diff --git a/config/config.go b/config/config.go
index 55b50d85c0f..f3b24f4c04d 100644
--- a/config/config.go
+++ b/config/config.go
@@ -771,6 +771,9 @@ type Config struct {
 	// Note:
 	//   If you set `db_app_conf_options.node_is_segmented` to `true` for multiple Gateway nodes, you should ensure that `management_node` is set to `false`.
 	//   This is to ensure visibility for the management node across all APIs.
+	//
+	//   For pro installations, `management_node` is not a valid configuration option.
+	//   Always set `management_node` to `false` in pro environments.
 	ManagementNode bool `json:"management_node"`
 
 	// This is used as part of the RPC / Hybrid back-end configuration in a Tyk Enterprise installation and isn’t used anywhere else.
diff --git a/gateway/coprocess_bundle.go b/gateway/coprocess_bundle.go
index 3c634f76fbc..1071ad6a626 100644
--- a/gateway/coprocess_bundle.go
+++ b/gateway/coprocess_bundle.go
@@ -355,6 +355,10 @@ func (gw *Gateway) getHashedBundleName(bundleName string) (string, error) {
 
 // loadBundle wraps the load and save steps, it will return if an error occurs at any point.
 func (gw *Gateway) loadBundle(spec *APISpec) error {
+	if gw.GetConfig().ManagementNode {
+		return nil
+	}
+
 	// Skip if no custom middleware bundle name is set.
 	if spec.CustomMiddlewareBundleDisabled || spec.CustomMiddlewareBundle == "" {
 		return nil
diff --git a/gateway/coprocess_bundle_test.go b/gateway/coprocess_bundle_test.go
index 62dc320694a..2266867fe6d 100644
--- a/gateway/coprocess_bundle_test.go
+++ b/gateway/coprocess_bundle_test.go
@@ -130,6 +130,23 @@ func TestBundleLoader(t *testing.T) {
 		assert.NoError(t, err)
 	})
 
+	t.Run("load bundle should not load bundle nor error when the gateway instance is a management node", func(t *testing.T) {
+		customTs := StartTest(func(globalConf *config.Config) {
+			globalConf.ManagementNode = true
+		})
+
+		t.Cleanup(customTs.Close)
+		spec := &APISpec{
+			APIDefinition: &apidef.APIDefinition{
+				CustomMiddlewareBundle:         "some-bundle",
+				CustomMiddlewareBundleDisabled: false,
+			},
+		}
+		err := customTs.Gw.loadBundle(spec)
+		assert.Empty(t, spec.CustomMiddleware)
+		assert.NoError(t, err)
+	})
+
 	t.Run("Load bundle fails if public key path is set but no signature is provided", func(t *testing.T) {
 		cfg := ts.Gw.GetConfig()
 		cfg.PublicKeyPath = "random/path/to/public.key"