diff --git a/src/app/app.component.html b/src/app/app.component.html
index 2194a0666..e6b19beb3 100644
--- a/src/app/app.component.html
+++ b/src/app/app.component.html
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
         class="main-layout-padding"
         templatename="app_menu"
         (click)="menu.close()"
+        [ignoreQueryParamChanges]="true"
       ></plh-template-container>
     </ion-content>
   </ion-menu>
diff --git a/src/app/app.component.ts b/src/app/app.component.ts
index 5b4e555a3..be85b7f70 100644
--- a/src/app/app.component.ts
+++ b/src/app/app.component.ts
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ export class AppComponent {
     this.themeService.init();
     this.platform.ready().then(async () => {
       this.dbService.init();
+      this.hackSetDeveloperOptions();
       const user = await this.userMetaService.init();
       if (!user.first_app_open) {
         await this.surveyService.runSurvey("introSplash");
@@ -104,6 +105,16 @@ export class AppComponent {
     }
   }
 
+  /** ensure localhost dev can see all non-user content */
+  private hackSetDeveloperOptions() {
+    if (location.hostname === "localhost" && !environment.production) {
+      const isUserMode = this.templateService.getField("user_mode");
+      if (isUserMode !== false) {
+        this.templateService.setField("user_mode", "false");
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
   /**
    * temporary fix: set initial fields to avoid doubling up of quickstart buttons
    * TODO CC 2021-07-23 - Review if methods still required
diff --git a/src/app/shared/components/template/template-container.component.ts b/src/app/shared/components/template/template-container.component.ts
index b78fef883..230f85e72 100644
--- a/src/app/shared/components/template/template-container.component.ts
+++ b/src/app/shared/components/template/template-container.component.ts
@@ -38,6 +38,8 @@ export class TemplateContainerComponent implements OnInit, OnDestroy, ITemplateC
   @Input() templatename: string;
   @Input() parent?: TemplateContainerComponent;
   @Input() row?: FlowTypes.TemplateRow;
+  /** Query params are used for trigger template actions such as opening popups or enabling debug_mode. Ignored if required (e.g. app sidemenu template) */
+  @Input() ignoreQueryParamChanges?: boolean;
   children: { [name: string]: TemplateContainerComponent } = {};
 
   template: FlowTypes.Template;
@@ -68,7 +70,9 @@ export class TemplateContainerComponent implements OnInit, OnDestroy, ITemplateC
   }
 
   async ngOnInit() {
-    this.subscribeToQueryParamChanges();
+    if (!this.ignoreQueryParamChanges) {
+      this.subscribeToQueryParamChanges();
+    }
     // add logging if default disabled and in debug view
     if (this.debugMode) {
       this.setLogging(true);