diff --git a/gossipd/gossipd.c b/gossipd/gossipd.c
index 2b5600ffe..7e8f8020e 100644
--- a/gossipd/gossipd.c
+++ b/gossipd/gossipd.c
@@ -67,11 +67,6 @@
 #include <wire/wire_io.h>
 #include <wire/wire_sync.h>
 
-/* In developer mode we provide hooks for whitebox testing */
-#if DEVELOPER
-static bool suppress_gossip = false;
-#endif
-
 /*~ A channel consists of a `struct half_chan` for each direction, each of
  * which has a `flags` word from the `channel_update`; bit 1 is
  * ROUTING_FLAGS_DISABLED in the `channel_update`.  But we also keep a local
@@ -1289,7 +1284,7 @@ static struct io_plan *dev_gossip_suppress(struct io_conn *conn,
 		master_badmsg(WIRE_GOSSIP_DEV_SUPPRESS, msg);
 
 	status_unusual("Suppressing all gossip");
-	suppress_gossip = true;
+	dev_suppress_gossip = true;
 	return daemon_conn_read_next(conn, daemon->master);
 }
 
diff --git a/gossipd/seeker.c b/gossipd/seeker.c
index 9f321362b..b2c5b4e3e 100644
--- a/gossipd/seeker.c
+++ b/gossipd/seeker.c
@@ -39,6 +39,10 @@ enum seeker_state {
 	ASKING_FOR_STALE_SCIDS,
 };
 
+#if DEVELOPER
+bool dev_suppress_gossip;
+#endif
+
 /* Passthrough helper for HTABLE_DEFINE_TYPE */
 static const struct short_channel_id *scid_pass(const struct short_channel_id *s)
 {
@@ -242,6 +246,11 @@ static void enable_gossip_stream(struct seeker *seeker, struct peer *peer)
 	u32 start = seeker->daemon->rstate->last_timestamp;
 	u8 *msg;
 
+#if DEVELOPER
+	if (dev_suppress_gossip)
+		return;
+#endif
+
 	if (start > polltime)
 		start -= polltime;
 	else
@@ -870,6 +879,11 @@ static bool seek_any_unknown_nodes(struct seeker *seeker)
 /* Periodic timer to see how our gossip is going. */
 static void seeker_check(struct seeker *seeker)
 {
+#if DEVELOPER
+	if (dev_suppress_gossip)
+		return;
+#endif
+
 	switch (seeker->state) {
 	case STARTING_UP:
 		check_firstpeer(seeker);
@@ -906,6 +920,11 @@ void seeker_setup_peer_gossip(struct seeker *seeker, struct peer *peer)
 	if (!peer->gossip_queries_feature)
 		return;
 
+#if DEVELOPER
+	if (dev_suppress_gossip)
+		return;
+#endif
+
 	switch (seeker->state) {
 	case STARTING_UP:
 		if (!have_probing_peer)
diff --git a/gossipd/seeker.h b/gossipd/seeker.h
index af2a752c5..87fa89fc9 100644
--- a/gossipd/seeker.h
+++ b/gossipd/seeker.h
@@ -22,4 +22,8 @@ bool remove_unknown_scid(struct seeker *seeker,
 bool add_unknown_scid(struct seeker *seeker,
 		      const struct short_channel_id *scid,
 		      struct peer *peer);
+
+/* A testing hack */
+extern bool dev_suppress_gossip;
+
 #endif /* LIGHTNING_GOSSIPD_SEEKER_H */