diff --git a/ietf/doc/storage_utils.py b/ietf/doc/storage_utils.py
index 81588c83ec..ffdd4599be 100644
--- a/ietf/doc/storage_utils.py
+++ b/ietf/doc/storage_utils.py
@@ -178,8 +178,7 @@ def retrieve_bytes(kind: str, name: str) -> bytes:
                     content = f.read()
         except Exception as err:
             log(f"Blobstore Error: Failed to read bytes from {kind}:{name}: {repr(err)}")
-            if settings.SERVER_MODE == "development":
-                raise
+            raise
     return content
 
 
@@ -192,6 +191,5 @@ def retrieve_str(kind: str, name: str) -> str:
             content = content_bytes.decode("utf-8")
         except Exception as err:
             log(f"Blobstore Error: Failed to read string from {kind}:{name}: {repr(err)}")
-            if settings.SERVER_MODE == "development":
-                raise
+            raise
     return content