diff --git a/cloud/app/components/docs-sidebar.tsx b/cloud/app/components/docs-sidebar.tsx
index ce85bf9ff1..2b288fd621 100644
--- a/cloud/app/components/docs-sidebar.tsx
+++ b/cloud/app/components/docs-sidebar.tsx
@@ -49,17 +49,30 @@ function createSidebarConfig(): SidebarConfig {
     allSections.unshift(defaultSection);
   }
 
+  // Helper to check if dev content should be filtered out in non-development
+  function shouldFilterDevContent(itemPath: string): boolean {
+    if (process.env.NODE_ENV === "development") {
+      return false;
+    }
+    return itemPath === "v1/placeholder";
+  }
+
   // Convert doc specs to sidebar items
   function convertDocToSidebarItem(
     doc: DocSpec,
     parentPath: string,
-  ): SidebarItem {
+  ): SidebarItem | undefined {
     // Construct the logical path for this item (used to look up routePath)
     const itemPath = parentPath ? `${parentPath}/${doc.slug}` : doc.slug;
 
     // Look up the routePath from DocInfo if available
     const routePath = slugToRoutePathMap.get(itemPath);
 
+    // todo(sebastian): reconcile placeholder with dev content
+    if (shouldFilterDevContent(itemPath)) {
+      return undefined;
+    }
+
     // Determine hasContent: explicit value from doc, or default based on children
     const hasContent = doc.hasContent ?? !doc.children;
 
@@ -80,7 +93,7 @@ function createSidebarConfig(): SidebarConfig {
 
       doc.children.forEach((childDoc) => {
         const childItem = convertDocToSidebarItem(childDoc, itemPath);
-        if (item.items) {
+        if (childItem && item.items) {
           item.items[childDoc.slug] = childItem;
         }
       });
@@ -117,11 +130,21 @@ function createSidebarConfig(): SidebarConfig {
     const groups: Record<string, SidebarGroup> = {};
 
     section.children.forEach((child) => {
+      // Check if this item should be filtered out
+      const childPath = pathPrefix ? `${pathPrefix}/${child.slug}` : child.slug;
+      // todo(sebastian): reconcile placeholder with dev content
+      if (shouldFilterDevContent(childPath)) {
+        return; // Skip this item in non-dev environments
+      }
+
       const hasContent = child.hasContent ?? !child.children;
 
       if (hasContent) {
         // This item has content, add it to items (even if it also has children)
-        items[child.slug] = convertDocToSidebarItem(child, pathPrefix);
+        const sidebarItem = convertDocToSidebarItem(child, pathPrefix);
+        if (sidebarItem) {
+          items[child.slug] = sidebarItem;
+        }
       } else {
         // This is a pure folder (no content), add it as a group
         const groupItems: Record<string, SidebarItem> = {};
@@ -139,16 +162,20 @@ function createSidebarConfig(): SidebarConfig {
               grandchild,
               groupPathPrefix,
             );
-            groupItems[grandchild.slug] = sidebarItem;
+            if (sidebarItem) {
+              groupItems[grandchild.slug] = sidebarItem;
+            }
           });
         }
 
-        // Add the group
-        groups[child.slug] = {
-          slug: child.slug,
-          label: child.label,
-          items: groupItems,
-        };
+        // Add the group only if it has items
+        if (Object.keys(groupItems).length > 0) {
+          groups[child.slug] = {
+            slug: child.slug,
+            label: child.label,
+            items: groupItems,
+          };
+        }
       }
     });
 
diff --git a/cloud/app/routeTree.gen.ts b/cloud/app/routeTree.gen.ts
index 1dec14de1c..79192e9bce 100644
--- a/cloud/app/routeTree.gen.ts
+++ b/cloud/app/routeTree.gen.ts
@@ -25,7 +25,6 @@ import { Route as BlogSlugRouteImport } from './routes/blog.$slug'
 import { Route as AuthMeRouteImport } from './routes/auth/me'
 import { Route as AuthGoogleRouteImport } from './routes/auth/google'
 import { Route as AuthGithubRouteImport } from './routes/auth/github'
-import { Route as DocsV1PlaceholderRouteImport } from './routes/docs.v1.placeholder'
 import { Route as DocsV1SplatRouteImport } from './routes/docs.v1.$'
 import { Route as AuthGoogleProxyCallbackRouteImport } from './routes/auth/google.proxy-callback'
 import { Route as AuthGoogleCallbackRouteImport } from './routes/auth/google.callback'
@@ -117,11 +116,6 @@ const AuthGithubRoute = AuthGithubRouteImport.update({
   path: '/auth/github',
   getParentRoute: () => rootRouteImport,
 } as any)
-const DocsV1PlaceholderRoute = DocsV1PlaceholderRouteImport.update({
-  id: '/v1/placeholder',
-  path: '/v1/placeholder',
-  getParentRoute: () => DocsRoute,
-} as any)
 const DocsV1SplatRoute = DocsV1SplatRouteImport.update({
   id: '/v1/$',
   path: '/v1/$',
@@ -199,7 +193,6 @@ export interface FileRoutesByFullPath {
   '/auth/google/callback': typeof AuthGoogleCallbackRoute
   '/auth/google/proxy-callback': typeof AuthGoogleProxyCallbackRoute
   '/docs/v1/$': typeof DocsV1SplatRoute
-  '/docs/v1/placeholder': typeof DocsV1PlaceholderRoute
   '/router/v0/$provider/$': typeof RouterV0ProviderSplatRoute
 }
 export interface FileRoutesByTo {
@@ -227,7 +220,6 @@ export interface FileRoutesByTo {
   '/auth/google/callback': typeof AuthGoogleCallbackRoute
   '/auth/google/proxy-callback': typeof AuthGoogleProxyCallbackRoute
   '/docs/v1/$': typeof DocsV1SplatRoute
-  '/docs/v1/placeholder': typeof DocsV1PlaceholderRoute
   '/router/v0/$provider/$': typeof RouterV0ProviderSplatRoute
 }
 export interface FileRoutesById {
@@ -257,7 +249,6 @@ export interface FileRoutesById {
   '/auth/google/callback': typeof AuthGoogleCallbackRoute
   '/auth/google/proxy-callback': typeof AuthGoogleProxyCallbackRoute
   '/docs/v1/$': typeof DocsV1SplatRoute
-  '/docs/v1/placeholder': typeof DocsV1PlaceholderRoute
   '/router/v0/$provider/$': typeof RouterV0ProviderSplatRoute
 }
 export interface FileRouteTypes {
@@ -288,7 +279,6 @@ export interface FileRouteTypes {
     | '/auth/google/callback'
     | '/auth/google/proxy-callback'
     | '/docs/v1/$'
-    | '/docs/v1/placeholder'
     | '/router/v0/$provider/$'
   fileRoutesByTo: FileRoutesByTo
   to:
@@ -316,7 +306,6 @@ export interface FileRouteTypes {
     | '/auth/google/callback'
     | '/auth/google/proxy-callback'
     | '/docs/v1/$'
-    | '/docs/v1/placeholder'
     | '/router/v0/$provider/$'
   id:
     | '__root__'
@@ -345,7 +334,6 @@ export interface FileRouteTypes {
     | '/auth/google/callback'
     | '/auth/google/proxy-callback'
     | '/docs/v1/$'
-    | '/docs/v1/placeholder'
     | '/router/v0/$provider/$'
   fileRoutesById: FileRoutesById
 }
@@ -485,13 +473,6 @@ declare module '@tanstack/react-router' {
       preLoaderRoute: typeof AuthGithubRouteImport
       parentRoute: typeof rootRouteImport
     }
-    '/docs/v1/placeholder': {
-      id: '/docs/v1/placeholder'
-      path: '/v1/placeholder'
-      fullPath: '/docs/v1/placeholder'
-      preLoaderRoute: typeof DocsV1PlaceholderRouteImport
-      parentRoute: typeof DocsRoute
-    }
     '/docs/v1/$': {
       id: '/docs/v1/$'
       path: '/v1/$'
@@ -579,12 +560,10 @@ const BlogRouteWithChildren = BlogRoute._addFileChildren(BlogRouteChildren)
 
 interface DocsRouteChildren {
   DocsV1SplatRoute: typeof DocsV1SplatRoute
-  DocsV1PlaceholderRoute: typeof DocsV1PlaceholderRoute
 }
 
 const DocsRouteChildren: DocsRouteChildren = {
   DocsV1SplatRoute: DocsV1SplatRoute,
-  DocsV1PlaceholderRoute: DocsV1PlaceholderRoute,
 }
 
 const DocsRouteWithChildren = DocsRoute._addFileChildren(DocsRouteChildren)
diff --git a/cloud/app/routes/docs.v1.placeholder.tsx b/cloud/app/routes/docs.v1.placeholder.tsx
deleted file mode 100644
index 8f54ea9ffc..0000000000
--- a/cloud/app/routes/docs.v1.placeholder.tsx
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,59 +0,0 @@
-/**
- * Test route for MDX rendering
- *
- * Route: /docs/v1/placeholder
- */
-
-import { createFileRoute } from "@tanstack/react-router";
-import { MDXRenderer } from "@/app/components/mdx/renderer";
-import { mdx } from "@/content/docs/v1/placeholder.mdx";
-
-export const Route = createFileRoute("/docs/v1/placeholder")({
-  component: DocsTestPage,
-});
-
-function DocsTestPage() {
-  return (
-    <div className="container mx-auto px-4 py-8">
-      <div className="mx-auto max-w-4xl">
-        {/* Header with frontmatter */}
-        {mdx.frontmatter.title && (
-          <header className="mb-8 border-b pb-4">
-            <h1 className="mb-2 text-4xl font-bold">{mdx.frontmatter.title}</h1>
-            {mdx.frontmatter.description && (
-              <p className="text-lg text-gray-600">
-                {mdx.frontmatter.description}
-              </p>
-            )}
-          </header>
-        )}
-
-        {/* Rendered MDX content - component imported at module level */}
-        <MDXRenderer mdx={mdx} />
-
-        {/* Debug info in development */}
-        {process.env.NODE_ENV === "development" && (
-          <details className="mt-8 rounded-lg bg-gray-100 p-4">
-            <summary className="cursor-pointer font-semibold">
-              Debug Info
-            </summary>
-            <div className="mt-4 space-y-2">
-              <div>
-                <strong>Frontmatter:</strong>
-                <pre className="mt-2 overflow-x-auto rounded bg-white p-2 text-sm">
-                  {JSON.stringify(mdx.frontmatter, null, 2)}
-                </pre>
-              </div>
-              <div>
-                <strong>Table of Contents:</strong>
-                <pre className="mt-2 overflow-x-auto rounded bg-white p-2 text-sm">
-                  {JSON.stringify(mdx.tableOfContents, null, 2)}
-                </pre>
-              </div>
-            </div>
-          </details>
-        )}
-      </div>
-    </div>
-  );
-}