diff --git a/packages/backend/apps/finances/signals.py b/packages/backend/apps/finances/signals.py
index 99e5b4087..ea8dfc61b 100644
--- a/packages/backend/apps/finances/signals.py
+++ b/packages/backend/apps/finances/signals.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 from django.contrib.auth import get_user_model
 from django.db.models.signals import post_save
 from django.dispatch import receiver
+from django.conf import settings
 from stripe.error import AuthenticationError
 
 from .services import subscriptions
@@ -15,6 +16,9 @@
 
 @receiver(post_save, sender=User)
 def create_free_plan_subscription(sender, instance, created, **kwargs):
+    if not settings.STRIPE_ENABLED:
+        return
+
     if created:
         try:
             subscriptions.initialize_user(user=instance)
diff --git a/packages/backend/config/settings.py b/packages/backend/config/settings.py
index 72c4cb2d8..fc09a75dc 100644
--- a/packages/backend/config/settings.py
+++ b/packages/backend/config/settings.py
@@ -271,8 +271,9 @@
 TASKS_BASE_HANDLER = env("TASKS_BASE_HANDLER", default="common.tasks.Task")
 TASKS_LOCAL_URL = env("TASKS_LOCAL_URL", default=None)
 
-STRIPE_LIVE_SECRET_KEY = env("STRIPE_LIVE_SECRET_KEY", default="")
-STRIPE_TEST_SECRET_KEY = env("STRIPE_TEST_SECRET_KEY", default="")
+
+STRIPE_LIVE_SECRET_KEY = env("STRIPE_LIVE_SECRET_KEY", default="sk_<CHANGE_ME>")
+STRIPE_TEST_SECRET_KEY = env("STRIPE_TEST_SECRET_KEY", default="sk_test_<CHANGE_ME>")
 STRIPE_LIVE_MODE = env.bool("STRIPE_LIVE_MODE", default=False)
 DJSTRIPE_WEBHOOK_SECRET = env("DJSTRIPE_WEBHOOK_SECRET", default="")
 DJSTRIPE_FOREIGN_KEY_TO_FIELD = "id"
@@ -281,6 +282,8 @@
 if not STRIPE_CHECKS_ENABLED:
     SILENCED_SYSTEM_CHECKS.append("djstripe.C001")
 
+STRIPE_ENABLED = '<CHANGE_ME>' not in STRIPE_LIVE_SECRET_KEY or '<CHANGE_ME>' not in STRIPE_TEST_SECRET_KEY
+
 SUBSCRIPTION_TRIAL_PERIOD_DAYS = env("SUBSCRIPTION_TRIAL_PERIOD_DAYS", default=7)
 
 GRAPHENE = {