diff --git a/app/ui/features/settings/taste.js b/app/ui/features/settings/taste.js
index 307b6cf8..bbc3e9a6 100644
--- a/app/ui/features/settings/taste.js
+++ b/app/ui/features/settings/taste.js
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ export const taste = (app) => function mount() {
     if (influence && influence.error) rows.push(c.banner.warn({ text: `Could not read the recording: ${influence.error}` }));
     // The switch is always here, even when the report could not be read: a failed read must not take away the way to turn recording off.
     rows.push(c.toggle.default({ label: "Record block influence", hint: "On: each run on a Taste key is measured, and kept once you rate it. Off: nothing is recorded.",
-      checked: influence && influence.state ? !!influence.state.enabled : true,
+      checked: influence && influence.state ? !!influence.state.enabled : false,
       onChange: async (on) => { try { await app.api.setBlockInfluence(on); } catch (err) { tell(err.message); } refreshResearch(); } }));
     if (influence && influence.state) {
       const { state, four } = influence;
diff --git a/modules/sampling/block_influence/__init__.py b/modules/sampling/block_influence/__init__.py
index d0f7e2ce..361db5ab 100644
--- a/modules/sampling/block_influence/__init__.py
+++ b/modules/sampling/block_influence/__init__.py
@@ -17,8 +17,8 @@ activity differed in the 4th decimal). That version averaged over steps before
 looking. Each block's push is averaged over the steps of a run, so a per-step
 signal that cancels within a run is lost (a known limit, not yet fixed).
 
-Switched on from Settings > Refinement & Taste (on by default; it is research
-data). The hooks sit on the model whenever a taste key is set and read the
+Switched on from Settings > Refinement & Taste (off by default; it is optional
+research data). The hooks sit on the model whenever a taste key is set and read the
 switch at the start of each run, because ComfyUI caches the node that installs
 them and a toggle must reach the next generation.
 """
diff --git a/modules/sampling/block_influence/measure.py b/modules/sampling/block_influence/measure.py
index 2420e026..caaa1de1 100644
--- a/modules/sampling/block_influence/measure.py
+++ b/modules/sampling/block_influence/measure.py
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ from ..._core import config, dit_hooks, registry
 
 KIND = "block_influence"
 MIN_PER_GROUP = 2           # liked AND disliked before a difference is one
-SWITCH = config.ROOT / "block_influence.enabled"   # on disk: a fresh rental resumes recording
+SWITCH = config.ROOT / "block_influence.enabled"   # on disk: the choice survives a restart
 
 
 # Why recording cannot or did not store anything, for the panel (shown only while recording is on).
@@ -16,11 +16,11 @@ problem = None
 
 
 def enabled() -> bool:
-    # On until someone turns it off: with no switch file yet (a fresh rental) recording runs.
+    # Off until someone turns it on: with no switch file yet nothing is recorded.
     try:
-        return SWITCH.read_text().strip() != "0"
+        return SWITCH.read_text().strip() == "1"
     except OSError:
-        return True
+        return False
 
 
 def set_enabled(on: bool) -> bool:
diff --git a/modules/sampling/block_influence/tests/test_block_influence.py b/modules/sampling/block_influence/tests/test_block_influence.py
index 7cca86a6..181603a6 100644
--- a/modules/sampling/block_influence/tests/test_block_influence.py
+++ b/modules/sampling/block_influence/tests/test_block_influence.py
@@ -387,3 +387,19 @@ def test_the_measurement_stays_out_of_comfys_memory_recorder_but_the_block_does_
     tally.measure(0, {"img": torch.zeros(8, 4)}, block)
     assert paused["block_ran_paused"] is False, "the block must run inside the recorder, as it always did"
     assert paused["entered"] >= 1, "the measurement's own allocations must be paused"
+
+
+def test_recording_is_off_until_the_user_turns_it_on(tiny_h3, tmp_path):
+    from modules.sampling.block_influence import measure
+    assert not (tmp_path / "switch").exists()        # a fresh install: no switch file yet
+    assert measure.enabled() is False
+    base = tiny_h3.run()
+    patched, _ = _load(tiny_h3)
+    out = tiny_h3.sample(patched)
+    assert torch.equal(out[0], base[0]) and torch.equal(out[1], base[1])
+    from modules.system.taste import store
+    assert not (store.ROOT / "fox" / "block_influence.pending.pt").exists()
+    measure.set_enabled(True)                        # the setting still works
+    assert measure.enabled() is True
+    (tmp_path / "switch").write_text("junk")         # anything but "1" is off
+    assert measure.enabled() is False
diff --git a/modules/sampling/block_influence/tests/test_groups.py b/modules/sampling/block_influence/tests/test_groups.py
index ca108e6e..52ddc874 100644
--- a/modules/sampling/block_influence/tests/test_groups.py
+++ b/modules/sampling/block_influence/tests/test_groups.py
@@ -9,13 +9,16 @@ def _row(reward, axis, profile):
     return {"reward": reward, "axis": axis, "rows": {"ratio": torch.tensor(profile, dtype=torch.float32)}}
 
 
-def test_recording_is_on_when_no_switch_file_exists(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
+def test_recording_is_off_when_no_switch_file_exists(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
     monkeypatch.setattr(measure, "SWITCH", tmp_path / "switch")
-    assert measure.enabled() is True
-    measure.set_enabled(False)
+    assert not (tmp_path / "switch").exists()
     assert measure.enabled() is False
     measure.set_enabled(True)
     assert measure.enabled() is True
+    measure.set_enabled(False)
+    assert measure.enabled() is False
+    (tmp_path / "switch").write_text("junk")
+    assert measure.enabled() is False
 
 
 def test_groups_sort_dislikes_by_axis():