diff --git a/packages/core/src/middleware/koa-auth.test.ts b/packages/core/src/middleware/koa-auth.test.ts
index 92d9c01f0..3238a4284 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/middleware/koa-auth.test.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/middleware/koa-auth.test.ts
@@ -41,6 +41,19 @@ describe('koaAuth middleware', () => {
     spy.mockRestore();
   });
 
+  it('should read `development-user-id` from headers if not production', async () => {
+    const mockCtx = {
+      ...ctx,
+      request: {
+        ...ctx.request,
+        headers: { ...ctx.request.headers, 'development-user-id': 'foo' },
+      },
+    };
+
+    await koaAuth()(mockCtx, next);
+    expect(mockCtx.auth).toEqual('foo');
+  });
+
   it('should set user auth with given sub returned from accessToken', async () => {
     ctx.request = {
       ...ctx.request,
diff --git a/packages/core/src/middleware/koa-auth.ts b/packages/core/src/middleware/koa-auth.ts
index d150c68aa..2076bed31 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/middleware/koa-auth.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/middleware/koa-auth.ts
@@ -35,9 +35,10 @@ const extractBearerTokenFromHeaders = ({ authorization }: IncomingHttpHeaders) =
 
 const getUserInfoFromRequest = async (request: Request) => {
   const { isProduction, developmentUserId, oidc } = envSet.values;
+  const userId = developmentUserId || request.headers['development-user-id']?.toString();
 
-  if (!isProduction && developmentUserId) {
-    return developmentUserId;
+  if (!isProduction && userId) {
+    return userId;
   }
 
   const { publicKey, issuer } = oidc;