diff --git a/packages/core/database/src/database.ts b/packages/core/database/src/database.ts
index 2dcf742575..3b5117b50c 100644
--- a/packages/core/database/src/database.ts
+++ b/packages/core/database/src/database.ts
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ import { referentialIntegrityCheck } from './features/referential-integrity-chec
 import { ArrayFieldRepository } from './field-repository/array-field-repository';
 import * as FieldTypes from './fields';
 import { Field, FieldContext, RelationField } from './fields';
+import { checkDatabaseVersion } from './helpers';
 import { InheritedCollection } from './inherited-collection';
 import InheritanceMap from './inherited-map';
 import { InterfaceManager } from './interface-manager';
@@ -848,8 +849,7 @@ export class Database extends EventEmitter implements AsyncEmitter {
    * @internal
    */
   async checkVersion() {
-    return true;
-    // return await checkDatabaseVersion(this);
+    return process.env.DB_SKIP_VERSION_CHECK === 'on' || (await checkDatabaseVersion(this));
   }
 
   /**