diff --git a/config/dev/settings.py b/config/dev/settings.py
index 41e02b76..a5cbf6e5 100644
--- a/config/dev/settings.py
+++ b/config/dev/settings.py
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 import os
 from depmap.read_config import read_config
 
+
 dev_datasets = DataLoadConfig(
     hgnc_dataset=HUGO_NCGC_TAIGA_ID,
     dose_replicate_level_datasets=[  # this split is only used by db loading, to loop over a different list and use a different loader
@@ -19,6 +20,30 @@
 )
 
 
+def get_downloads_paths(ENV_TYPE):
+    paths = [
+        os.path.join(
+            Config.PROJECT_ROOT,
+            f"../../depmap-deploy/portal-config/env/{ENV_TYPE}/downloads",
+        )
+    ]
+
+    if ENV_TYPE != "public":
+        paths.append(
+            os.path.join(
+                Config.PROJECT_ROOT,
+                "../../depmap-deploy/portal-config/env/shared/nonpublic_downloads",
+            )
+        )
+    paths.append(
+        os.path.join(
+            Config.PROJECT_ROOT,
+            "../../depmap-deploy/portal-config/env/shared/public_downloads",
+        )
+    )
+    return paths
+
+
 # dev downloads are _dev_only, plus specified in settings.py
 
 
@@ -131,16 +156,7 @@ class DevConfig(Config):
         Config.PROJECT_ROOT,
         f"../../depmap-deploy/portal-config/env/{ENV_TYPE}/dmc_symposia.yaml",
     )
-    DOWNLOADS_PATHS = [
-        os.path.join(
-            Config.PROJECT_ROOT,
-            f"../../depmap-deploy/portal-config/env/{ENV_TYPE}/downloads",
-        ),
-        os.path.join(
-            Config.PROJECT_ROOT,
-            "../../depmap-deploy/portal-config/env/shared/shared_downloads",
-        ),
-    ]
+    DOWNLOADS_PATHS = get_downloads_paths(ENV_TYPE)
     DEV_DOWNLOADS_PATH = os.path.join(Config.PROJECT_ROOT, f"../config/dev/downloads")
     DOWNLOADS_KEY = os.path.join(
         Config.PROJECT_ROOT, "./secrets/dev-downloads-key.json",