diff --git a/app/controllers/concerns/idv_session.rb b/app/controllers/concerns/idv_session.rb
index d1a3ba07535..4d2d4fa19b7 100644
--- a/app/controllers/concerns/idv_session.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/concerns/idv_session.rb
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ def idv_attempter_throttled?
 
   def sp_context_needed?
     return if sp_from_sp_session.present?
+    return unless LoginGov::Hostdata.in_datacenter?
     return if LoginGov::Hostdata.env != AppConfig.env.sp_context_needed_environment
 
     redirect_to account_url
diff --git a/spec/controllers/idv_controller_spec.rb b/spec/controllers/idv_controller_spec.rb
index b880fc98d6e..ed74566c77f 100644
--- a/spec/controllers/idv_controller_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/controllers/idv_controller_spec.rb
@@ -79,6 +79,7 @@
       context 'prod environment' do
         before do
           allow(LoginGov::Hostdata).to receive(:env).and_return('prod')
+          allow(LoginGov::Hostdata).to receive(:in_datacenter?).and_return(true)
         end
 
         it 'redirects back to the account page' do
@@ -91,6 +92,21 @@
       context 'non-prod environment' do
         before do
           allow(LoginGov::Hostdata).to receive(:env).and_return('staging')
+          allow(LoginGov::Hostdata).to receive(:in_datacenter?).and_return(true)
+        end
+
+        it 'begins the identity proofing process' do
+          get :index
+
+          expect(response).to redirect_to idv_doc_auth_url
+        end
+      end
+
+
+      context 'local development' do
+        before do
+          allow(LoginGov::Hostdata).to receive(:env).and_return(nil)
+          allow(LoginGov::Hostdata).to receive(:in_datacenter?).and_return(false)
         end
 
         it 'begins the identity proofing process' do