diff --git a/app/javascript/mastodon/actions/markers.ts b/app/javascript/mastodon/actions/markers.ts
index 77d91d9b9..521859f6c 100644
--- a/app/javascript/mastodon/actions/markers.ts
+++ b/app/javascript/mastodon/actions/markers.ts
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import { debounce } from 'lodash';
 
 import type { MarkerJSON } from 'mastodon/api_types/markers';
 import { getAccessToken } from 'mastodon/initial_state';
+import { selectUseGroupedNotifications } from 'mastodon/selectors/settings';
 import type { AppDispatch, RootState } from 'mastodon/store';
 import { createAppAsyncThunk } from 'mastodon/store/typed_functions';
 
@@ -75,13 +76,8 @@ interface MarkerParam {
 }
 
 function getLastNotificationId(state: RootState): string | undefined {
-  // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-unsafe-call, @typescript-eslint/no-unsafe-member-access
-  const enableBeta = state.settings.getIn(
-    ['notifications', 'groupingBeta'],
-    false,
-  ) as boolean;
   // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-unsafe-return
-  return enableBeta
+  return selectUseGroupedNotifications(state)
     ? state.notificationGroups.lastReadId
     : // @ts-expect-error state.notifications is not yet typed
       // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-unsafe-call
diff --git a/app/javascript/mastodon/actions/notifications_migration.tsx b/app/javascript/mastodon/actions/notifications_migration.tsx
index c245dc756..0d4da765e 100644
--- a/app/javascript/mastodon/actions/notifications_migration.tsx
+++ b/app/javascript/mastodon/actions/notifications_migration.tsx
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import { selectUseGroupedNotifications } from 'mastodon/selectors/settings';
 import { createAppAsyncThunk } from 'mastodon/store';
 
 import { fetchNotifications } from './notification_groups';
@@ -6,13 +7,8 @@ import { expandNotifications } from './notifications';
 export const initializeNotifications = createAppAsyncThunk(
   'notifications/initialize',
   (_, { dispatch, getState }) => {
-    // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-unsafe-call, @typescript-eslint/no-unsafe-member-access
-    const enableBeta = getState().settings.getIn(
-      ['notifications', 'groupingBeta'],
-      false,
-    ) as boolean;
-
-    if (enableBeta) void dispatch(fetchNotifications());
+    if (selectUseGroupedNotifications(getState()))
+      void dispatch(fetchNotifications());
     else void dispatch(expandNotifications({}));
   },
 );
diff --git a/app/javascript/mastodon/actions/streaming.js b/app/javascript/mastodon/actions/streaming.js
index 04f5e6b88..bfdd894b8 100644
--- a/app/javascript/mastodon/actions/streaming.js
+++ b/app/javascript/mastodon/actions/streaming.js
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 // @ts-check
 
+import { selectUseGroupedNotifications } from 'mastodon/selectors/settings';
+
 import { getLocale } from '../locales';
 import { connectStream } from '../stream';
 
@@ -103,7 +105,7 @@ export const connectTimelineStream = (timelineId, channelName, params = {}, opti
           const notificationJSON = JSON.parse(data.payload);
           dispatch(updateNotifications(notificationJSON, messages, locale));
           // TODO: remove this once the groups feature replaces the previous one
-          if(getState().settings.getIn(['notifications', 'groupingBeta'], false)) {
+          if(selectUseGroupedNotifications(getState())) {
             dispatch(processNewNotificationForGroups(notificationJSON));
           }
           break;
@@ -112,7 +114,7 @@ export const connectTimelineStream = (timelineId, channelName, params = {}, opti
           const state = getState();
           if (state.notifications.top || !state.notifications.mounted)
             dispatch(expandNotifications({ forceLoad: true, maxId: undefined }));
-          if(state.settings.getIn(['notifications', 'groupingBeta'], false)) {
+          if (selectUseGroupedNotifications(state)) {
             dispatch(refreshStaleNotificationGroups());
           }
           break;
@@ -145,7 +147,7 @@ async function refreshHomeTimelineAndNotification(dispatch, getState) {
   await dispatch(expandHomeTimeline({ maxId: undefined }));
 
   // TODO: remove this once the groups feature replaces the previous one
-  if(getState().settings.getIn(['notifications', 'groupingBeta'], false)) {
+  if(selectUseGroupedNotifications(getState())) {
     // TODO: polling for merged notifications
     try {
       await dispatch(pollRecentGroupNotifications());
diff --git a/app/javascript/mastodon/features/notifications/components/column_settings.jsx b/app/javascript/mastodon/features/notifications/components/column_settings.jsx
index 359f0fb12..ed2f4ada3 100644
--- a/app/javascript/mastodon/features/notifications/components/column_settings.jsx
+++ b/app/javascript/mastodon/features/notifications/components/column_settings.jsx
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import { FormattedMessage } from 'react-intl';
 import ImmutablePropTypes from 'react-immutable-proptypes';
 
 import { identityContextPropShape, withIdentity } from 'mastodon/identity_context';
+import { forceGroupedNotifications } from 'mastodon/initial_state';
 import { PERMISSION_MANAGE_USERS, PERMISSION_MANAGE_REPORTS } from 'mastodon/permissions';
 
 import ClearColumnButton from './clear_column_button';
@@ -67,15 +68,17 @@ class ColumnSettings extends PureComponent {
 
         <PolicyControls />
 
-        <section role='group' aria-labelledby='notifications-beta'>
-          <h3 id='notifications-beta'>
-            <FormattedMessage id='notifications.column_settings.beta.category' defaultMessage='Experimental features' />
-          </h3>
+        {!forceGroupedNotifications && (
+          <section role='group' aria-labelledby='notifications-beta'>
+            <h3 id='notifications-beta'>
+              <FormattedMessage id='notifications.column_settings.beta.category' defaultMessage='Experimental features' />
+            </h3>
 
-          <div className='column-settings__row'>
-            <SettingToggle id='unread-notification-markers' prefix='notifications' settings={settings} settingPath={['groupingBeta']} onChange={onChange} label={groupingShowStr} />
-          </div>
-        </section>
+            <div className='column-settings__row'>
+              <SettingToggle id='unread-notification-markers' prefix='notifications' settings={settings} settingPath={['groupingBeta']} onChange={onChange} label={groupingShowStr} />
+            </div>
+          </section>
+        )}
 
         <section role='group' aria-labelledby='notifications-unread-markers'>
           <h3 id='notifications-unread-markers'>
diff --git a/app/javascript/mastodon/features/notifications_wrapper.jsx b/app/javascript/mastodon/features/notifications_wrapper.jsx
index 057ed1b39..4b3efeb54 100644
--- a/app/javascript/mastodon/features/notifications_wrapper.jsx
+++ b/app/javascript/mastodon/features/notifications_wrapper.jsx
@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
 import Notifications from 'mastodon/features/notifications';
 import Notifications_v2 from 'mastodon/features/notifications_v2';
+import { selectUseGroupedNotifications } from 'mastodon/selectors/settings';
 import { useAppSelector } from 'mastodon/store';
 
 export const NotificationsWrapper = (props) => {
-  const optedInGroupedNotifications = useAppSelector((state) => state.getIn(['settings', 'notifications', 'groupingBeta'], false));
+  const optedInGroupedNotifications = useAppSelector(selectUseGroupedNotifications);
 
   return (
     optedInGroupedNotifications ? <Notifications_v2 {...props} /> : <Notifications {...props} />
diff --git a/app/javascript/mastodon/features/ui/components/navigation_panel.jsx b/app/javascript/mastodon/features/ui/components/navigation_panel.jsx
index d30ea0ac5..407276d12 100644
--- a/app/javascript/mastodon/features/ui/components/navigation_panel.jsx
+++ b/app/javascript/mastodon/features/ui/components/navigation_panel.jsx
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ import { timelinePreview, trendsEnabled } from 'mastodon/initial_state';
 import { transientSingleColumn } from 'mastodon/is_mobile';
 import { canManageReports, canViewAdminDashboard } from 'mastodon/permissions';
 import { selectUnreadNotificationGroupsCount } from 'mastodon/selectors/notifications';
+import { selectUseGroupedNotifications } from 'mastodon/selectors/settings';
 
 import ColumnLink from './column_link';
 import DisabledAccountBanner from './disabled_account_banner';
@@ -64,7 +65,7 @@ const messages = defineMessages({
 });
 
 const NotificationsLink = () => {
-  const optedInGroupedNotifications = useSelector((state) => state.getIn(['settings', 'notifications', 'groupingBeta'], false));
+  const optedInGroupedNotifications = useSelector(selectUseGroupedNotifications);
   const count = useSelector(state => state.getIn(['notifications', 'unread']));
   const intl = useIntl();
 
diff --git a/app/javascript/mastodon/initial_state.js b/app/javascript/mastodon/initial_state.js
index 60b35cb31..cf33b12dd 100644
--- a/app/javascript/mastodon/initial_state.js
+++ b/app/javascript/mastodon/initial_state.js
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@
  * @property {boolean=} use_pending_items
  * @property {string} version
  * @property {string} sso_redirect
+ * @property {boolean} force_grouped_notifications
  */
 
 /**
@@ -118,6 +119,7 @@ export const criticalUpdatesPending = initialState?.critical_updates_pending;
 // @ts-expect-error
 export const statusPageUrl = getMeta('status_page_url');
 export const sso_redirect = getMeta('sso_redirect');
+export const forceGroupedNotifications = getMeta('force_grouped_notifications');
 
 /**
  * @returns {string | undefined}
diff --git a/app/javascript/mastodon/selectors/settings.ts b/app/javascript/mastodon/selectors/settings.ts
index 93276c669..22e7c13b9 100644
--- a/app/javascript/mastodon/selectors/settings.ts
+++ b/app/javascript/mastodon/selectors/settings.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import { forceGroupedNotifications } from 'mastodon/initial_state';
 import type { RootState } from 'mastodon/store';
 
 /* eslint-disable @typescript-eslint/no-unsafe-call, @typescript-eslint/no-unsafe-member-access */
@@ -25,6 +26,10 @@ export const selectSettingsNotificationsQuickFilterAdvanced = (
 ) =>
   state.settings.getIn(['notifications', 'quickFilter', 'advanced']) as boolean;
 
+export const selectUseGroupedNotifications = (state: RootState) =>
+  forceGroupedNotifications ||
+  (state.settings.getIn(['notifications', 'groupingBeta']) as boolean);
+
 export const selectSettingsNotificationsShowUnread = (state: RootState) =>
   state.settings.getIn(['notifications', 'showUnread']) as boolean;
 
diff --git a/app/serializers/initial_state_serializer.rb b/app/serializers/initial_state_serializer.rb
index 13f332c95..25a352806 100644
--- a/app/serializers/initial_state_serializer.rb
+++ b/app/serializers/initial_state_serializer.rb
@@ -109,6 +109,7 @@ class InitialStateSerializer < ActiveModel::Serializer
       trends_as_landing_page: Setting.trends_as_landing_page,
       trends_enabled: Setting.trends,
       version: instance_presenter.version,
+      force_grouped_notifications: ENV['FORCE_GROUPED_NOTIFICATIONS'] == 'true',
     }
   end