diff --git a/desktop/scripts/start-dev-server.ts b/desktop/scripts/start-dev-server.ts
index cc6d58ba7..e21edb523 100644
--- a/desktop/scripts/start-dev-server.ts
+++ b/desktop/scripts/start-dev-server.ts
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ const argv = yargs
     },
     'open-dev-tools': {
       describe:
-        'Open Dev Tools window on startup. The flag is disabled by default. Env var FLIPPER_OPEN_DEV_TOOLS is equivalent to the command-line option "--open-dev-tools".',
+        'Open Dev Tools window on startup. The flag is disabled by default. Env var FLIPPER_OPEN_DEV_TOOLS is equivalent to the command-line option "--open-dev-tools". If "FLIPPER_UPDATE_DEV_TOOLS=true" is set additionally, Flipper will try to update the dev tools from the play store.',
       type: 'boolean',
     },
     'dev-server-port': {
diff --git a/desktop/static/main.ts b/desktop/static/main.ts
index 2305ce80f..e2b9a4108 100644
--- a/desktop/static/main.ts
+++ b/desktop/static/main.ts
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ import setup from './setup';
 import isFB from './fb-stubs/isFB';
 import delegateToLauncher from './launcher';
 import yargs from 'yargs';
+import {promisify} from 'util';
 
 const VERSION: string = (global as any).__VERSION__;
 
@@ -170,7 +171,7 @@ app.on('will-finish-launching', () => {
 
 app.on('ready', () => {
   // If we delegate to the launcher, shut down this instance of the app.
-  delegateToLauncher(argv).then((hasLauncherInvoked: boolean) => {
+  delegateToLauncher(argv).then(async (hasLauncherInvoked: boolean) => {
     if (hasLauncherInvoked) {
       app.quit();
       return;
@@ -186,8 +187,39 @@ app.on('ready', () => {
         REACT_DEVELOPER_TOOLS,
         REDUX_DEVTOOLS,
       } = require('electron-devtools-installer');
-      installExtension(REACT_DEVELOPER_TOOLS.id);
-      installExtension(REDUX_DEVTOOLS.id);
+      // if set, try to download a newever version of the dev tools
+      const forceDownload = process.env.FLIPPER_UPDATE_DEV_TOOLS === 'true';
+      if (forceDownload) {
+        console.log('Force updating DevTools');
+      }
+      // Redux
+      await installExtension(REDUX_DEVTOOLS.id).catch((e: any) => {
+        console.error('Failed to install Redux devtools extension', e);
+      }, forceDownload);
+      // React
+      // Fix for extension loading (see D27685981)
+      // Work around per https://github.com/electron/electron/issues/23662#issuecomment-787420799
+      const reactDevToolsPath = `${os.homedir()}/Library/Application Support/Electron/extensions/${
+        REACT_DEVELOPER_TOOLS.id
+      }`;
+      if (await promisify(fs.exists)(reactDevToolsPath)) {
+        console.log('Loading React devtools from disk ' + reactDevToolsPath);
+        await session.defaultSession
+          .loadExtension(
+            reactDevToolsPath,
+            // @ts-ignore only supported (and needed) in Electron 12
+            {allowFileAccess: true},
+          )
+          .catch((e) => {
+            console.error('Failed to loa React devtools from disk: ', e);
+          });
+      } else {
+        await installExtension(REACT_DEVELOPER_TOOLS.id, {
+          loadExtensionOptions: {allowFileAccess: true, forceDownload},
+        }).catch((e: any) => {
+          console.error('Failed to install React devtools extension', e);
+        });
+      }
     }
   });
 });
diff --git a/docs/extending/dev-setup.mdx b/docs/extending/dev-setup.mdx
index dde4ad4f1..9c4153e17 100644
--- a/docs/extending/dev-setup.mdx
+++ b/docs/extending/dev-setup.mdx
@@ -120,7 +120,10 @@ Options:
                         which means that all plugins loaded.             [array]
   --open-dev-tools      Open Dev Tools window on startup. The flag is disabled
                         by default. Env var FLIPPER_OPEN_DEV_TOOLS is equivalent
-                        to the command-line option "--open-dev-tools". [boolean]
+                        to the command-line option "--open-dev-tools". If 
+                        "FLIPPER_UPDATE_DEV_TOOLS=true" is set additionally, 
+                        Flipper will try to update the dev tools from the play 
+                        store.                                         [boolean]
   --dev-server-port     Dev server port. 3000 by default. Env var "PORT=3001" is
                         equivalent to the command-line option "--dev-server-port
                         3001".                          [number] [default: 3000]