diff --git a/python/ide/impl/intellij.pycharm.community.ide.impl.promotion/resources/intellij.pycharm.community.ide.impl.promotion.xml b/python/ide/impl/intellij.pycharm.community.ide.impl.promotion/resources/intellij.pycharm.community.ide.impl.promotion.xml
index c0438c522301..d90fe56d58ed 100644
--- a/python/ide/impl/intellij.pycharm.community.ide.impl.promotion/resources/intellij.pycharm.community.ide.impl.promotion.xml
+++ b/python/ide/impl/intellij.pycharm.community.ide.impl.promotion/resources/intellij.pycharm.community.ide.impl.promotion.xml
@@ -101,6 +101,9 @@
     <registryKey key="py.promo.remind.later.interval.seconds"
                  defaultValue="259200"
                  description="PyCharm promo remind-later fallback delay in seconds"/>
+    <registryKey key="py.community.to.unified.test.ignore.release.channel"
+                 defaultValue="false"
+                 description="Ignores Release Channel requirement for promo mock update"/>
     <statistics.counterUsagesCollector implementationClass="com.intellij.pycharm.community.ide.impl.promotion.PyCharmPromoCollector"/>
     <statistics.counterUsagesCollector
       implementationClass="com.intellij.pycharm.community.ide.impl.promotion.communityToUnified.statistics.PyCommunityUnifiedPromoFusCollector"/>
diff --git a/python/ide/impl/intellij.pycharm.community.ide.impl.promotion/src/com/intellij/pycharm/community/ide/impl/promotion/communityToUnified/PyCommunityToUnifiedPromoService.kt b/python/ide/impl/intellij.pycharm.community.ide.impl.promotion/src/com/intellij/pycharm/community/ide/impl/promotion/communityToUnified/PyCommunityToUnifiedPromoService.kt
index 194d3b9bafa9..45035838062b 100644
--- a/python/ide/impl/intellij.pycharm.community.ide.impl.promotion/src/com/intellij/pycharm/community/ide/impl/promotion/communityToUnified/PyCommunityToUnifiedPromoService.kt
+++ b/python/ide/impl/intellij.pycharm.community.ide.impl.promotion/src/com/intellij/pycharm/community/ide/impl/promotion/communityToUnified/PyCommunityToUnifiedPromoService.kt
@@ -122,7 +122,8 @@ internal class PyCommunityToUnifiedPromoService(val serviceScope: CoroutineScope
           }
           val platformUpdates = UpdateStrategy(build, product, updateSettings, customization).checkForUpdates()
           if (platformUpdates is PlatformUpdates.Loaded &&
-              platformUpdates.updatedChannel.status == ChannelStatus.RELEASE &&
+              (platformUpdates.updatedChannel.status == ChannelStatus.RELEASE ||
+               Registry.`is`("py.community.to.unified.test.ignore.release.channel")) &&
               platformUpdates.newBuild.number.baselineVersion >= 253) {
             availableUpdate = platformUpdates
             return@withTimeout platformUpdates