diff --git a/content/roadmap/02_bitvid_Enhanced_Migration_of_Note_Spec_Logic.md b/content/roadmap/02_bitvid_Enhanced_Migration_of_Note_Spec_Logic.md
index 32ad29c9..b76fe39f 100644
--- a/content/roadmap/02_bitvid_Enhanced_Migration_of_Note_Spec_Logic.md
+++ b/content/roadmap/02_bitvid_Enhanced_Migration_of_Note_Spec_Logic.md
@@ -94,7 +94,12 @@ async handleSubmit(e) {
     magnet: document.getElementById("magnet")?.value.trim() || "",
     thumbnail: document.getElementById("thumbnail")?.value.trim() || "",
     description: document.getElementById("description")?.value.trim() || "",
-    mode: isDevMode ? "dev" : "live",
+    mode:
+      (document.getElementById("mode")?.value || "")
+        .trim()
+        .toLowerCase() === "dev"
+        ? "dev"
+        : "live",
     isPrivate: this.isPrivateCheckbox.checked
   };
 
diff --git a/js/app.js b/js/app.js
index 3dba4573..5730d5b2 100644
--- a/js/app.js
+++ b/js/app.js
@@ -560,7 +560,11 @@ class Application {
       editModalOverride: ui.editModal,
       container: modalContainer,
       services: {
-        getMode: () => (isDevMode ? "dev" : "live"),
+        getMode: ({ video } = {}) => {
+          const candidate =
+            typeof video?.mode === "string" ? video.mode.trim().toLowerCase() : "";
+          return candidate === "dev" ? "dev" : "live";
+        },
         sanitizers: {
           text: (value) => (typeof value === "string" ? value.trim() : ""),
           url: (value) => (typeof value === "string" ? value.trim() : ""),
@@ -5001,6 +5005,9 @@ class Application {
     const description = normalizeString(legacyPayload?.description || "");
     const ws = normalizeString(legacyPayload?.ws || "");
     const xs = normalizeString(legacyPayload?.xs || "");
+    const rawMode = normalizeString(legacyPayload?.mode || "");
+    const normalizedMode =
+      rawMode && rawMode.toLowerCase() === "dev" ? "dev" : "live";
     const enableComments = normalizeBooleanFlag(
       legacyPayload?.enableComments,
       true
@@ -5017,7 +5024,7 @@ class Application {
       magnet,
       thumbnail,
       description,
-      mode: isDevMode ? "dev" : "live",
+      mode: normalizedMode,
       enableComments,
       isNsfw,
       isForKids,
diff --git a/js/ui/components/EditModal.js b/js/ui/components/EditModal.js
index 1229f665..a6c336d0 100644
--- a/js/ui/components/EditModal.js
+++ b/js/ui/components/EditModal.js
@@ -19,7 +19,10 @@ export class EditModal {
       typeof setGlobalModalState === "function" ? setGlobalModalState : () => {};
     this.escapeHtml = typeof escapeHtml === "function" ? escapeHtml : (value) => `${value ?? ""}`;
     this.showError = typeof showError === "function" ? showError : () => {};
-    this.getMode = typeof getMode === "function" ? getMode : () => "live";
+    this.getMode =
+      typeof getMode === "function"
+        ? getMode
+        : () => (this.activeVideo?.mode ?? "live");
     this.eventTarget = eventTarget instanceof EventTarget ? eventTarget : new EventTarget();
     this.container = container || null;
 
@@ -312,6 +315,37 @@ export class EditModal {
     return { isNsfw, isForKids };
   }
 
+  normalizeMode(value) {
+    if (typeof value === "string") {
+      const normalized = value.trim().toLowerCase();
+      if (normalized === "dev") {
+        return "dev";
+      }
+    }
+    return "live";
+  }
+
+  resolveModeForSubmit() {
+    let candidate = null;
+    if (typeof this.getMode === "function") {
+      try {
+        candidate = this.getMode({ video: this.activeVideo });
+      } catch (_error) {
+        candidate = null;
+      }
+    }
+
+    if (typeof candidate === "string" && candidate.trim()) {
+      return this.normalizeMode(candidate);
+    }
+
+    if (this.activeVideo && typeof this.activeVideo.mode === "string") {
+      return this.normalizeMode(this.activeVideo.mode);
+    }
+
+    return "live";
+  }
+
   reset() {
     if (!this.root) {
       this.activeVideo = null;
@@ -963,7 +997,7 @@ export class EditModal {
       url: finalUrl,
       thumbnail: finalThumbnail,
       description: finalDescription,
-      mode: this.getMode(),
+      mode: this.resolveModeForSubmit(),
       ws: finalWs,
       xs: finalXs,
       wsEdited: !shouldUseOriginalWs,
diff --git a/tests/nostr-publish-rejection.test.mjs b/tests/nostr-publish-rejection.test.mjs
index 28640cda..24dfce57 100644
--- a/tests/nostr-publish-rejection.test.mjs
+++ b/tests/nostr-publish-rejection.test.mjs
@@ -51,6 +51,8 @@ try {
   const { nostrClient, setActiveSigner, clearActiveSigner } = await import("../js/nostr.js");
   const { subscriptions } = await import("../js/subscriptions.js");
   const { userBlocks } = await import("../js/userBlocks.js");
+  const { Application } = await import("../js/app.js");
+  const { isDevMode } = await import("../js/config.js");
 
   setActiveSigner({
     type: "session",
@@ -283,6 +285,89 @@ try {
     }
   }
 
+  async function testPublishVideoNoteDefaultsToLiveModeInDev() {
+    assert.equal(isDevMode, true, "Test expects isDevMode to be true");
+
+    let capturedPayload = null;
+    let capturedPubkey = null;
+
+    const fakeApp = {
+      pubkey: "f".repeat(64),
+      nostrService: {
+        publishVideoNote: async (payload, pubkey) => {
+          capturedPayload = payload;
+          capturedPubkey = pubkey;
+        },
+      },
+      showError(message) {
+        throw new Error(`showError invoked: ${message}`);
+      },
+      showSuccess() {},
+      showStatus() {},
+      loadVideos: async () => {},
+      uploadModal: null,
+    };
+
+    const publishResult = await Application.prototype.publishVideoNote.call(
+      fakeApp,
+      {
+        legacyFormData: {
+          title: "Dev Mode Default",
+          url: "https://cdn.example/dev.mp4",
+        },
+      },
+    );
+
+    assert.equal(publishResult, true, "publishVideoNote should resolve truthy");
+    assert.equal(
+      capturedPubkey,
+      fakeApp.pubkey,
+      "publishVideoNote should forward the viewer pubkey",
+    );
+    assert.equal(
+      capturedPayload?.legacyFormData?.mode,
+      "live",
+      "publishVideoNote should default mode to live even in dev mode",
+    );
+  }
+
+  async function testPublishVideoNoteRespectsProvidedMode() {
+    let capturedPayload = null;
+
+    const fakeApp = {
+      pubkey: "f".repeat(64),
+      nostrService: {
+        publishVideoNote: async (payload) => {
+          capturedPayload = payload;
+        },
+      },
+      showError(message) {
+        throw new Error(`showError invoked: ${message}`);
+      },
+      showSuccess() {},
+      showStatus() {},
+      loadVideos: async () => {},
+      uploadModal: null,
+    };
+
+    await Application.prototype.publishVideoNote.call(
+      fakeApp,
+      {
+        legacyFormData: {
+          title: "Dev Mode Override",
+          url: "https://cdn.example/dev.mp4",
+          mode: "dev",
+        },
+      },
+    );
+
+    assert.equal(
+      capturedPayload?.legacyFormData?.mode,
+      "dev",
+      "publishVideoNote should respect an explicit dev mode value",
+    );
+  }
+
   async function testPublishVideoNormalizesPubkeyForNip71Metadata() {
     const uppercasePubkey = "AB".repeat(32);
     const originalSignAndPublish = nostrClient.signAndPublishEvent;
@@ -361,6 +446,8 @@ try {
   await testPublishVideoRejectsWhenAllRelaysFail();
   await testPublishSubscriptionListRejectsWhenAllRelaysFail();
   await testPublishBlockListRejectsWhenAllRelaysFail();
+  await testPublishVideoNoteDefaultsToLiveModeInDev();
+  await testPublishVideoNoteRespectsProvidedMode();
   await testPublishVideoNormalizesPubkeyForNip71Metadata();
 
   console.log("nostr publish rejection tests passed");