diff --git a/swh/objstorage/api/server.py b/swh/objstorage/api/server.py
--- a/swh/objstorage/api/server.py
+++ b/swh/objstorage/api/server.py
@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
-# Copyright (C) 2015-2020  The Software Heritage developers
+# Copyright (C) 2015-2021  The Software Heritage developers
 # See the AUTHORS file at the top-level directory of this distribution
 # License: GNU General Public License version 3, or any later version
 # See top-level LICENSE file for more information
 
 import json
+import logging
 import os
 
 import aiohttp.web
@@ -18,6 +19,8 @@
 from swh.objstorage.factory import get_objstorage
 from swh.objstorage.objstorage import DEFAULT_LIMIT
 
+LOGGER = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
 
 def timed(f):
     async def w(*a, **kw):
@@ -234,6 +237,8 @@
     if "objstorage" not in cfg:
         raise KeyError("Invalid configuration; missing objstorage config entry")
 
+    bypass_check = os.environ.get("SWH_DEV_ENVIRONMENT", 0)
+
     missing_keys = []
     vcfg = cfg["objstorage"]
     if "cls" not in vcfg:
@@ -256,7 +261,10 @@
             )
 
     elif cls == "noop":
-        raise EnvironmentError("Noop implementations should not be used in production.")
+        msg = "Noop implementation should not be used in production."
+        if not bypass_check:
+            raise EnvironmentError(msg)
+        LOGGER.warning(msg)
 
     return cfg
 
diff --git a/swh/objstorage/tests/test_server.py b/swh/objstorage/tests/test_server.py
--- a/swh/objstorage/tests/test_server.py
+++ b/swh/objstorage/tests/test_server.py
@@ -118,8 +118,12 @@
 @pytest.mark.parametrize(
     "config", [pytest.param({"objstorage": {"cls": "noop",}}, id="noop",),],
 )
-def test_load_and_check_config_raise(tmpdir, config):
-    """pathslicing configuration fine loads ok"""
+def test_load_and_check_config_raise(tmpdir, config, monkeypatch):
+    """noop configuration should raise in production environment and ok in dev"""
     config_path = prepare_config_file(tmpdir, config)
     with pytest.raises(EnvironmentError, match="not be used in production"):
         load_and_check_config(config_path)
+
+    # But they are fine in development environment
+    monkeypatch.setenv("SWH_DEV_ENVIRONMENT", 1)
+    load_and_check_config(config_path)