diff --git a/packages/standard-minifiers/package.js b/packages/standard-minifiers/package.js
index 1d533f9a61..43e67e5b50 100644
--- a/packages/standard-minifiers/package.js
+++ b/packages/standard-minifiers/package.js
@@ -2,7 +2,8 @@ Package.describe({
   name: 'standard-minifiers',
   version: '1.1.1',
   summary: 'Standard minifiers used with Meteor apps by default.',
-  documentation: 'README.md'
+  documentation: 'README.md',
+  devOnly: true,
 });
 
 Package.onUse(function(api) {
diff --git a/tools/tests/old.js b/tools/tests/old.js
index 1dd9750759..8bcbed4ac4 100644
--- a/tools/tests/old.js
+++ b/tools/tests/old.js
@@ -81,6 +81,10 @@ selftest.define("bundler-npm", ["slow", "net", "checkout"], function () {
   return runOldTest('test-bundler-npm.js');
 });
 
+selftest.define("bundler-devonly", ["checkout"], function () {
+  return runOldTest('test-bundler-devonly.js');
+});
+
 // This last one's is a shell script!
 // XXX pardon the hacky glue to make it work with a sandbox
 
diff --git a/tools/tests/old/empty-app/.meteor/packages b/tools/tests/old/empty-app/.meteor/packages
index 52277ef16b..255549a91e 100644
--- a/tools/tests/old/empty-app/.meteor/packages
+++ b/tools/tests/old/empty-app/.meteor/packages
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 # no packages
 
 meteor-base
+babel-compiler
 standard-minifiers
diff --git a/tools/tests/old/test-bundler-devonly.js b/tools/tests/old/test-bundler-devonly.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..2aa5e0bfe9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/tests/old/test-bundler-devonly.js
@@ -0,0 +1,137 @@
+require('../../tool-env/install-babel.js');
+
+var _ = require('underscore');
+var assert = require('assert');
+var bundler = require('../../isobuild/bundler.js');
+var release = require('../../packaging/release.js');
+var files = require('../../fs/files');
+var catalog = require('../../packaging/catalog/catalog.js');
+var buildmessage = require('../../utils/buildmessage.js');
+var isopackets = require('../../tool-env/isopackets.js');
+var projectContextModule = require('../../project-context.js');
+var safeWatcher = require("../../fs/safe-watcher");
+const { makeGlobalAsyncLocalStorage } = require("../../utils/fiber-helpers");
+
+var lastTmpDir = null;
+var tmpDir = function () {
+  return (lastTmpDir = files.mkdtemp());
+};
+
+var makeProjectContext = async function (appName) {
+  var projectDir = files.mkdtemp("test-bundler-devonly");
+  await files.cp_r(
+    files.pathJoin(files.convertToStandardPath(__dirname), appName),
+    projectDir,
+    { preserveSymlinks: true },
+  );
+  var projectContext = new projectContextModule.ProjectContext({
+    projectDir: projectDir
+  });
+  await doOrThrow(async function () {
+    await projectContext.prepareProjectForBuild();
+  });
+
+  return projectContext;
+};
+
+var doOrThrow = async function (f) {
+  var ret;
+  var messages = await buildmessage.capture(async function () {
+    ret = await f();
+  });
+  if (messages.hasMessages()) {
+    throw Error(messages.formatMessages());
+  }
+  return ret;
+};
+
+var runTest = async function () {
+  // As preparation, let's initialize the official catalog. It servers as our
+  // data store, so we will probably need it.
+  await catalog.official.initialize();
+
+  // an empty app. notably this app has no .meteor/release file.
+  var projectContext = await makeProjectContext('empty-app');
+
+  // Define an array of devOnly dependencies to check
+  const devOnlyDeps = ['babel-compiler', 'standard-minifiers'];
+
+  console.log("testing devOnly dependencies are skipped in production build");
+  try {
+    // Set the current command to 'build'
+    global.currentCommand = {
+      name: 'build',
+    };
+
+    var tmpOutputDir = tmpDir();
+    var result = await bundler.bundle({
+      projectContext: projectContext,
+      outputPath: tmpOutputDir,
+      buildOptions: { minifyMode: 'production', buildMode: 'production' },
+    });
+    assert.strictEqual(result.errors, false, result.errors && result.errors[0]);
+
+    // sanity check -- main.js has expected contents.
+    assert.strictEqual(
+      files.readFile(files.pathJoin(tmpOutputDir, "main.js"), "utf8"),
+      bundler._mainJsContents);
+
+    // Check that devOnly packages are not present in the bundle
+    for (const dep of devOnlyDeps) {
+      console.log(`Checking that ${dep} is not present in the bundle`);
+
+      // Check in node_modules
+      assert(!files.exists(files.pathJoin(
+        tmpOutputDir, "programs", "server", "npm", "node_modules", "meteor", dep)),
+        `${dep} should not be present in node_modules`);
+
+      // Check in web.browser/program.json
+      const programJson = JSON.parse(files.readFile(
+        files.pathJoin(tmpOutputDir, "programs", "web.browser", "program.json"), "utf8"));
+
+      // Verify the dependency is not in the manifest
+      const manifest = programJson.manifest || [];
+      const hasDepInManifest = manifest.some(item => 
+        item.path && item.path.includes(`${dep}.js`));
+      assert(!hasDepInManifest, `${dep} should not be present in web.browser/program.json`);
+
+      // Check in npm-rebuilds.json
+      const npmRebuildsJson = JSON.parse(files.readFile(
+        files.pathJoin(tmpOutputDir, "programs", "server", "npm-rebuilds.json"), "utf8"));
+
+      // Verify the dependency is not in npm-rebuilds.json
+      const hasDepInRebuilds = npmRebuildsJson.some(path => 
+        path.includes(dep));
+      assert(!hasDepInRebuilds, `${dep} should not be present in npm-rebuilds.json`);
+    }
+
+    assert.ok(true);
+  } catch (e) {
+    assert.fail("devOnly dependencies test fails", e);
+  }
+};
+
+makeGlobalAsyncLocalStorage().run(
+  { name: "test-bundler-devonly.js" },
+  async function () {
+    if (!files.inCheckout()) {
+      throw Error("This test doesn't support non-checkout");
+    }
+
+    release.setCurrent(await release.load(null));
+    await isopackets.ensureIsopacketsLoadable();
+
+    try {
+      await runTest();
+    } catch (err) {
+      console.log(err.stack);
+      console.log("\nBundle can be found at " + lastTmpDir);
+      process.exit(1);
+    }
+
+    // Allow the process to exit normally, since optimistic file watchers
+    // may be keeping the event loop busy.
+    safeWatcher.closeAllWatchers();
+    process.exit(0);
+  }
+);