diff --git a/bin/stix-shifter-diag b/bin/stix-shifter-diag
index 244ae5f7..3f9e9554 100755
--- a/bin/stix-shifter-diag
+++ b/bin/stix-shifter-diag
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 import argparse
 import datetime
 from kestrel_datasource_stixshifter.diagnosis import Diagnosis
-from kestrel_datasource_stixshifter.connector import check_module_availability
+from kestrel_datasource_stixshifter.connector import setup_connector_module
 from firepit.timestamp import timefmt
 
 
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ if __name__ == "__main__":
     diag.diagnose_config()
 
     # 2. setup connector and ping
-    check_module_availability(diag.connector_name, args.ignore_cert)
+    setup_connector_module(diag.connector_name, diag.allow_dev_connector, args.ignore_cert)
 
     # 3. query translation test
     diag.diagnose_translate_query(patterns[0])
diff --git a/src/kestrel_datasource_stixshifter/config.py b/src/kestrel_datasource_stixshifter/config.py
index 7f5b967d..1b4a907f 100644
--- a/src/kestrel_datasource_stixshifter/config.py
+++ b/src/kestrel_datasource_stixshifter/config.py
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 RETRIEVAL_BATCH_SIZE = 2000
 SINGLE_BATCH_TIMEOUT = 60
 COOL_DOWN_AFTER_TRANSMISSION = 0
+ALLOW_DEV_CONNECTOR = False
 FAST_TRANSLATE_CONNECTORS = []  # Suggested: ["qradar", "elastic_ecs"]
 
 
@@ -140,8 +141,9 @@ def get_datasource_from_profiles(profile_name, profiles):
         if "options" not in connection:
             connection["options"] = {}
 
-        retrieval_batch_size = _extract_integer_param_from_connection_config(
+        retrieval_batch_size = _extract_param_from_connection_config(
             "retrieval_batch_size",
+            int,
             RETRIEVAL_BATCH_SIZE,
             connection,
             profile_name,
@@ -149,8 +151,9 @@ def get_datasource_from_profiles(profile_name, profiles):
         # rename this field for stix-shifter use; x2 the size to ensure retrieval
         connection["options"]["result_limit"] = retrieval_batch_size * 2
 
-        single_batch_timeout = _extract_integer_param_from_connection_config(
+        single_batch_timeout = _extract_param_from_connection_config(
             "single_batch_timeout",
+            int,
             SINGLE_BATCH_TIMEOUT,
             connection,
             profile_name,
@@ -158,19 +161,29 @@ def get_datasource_from_profiles(profile_name, profiles):
         # rename this field for stix-shifter use
         connection["options"]["timeout"] = single_batch_timeout
 
-        cool_down_after_transmission = _extract_integer_param_from_connection_config(
+        cool_down_after_transmission = _extract_param_from_connection_config(
             "cool_down_after_transmission",
+            int,
             COOL_DOWN_AFTER_TRANSMISSION,
             connection,
             profile_name,
         )
 
+        allow_dev_connector = _extract_param_from_connection_config(
+            "allow_dev_connector",
+            bool,
+            ALLOW_DEV_CONNECTOR,
+            connection,
+            profile_name,
+        )
+
     return (
         connector_name,
         connection,
         configuration,
         retrieval_batch_size,
         cool_down_after_transmission,
+        allow_dev_connector,
     )
 
 
@@ -208,14 +221,14 @@ def load_options():
     return config["options"]
 
 
-def _extract_integer_param_from_connection_config(
-    param_name, default, connection, profile_name
+def _extract_param_from_connection_config(
+    param_name, processing_func, default, connection, profile_name
 ):
     value = default
     if param_name in connection["options"]:
         # remove the non-stix-shifter field {param_name} to avoid stix-shifter error
         try:
-            value = int(connection["options"].pop(param_name))
+            value = processing_func(connection["options"].pop(param_name))
         except:
             raise InvalidDataSource(
                 profile_name,
diff --git a/src/kestrel_datasource_stixshifter/connector.py b/src/kestrel_datasource_stixshifter/connector.py
index a41dffda..370eecea 100644
--- a/src/kestrel_datasource_stixshifter/connector.py
+++ b/src/kestrel_datasource_stixshifter/connector.py
@@ -89,40 +89,36 @@ def install_package(connector_name, requests_verify=True):
         )
 
 
-def ensure_version_consistency(connector_name, requests_verify=True):
-    """Check if the installed connector package has the same version as
-    stix-shifter If the version is different, uninstall connector
-    package and the install the same version as stix-shifter
-
-    """
-    stixshifter_version = version("stix_shifter")
-    package_name = get_package_name(connector_name)
-    package_version = version(package_name)
-    if package_version == stixshifter_version:
-        return
-    package_w_ver = package_name + "==" + package_version
-    _logger.info(
-        f"{package_name} version {package_version} is different "
-        f"from stix-shifter version {stixshifter_version}."
-    )
-    _logger.info(f'uninstalling Python package "{package_w_ver}".')
-    try:
-        subprocess.check_call(
-            [sys.executable, "-m", "pip", "uninstall", "--yes", package_w_ver]
-        )
-    except:
-        _logger.info(f"failed to uninstall package {package_w_ver}")
-    install_package(connector_name, requests_verify)
-
-
-def check_module_availability(connector_name, requests_verify=True):
+def setup_connector_module(
+    connector_name, allow_dev_connector=False, requests_verify=True
+):
     try:
         importlib.import_module(
             "stix_shifter_modules." + connector_name + ".entry_point"
         )
-
-        ensure_version_consistency(connector_name, requests_verify)
-
     except:
+        connector_available = False
+    else:
+        stixshifter_version = version("stix_shifter")
+        package_name = get_package_name(connector_name)
+        package_version = version(package_name)
+        if package_version == stixshifter_version or allow_dev_connector:
+            connector_available = True
+        else:
+            connector_available = False
+            package_w_ver = package_name + "==" + package_version
+            _logger.info(
+                f"{package_name} version {package_version} is different "
+                f"from stix-shifter version {stixshifter_version}."
+            )
+            _logger.info(f'uninstalling Python package "{package_w_ver}".')
+            try:
+                subprocess.check_call(
+                    [sys.executable, "-m", "pip", "uninstall", "--yes", package_w_ver]
+                )
+            except:
+                _logger.info(f"failed to uninstall package {package_w_ver}")
+
+    if not connector_available:
         _logger.info(f'miss STIX-shifter connector "{connector_name}"')
         install_package(connector_name, requests_verify)
diff --git a/src/kestrel_datasource_stixshifter/diagnosis.py b/src/kestrel_datasource_stixshifter/diagnosis.py
index 7cb5f929..0e81cc00 100644
--- a/src/kestrel_datasource_stixshifter/diagnosis.py
+++ b/src/kestrel_datasource_stixshifter/diagnosis.py
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ def __init__(self, datasource_name):
             self.configuration_dict,
             self.retrieval_batch_size,
             self.cool_down_after_transmission,
+            self.allow_dev_connector,
         ) = get_datasource_from_profiles(datasource_name, self.profiles)
         self.if_fast_translation = (
             self.connector_name in self.kestrel_options["fast_translate"]
diff --git a/src/kestrel_datasource_stixshifter/interface.py b/src/kestrel_datasource_stixshifter/interface.py
index 3ee7ef39..6bb24cfb 100644
--- a/src/kestrel_datasource_stixshifter/interface.py
+++ b/src/kestrel_datasource_stixshifter/interface.py
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@
                         retrieval_batch_size: 10000  # set to 10000 to match default Elasticsearch page size; Kestrel default across connectors: 2000
                         single_batch_timeout: 120  # increase it if hit 60 seconds (Kestrel default) timeout error for each batch of retrieval
                         cool_down_after_transmission: 2  # seconds to cool down between data source API calls, required by some API such as sentinelone; Kestrel default: 0
+                        allow_dev_connector: True  # do not check version of a connector to allow custom/testing connector installed with any version; Kestrel default: False
                         dialects:  # more info: https://github.com/opencybersecurityalliance/stix-shifter/tree/develop/stix_shifter_modules/elastic_ecs#dialects
                           - beats  # need it if the index is created by Filebeat/Winlogbeat/*beat
                 config:
diff --git a/src/kestrel_datasource_stixshifter/query.py b/src/kestrel_datasource_stixshifter/query.py
index f3fa5ea6..fa0d61e5 100644
--- a/src/kestrel_datasource_stixshifter/query.py
+++ b/src/kestrel_datasource_stixshifter/query.py
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 from kestrel.datasource import ReturnFromStore
 from kestrel.utils import mkdtemp
 from kestrel.exceptions import DataSourceError, DataSourceManagerInternalError
-from kestrel_datasource_stixshifter.connector import check_module_availability
+from kestrel_datasource_stixshifter.connector import setup_connector_module
 from kestrel_datasource_stixshifter import multiproc
 from kestrel_datasource_stixshifter.config import (
     get_datasource_from_profiles,
@@ -82,11 +82,12 @@ def query_datasource(uri, pattern, session_id, config, store, limit=None):
             configuration_dict,
             retrieval_batch_size,
             cool_down_after_transmission,
+            allow_dev_connector,
         ) = map(
             copy.deepcopy, get_datasource_from_profiles(profile, config["profiles"])
         )
 
-        check_module_availability(connector_name)
+        setup_connector_module(connector_name, allow_dev_connector)
 
         if _logger.isEnabledFor(logging.DEBUG):
             data_path_striped = "".join(filter(str.isalnum, profile))
diff --git a/tests/test_stixshifter.py b/tests/test_stixshifter.py
index d8cb93a5..89b62efa 100644
--- a/tests/test_stixshifter.py
+++ b/tests/test_stixshifter.py
@@ -1,11 +1,16 @@
 import pytest
 import os
+import sys
+import subprocess
+import importlib
+from importlib.metadata import version
 
 from kestrel.session import Session
 
 from kestrel_datasource_stixshifter.connector import (
     verify_package_origin,
-    check_module_availability,
+    setup_connector_module,
+    get_package_name,
 )
 
 from kestrel_datasource_stixshifter.config import get_datasource_from_profiles
@@ -17,10 +22,31 @@ def test_verify_package_origin():
         verify_package_origin(connector_name, "test_version")
 
 
-def test_check_module_availability():
+def test_setup_connector_module():
     connectors = ["stix_bundle"]
     for connector_name in connectors:
-        check_module_availability(connector_name)
+        setup_connector_module(connector_name)
+        importlib.import_module("stix_shifter_modules." + connector_name + ".entry_point")
+
+
+def test_setup_connector_module_w_wrong_version():
+    subprocess.check_call([sys.executable, "-m", "pip", "install", "stix-shifter-modules-paloalto==5.0.0"])
+    connector_name = "paloalto"
+    setup_connector_module(connector_name)
+    importlib.import_module("stix_shifter_modules." + connector_name + ".entry_point")
+    stixshifter_version = version("stix_shifter")
+    package_name = get_package_name(connector_name)
+    package_version = version(package_name)
+    assert stixshifter_version == package_version
+
+
+def test_setup_connector_module_dev_connector():
+    subprocess.check_call([sys.executable, "-m", "pip", "install", "stix-shifter-modules-datadog==5.0.0"])
+    connector_name = "datadog"
+    setup_connector_module(connector_name, True)
+    importlib.import_module("stix_shifter_modules." + connector_name + ".entry_point")
+    package_version = version(get_package_name(connector_name))
+    assert package_version == "5.0.0"
 
 
 def test_yaml_profiles_refresh(tmp_path):
@@ -51,12 +77,13 @@ def test_yaml_profiles_refresh(tmp_path):
                 retrieval_batch_size: 10000
                 single_batch_timeout: 120
                 cool_down_after_transmission: 5
+                allow_dev_connector: True
                 dialects:
                     - beats
         config:
             auth:
                 id: profileB
-                api_key: asdf
+                api_key: xxxxxx
 """
 
     profile_file = tmp_path / "stixshifter.yaml"
@@ -79,7 +106,7 @@ def test_yaml_profiles_refresh(tmp_path):
 
         ss_config = s.config["datasources"]["kestrel_datasource_stixshifter"]
         ss_profiles = ss_config["profiles"]
-        connector_name, connection, configuration, retrieval_batch_size, cool_down_after_transmission = get_datasource_from_profiles("host101", ss_profiles)
+        connector_name, connection, configuration, retrieval_batch_size, cool_down_after_transmission, allow_dev_connector = get_datasource_from_profiles("host101", ss_profiles)
         assert connector_name == "elastic_ecs"
         assert configuration["auth"]["id"] == "profileA"
         assert configuration["auth"]["api_key"] == "qwer"
@@ -95,13 +122,14 @@ def test_yaml_profiles_refresh(tmp_path):
 
         # need to refresh the pointers since the dict is updated
         ss_profiles = ss_config["profiles"]
-        connector_name, connection, configuration, retrieval_batch_size, cool_down_after_transmission = get_datasource_from_profiles("host101", ss_profiles)
+        connector_name, connection, configuration, retrieval_batch_size, cool_down_after_transmission, allow_dev_connector = get_datasource_from_profiles("host101", ss_profiles)
         assert connector_name == "elastic_ecs"
         assert configuration["auth"]["id"] == "profileB"
-        assert configuration["auth"]["api_key"] == "asdf"
+        assert configuration["auth"]["api_key"] == "xxxxxx"
         assert connection["options"]["timeout"] == 120
         assert connection["options"]["result_limit"] == 10000 * 2
         assert retrieval_batch_size == 10000
         assert cool_down_after_transmission == 5
+        assert allow_dev_connector == True
 
     del os.environ["KESTREL_STIXSHIFTER_CONFIG"]
diff --git a/tests/test_stixshifter_translator.py b/tests/test_stixshifter_translator.py
index 94c58d9d..3d36cff0 100644
--- a/tests/test_stixshifter_translator.py
+++ b/tests/test_stixshifter_translator.py
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 import pytest
 from multiprocessing import Queue
 
-from kestrel_datasource_stixshifter.connector import check_module_availability
+from kestrel_datasource_stixshifter.connector import setup_connector_module
 from kestrel_datasource_stixshifter import multiproc
 from kestrel_datasource_stixshifter.worker.utils import TransmissionResult
 from kestrel_datasource_stixshifter.worker import STOP_SIGN
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@
 
 def test_stixshifter_translate():
     query_id = "8df266aa-2901-4a94-ace9-a4403e310fa1"
-    check_module_availability(CONNECTOR_NAME)
+    setup_connector_module(CONNECTOR_NAME)
 
     input_queue = Queue()
     output_queue = Queue()
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ def test_stixshifter_translate():
 
 def test_stixshifter_translate_with_bundle_writing_to_disk(tmpdir):
     query_id = "8df266aa-2901-4a94-ace9-a4403e310fa1"
-    check_module_availability(CONNECTOR_NAME)
+    setup_connector_module(CONNECTOR_NAME)
     cache_bundle_path_prefix = str(tmpdir.join("test"))
     offset_str = str(SAMPLE_RESULT.offset).zfill(32)
     cache_bundle_path = cache_bundle_path_prefix + f"_{offset_str}.json"
@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@ def test_stixshifter_translate_with_bundle_writing_to_disk(tmpdir):
 
 def test_fast_translate():
     query_id = "8df266aa-2901-4a94-ace9-a4403e310fa1"
-    check_module_availability(CONNECTOR_NAME)
+    setup_connector_module(CONNECTOR_NAME)
 
     input_queue = Queue()
     output_queue = Queue()
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@ def test_fast_translate():
 
 def test_stixshifter_fast_translate_with_parquet_writing_to_disk(tmpdir):
     query_id = "8df266aa-2901-4a94-ace9-a4403e310fa1"
-    check_module_availability(CONNECTOR_NAME)
+    setup_connector_module(CONNECTOR_NAME)
     cache_parquet_path_prefix = str(tmpdir.join("test"))
     offset_str = str(SAMPLE_RESULT.offset).zfill(32)
     cache_parquet_path = cache_parquet_path_prefix + f"_{offset_str}.parquet"