diff --git a/packages/backend-core/src/db/utils.ts b/packages/backend-core/src/db/utils.ts
index 5aad05d3e3..a7ad453066 100644
--- a/packages/backend-core/src/db/utils.ts
+++ b/packages/backend-core/src/db/utils.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import env from "../environment"
 import { DEFAULT_TENANT_ID, SEPARATOR, DocumentType } from "../constants"
-import { getTenantId, getGlobalDBName } from "../context"
+import { getTenantId, getGlobalDBName, isMultiTenant } from "../context"
 import { doWithDB, directCouchAllDbs } from "./db"
 import { AppState, DeletedApp, getAppMetadata } from "../cache/appMetadata"
 import { isDevApp, isDevAppID, getProdAppID } from "../docIds/conversions"
@@ -213,6 +213,11 @@ export function isSqsEnabledForTenant(): boolean {
     return false
   }
 
+  // single tenant (self host and dev) always enabled if flag set
+  if (!isMultiTenant()) {
+    return true
+  }
+
   // This is to guard against the situation in tests where tests pass because
   // we're not actually using SQS, we're using Lucene and the tests pass due to
   // parity.