diff --git a/app/models/validations/setup_validations.rb b/app/models/validations/setup_validations.rb
index cefa18c52..7bf22dbe1 100644
--- a/app/models/validations/setup_validations.rb
+++ b/app/models/validations/setup_validations.rb
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ module Validations::SetupValidations
   def validate_startdate_setup(record)
     return unless record.startdate && date_valid?("startdate", record)
 
-    if FeatureToggle.startdate_collection_window_validation_enabled? && !record.startdate.between?(active_collection_start_date, current_collection_end_date)
+    unless record.startdate.between?(active_collection_start_date, current_collection_end_date)  || !FeatureToggle.startdate_collection_window_validation_enabled?
       record.errors.add :startdate, validation_error_message
     end
   end
diff --git a/config/initializers/feature_toggle.rb b/config/initializers/feature_toggle.rb
index 617eaa85f..5489231ac 100644
--- a/config/initializers/feature_toggle.rb
+++ b/config/initializers/feature_toggle.rb
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ class FeatureToggle
   end
 
   def self.startdate_collection_window_validation_enabled?
-    !Rails.env.test?
+    Rails.env.production? || Rails.env.test? || Rails.env.staging?
   end
 
   def self.startdate_two_week_validation_enabled?
diff --git a/spec/models/validations/setup_validations_spec.rb b/spec/models/validations/setup_validations_spec.rb
index 546c829f7..d1e12a821 100644
--- a/spec/models/validations/setup_validations_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/validations/setup_validations_spec.rb
@@ -6,10 +6,6 @@ RSpec.describe Validations::SetupValidations do
   let(:setup_validator_class) { Class.new { include Validations::SetupValidations } }
   let(:record) { FactoryBot.create(:lettings_log) }
 
-  before do
-    allow(FeatureToggle).to receive(:startdate_collection_window_validation_enabled?).and_return(true)
-  end
-
   describe "tenancy start date" do
     context "when in 22/23 collection" do
       context "when in the crossover period" do