trust_localhost_for_mute_state: boolean;
 }
 
 export const DEFAULT_CONFIG: ResolvedConfigOptions = {
@@ -178,4 +181,5 @@ export const DEFAULT_CONFIG: ResolvedConfigOptions = {
   },
   ssla: "https://static.element.io/legal/element-software-and-services-license-agreement-uk-1.pdf",
   app_prompt: true,
+  trust_localhost_for_mute_state: false,
 };
diff --git a/src/room/RoomPage.tsx b/src/room/RoomPage.tsx
index 488d8da9..7c98bb0d 100644
--- a/src/room/RoomPage.tsx
+++ b/src/room/RoomPage.tsx
@@ -79,6 +79,7 @@ export const RoomPage: FC = () => {
           urlParams,
           import.meta.env.VITE_PACKAGE,
           window.location.hostname,
+          Config.get().trust_localhost_for_mute_state,
         ),
       ),
     );
diff --git a/src/state/initialMuteState.ts b/src/state/initialMuteState.ts
index 5fdc6a6f..f0a29a25 100644
--- a/src/state/initialMuteState.ts
+++ b/src/state/initialMuteState.ts
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ export function calculateInitialMuteState(
   urlParams: Pick<UrlParams, "skipLobby" | "callIntent">,
   packageType: "full" | "embedded",
   hostname: string | undefined = undefined,
-  trustLocalhost: boolean = import.meta.env.DEV,
+  trustLocalhost: boolean = false,
 ): { audioEnabled: boolean; videoEnabled: boolean } {
   const { skipLobby, callIntent } = urlParams;