diff --git a/api4/user_test.go b/api4/user_test.go
index 456b93efc0..d02196dda0 100644
--- a/api4/user_test.go
+++ b/api4/user_test.go
@@ -5947,6 +5947,11 @@ func TestFollowThreads(t *testing.T) {
 	th := Setup(t).InitBasic()
 	defer th.TearDown()
 
+	th.App.UpdateConfig(func(cfg *model.Config) {
+		*cfg.ServiceSettings.ThreadAutoFollow = true
+		*cfg.ServiceSettings.CollapsedThreads = model.CollapsedThreadsDefaultOn
+	})
+
 	t.Run("1 thread", func(t *testing.T) {
 		client := th.Client
 
diff --git a/app/post_test.go b/app/post_test.go
index 896b4a25d4..29d55f10e1 100644
--- a/app/post_test.go
+++ b/app/post_test.go
@@ -2100,6 +2100,10 @@ func TestThreadMembership(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Run("should update memberships for conversation participants", func(t *testing.T) {
 		th := Setup(t).InitBasic()
 		defer th.TearDown()
+		th.App.UpdateConfig(func(cfg *model.Config) {
+			*cfg.ServiceSettings.ThreadAutoFollow = true
+			*cfg.ServiceSettings.CollapsedThreads = model.CollapsedThreadsDefaultOn
+		})
 
 		user1 := th.BasicUser
 		user2 := th.BasicUser2
diff --git a/model/config.go b/model/config.go
index 22efd28997..d70b06b5b8 100644
--- a/model/config.go
+++ b/model/config.go
@@ -772,7 +772,7 @@ func (s *ServiceSettings) SetDefaults(isUpdate bool) {
 	}
 
 	if s.ThreadAutoFollow == nil {
-		s.ThreadAutoFollow = NewBool(true)
+		s.ThreadAutoFollow = NewBool(false)
 	}
 
 	if s.CollapsedThreads == nil {