diff --git a/packages/playground/devEnv/build.ts b/packages/playground/devEnv/build.ts
index 975b881..b798136 100644
--- a/packages/playground/devEnv/build.ts
+++ b/packages/playground/devEnv/build.ts
@@ -176,6 +176,7 @@ export async function start(options: {
       'window.__IS_VISUAL_REGRESSION_TESTING': JSON.stringify(
         options.isVisualRegressionTesting,
       ),
+      'process.env.BUILT_FOR_PLAYGROUND': JSON.stringify('true'),
     },
     banner: liveReload?.esbuildBanner,
     watch: liveReload?.esbuildWatch && {
diff --git a/theatre/devEnv/definedGlobals.ts b/theatre/devEnv/definedGlobals.ts
index 63a36fb..b5ff2c6 100644
--- a/theatre/devEnv/definedGlobals.ts
+++ b/theatre/devEnv/definedGlobals.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+/**
+ * @see `../globals.d.ts` for the types of these globals
+ * TODO make the globals typesafe
+ */
 export const definedGlobals = {
   'process.env.THEATRE_VERSION': JSON.stringify(
     require('../studio/package.json').version,
@@ -5,4 +9,5 @@ export const definedGlobals = {
   // json-touch-patch (an unmaintained package) reads this value. We patch it to just 'Set', becauce
   // this is only used in `@theatre/studio`, which only supports evergreen browsers
   'global.Set': 'Set',
+  'process.env.BUILT_FOR_PLAYGROUND': JSON.stringify('false'),
 }
diff --git a/theatre/globals.d.ts b/theatre/globals.d.ts
index fed1867..7b0f9a9 100644
--- a/theatre/globals.d.ts
+++ b/theatre/globals.d.ts
@@ -11,7 +11,10 @@ interface NodeModule {
 
 interface ProcessEnv {
   NODE_ENV: 'development' | 'production' | 'test'
+  // The version of the package, as defined in package.json
   THEATRE_VERSION: string
+  // This is set to 'true' when building the playground
+  BUILT_FOR_PLAYGROUND: 'true' | 'false'
 }
 
 declare module '*.svg' {
diff --git a/theatre/studio/src/checkForUpdates.ts b/theatre/studio/src/checkForUpdates.ts
index b5ea02a..15794ad 100644
--- a/theatre/studio/src/checkForUpdates.ts
+++ b/theatre/studio/src/checkForUpdates.ts
@@ -28,6 +28,16 @@ async function waitTilUIIsVisible(): Promise<undefined> {
 }
 
 export default async function checkForUpdates() {
+  if (process.env.BUILT_FOR_PLAYGROUND === 'true') {
+    // Build for playground. Skipping update check
+    return
+  }
+
+  if (process.env.THEATRE_VERSION?.match(/COMPAT/)) {
+    // Built for compat tests. Skipping update check
+    return
+  }
+
   // let's wait a bit in case the user has called for the UI to be hidden.
   await wait(500)
   await waitTilUIIsVisible()