diff --git a/.changeset/add-frontend-dev-utils.md b/.changeset/add-frontend-dev-utils.md
index 9b4299734d..2ba6c3e5b6 100644
--- a/.changeset/add-frontend-dev-utils.md
+++ b/.changeset/add-frontend-dev-utils.md
@@ -2,4 +2,4 @@
 '@backstage/frontend-dev-utils': minor
 ---
 
-Added `@backstage/frontend-dev-utils`, a new package that provides a minimal helper for wiring up a development app for frontend plugins using the new frontend system. It exports a `createDevApp` function that handles creating and rendering a development app from a `dev/` entry point.
+Added `@backstage/frontend-dev-utils`, a new package that provides a minimal helper for wiring up a development app for frontend plugins using the new frontend system. It exports a `createDevApp` function that handles creating and rendering a development app from a `dev/` entry point. The dev app automatically bypasses the sign-in page.
diff --git a/packages/frontend-dev-utils/package.json b/packages/frontend-dev-utils/package.json
index be76ebdbe9..84e515cee1 100644
--- a/packages/frontend-dev-utils/package.json
+++ b/packages/frontend-dev-utils/package.json
@@ -37,11 +37,11 @@
   },
   "dependencies": {
     "@backstage/frontend-defaults": "workspace:^",
-    "@backstage/frontend-plugin-api": "workspace:^"
+    "@backstage/frontend-plugin-api": "workspace:^",
+    "@backstage/plugin-app": "workspace:^"
   },
   "devDependencies": {
     "@backstage/cli": "workspace:^",
-    "@backstage/plugin-app": "workspace:^",
     "@backstage/test-utils": "workspace:^",
     "@testing-library/jest-dom": "^6.0.0",
     "@testing-library/react": "^16.0.0",
diff --git a/packages/frontend-dev-utils/src/createDevApp.test.tsx b/packages/frontend-dev-utils/src/createDevApp.test.tsx
index fd54ee26f3..7f94c5543e 100644
--- a/packages/frontend-dev-utils/src/createDevApp.test.tsx
+++ b/packages/frontend-dev-utils/src/createDevApp.test.tsx
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@ import {
 import { within, waitFor } from '@testing-library/react';
 import { mockApis } from '@backstage/test-utils';
 import { createDevApp } from './createDevApp';
-import { default as appPlugin } from '@backstage/plugin-app';
 
 describe('createDevApp', () => {
   afterEach(() => {
@@ -46,16 +45,7 @@ describe('createDevApp', () => {
     });
 
     createDevApp({
-      features: [
-        appPlugin.withOverrides({
-          extensions: [
-            appPlugin
-              .getExtension('sign-in-page:app')
-              .override({ disabled: true }),
-          ],
-        }),
-        testPlugin,
-      ],
+      features: [testPlugin],
       createAppOptions: {
         advanced: {
           configLoader: async () => ({ config: mockApis.config() }),
diff --git a/packages/frontend-dev-utils/src/createDevApp.tsx b/packages/frontend-dev-utils/src/createDevApp.tsx
index dd5d7efc59..078a9208cf 100644
--- a/packages/frontend-dev-utils/src/createDevApp.tsx
+++ b/packages/frontend-dev-utils/src/createDevApp.tsx
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ import {
   FrontendFeatureLoader,
 } from '@backstage/frontend-plugin-api';
 import { createApp, CreateAppOptions } from '@backstage/frontend-defaults';
+import appPlugin from '@backstage/plugin-app';
 import ReactDOM from 'react-dom/client';
 
 /**
@@ -55,7 +56,16 @@ export interface CreateDevAppOptions {
 export function createDevApp(options: CreateDevAppOptions): void {
   const app = createApp({
     ...options.createAppOptions,
-    features: options.features,
+    features: [
+      appPlugin.withOverrides({
+        extensions: [
+          appPlugin
+            .getExtension('sign-in-page:app')
+            .override({ disabled: true }),
+        ],
+      }),
+      ...options.features,
+    ],
   });
 
   ReactDOM.createRoot(document.getElementById('root')!).render(