diff --git a/frappe/build.js b/frappe/build.js
index 6495e2a359..103b66fdaa 100644
--- a/frappe/build.js
+++ b/frappe/build.js
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ function get_compiled_file(file, output_path, minify, force_compile) {
 		file_content = minify_js(file_content, file);
 	}
 
-	if (file.endsWith('.js') && !file.includes('/lib/') && output_type === 'js' && !file.endsWith('class.js')) {
+	if (minify && file.endsWith('.js') && !file.includes('/lib/') && output_type === 'js' && !file.endsWith('class.js')) {
 		file_content = babelify(file_content, file, minify);
 	}
 
diff --git a/frappe/commands/utils.py b/frappe/commands/utils.py
index 0f68e7ddd6..ff606d940d 100644
--- a/frappe/commands/utils.py
+++ b/frappe/commands/utils.py
@@ -15,7 +15,9 @@ def build(make_copy=False, restore = False, verbose=False):
 	import frappe.build
 	import frappe
 	frappe.init('')
-	frappe.build.bundle(False, make_copy=make_copy, restore = restore, verbose=verbose)
+	# don't minify in developer_mode for faster builds
+	no_compress = frappe.local.conf.developer_mode or False
+	frappe.build.bundle(no_compress, make_copy=make_copy, restore = restore, verbose=verbose)
 
 @click.command('watch')
 def watch():