diff --git a/.env.example b/.env.example
index 34e41ed..ccbfc89 100644
--- a/.env.example
+++ b/.env.example
@@ -94,18 +94,18 @@ SYSCOIN_BLOCKBOOK_URL=
 # Blank disables management. No operator keys belong in this file or service.
 SYSCOIN_SENTRY_GENESIS_HASH=
 
-# Optional public Tornado Classic ETH pool index. Disabled by default.
-# Set BOTH values to opt in. The RPC must support Ethereum mainnet finalized
+# Public Tornado Classic ETH pool index. Enabled by default when the RPC below
+# is configured; set PRIVACY_INDEX_ENABLED=false to disable it. The RPC must support finalized
 # headers, historical state and eth_getLogs from the 2019 deployment blocks.
 # HTTPS only; no wallet keys or caller-supplied endpoints. First request opts a
 # pool into backfill and periodic refresh; previously used pools resume on restart.
 # Unused pools stay idle. See docs/privacy-index.md for lifecycle and feed trust.
-PRIVACY_INDEX_ENABLED=false
+PRIVACY_INDEX_ENABLED=
 PRIVACY_INDEX_RPC_URL=
 
 # Optional anonymous public relayer directory. Uses the operator-controlled
 # Ethereum mainnet RPC above but is independent of PRIVACY_INDEX_ENABLED.
-# Never accepts caller URLs or notes. Defaults off; first bulk read opts in.
-# See docs/privacy-relayers.md before enabling; no relayers are contacted by
-# installation, tests or deployments while this flag remains false.
-PRIVACY_RELAYER_DIRECTORY_ENABLED=false
+# Never accepts caller URLs or notes. Enabled by default with the RPC above;
+# set PRIVACY_RELAYER_DIRECTORY_ENABLED=false to disable it. The first bulk read
+# starts discovery; see docs/privacy-relayers.md for lifecycle and privacy.
+PRIVACY_RELAYER_DIRECTORY_ENABLED=
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 2509161..c7cc765 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -21,9 +21,9 @@ should use lowercase.
 - `GET  /mnlist` — fresh `masternode_list` RPC passthrough
 - `POST /mnsearch` — paginated/searched view over the in-memory tracker snapshot
 - `POST /govlist` — active + historical governance proposals (Syscoin Core `gobject list`)
-- `GET /api/privacy/v1/pools/:poolId/snapshot` — opt-in anonymous Classic ETH
+- `GET /api/privacy/v1/pools/:poolId/snapshot` — anonymous Classic ETH
   pool snapshots for local wallet verification; see [configuration and protocol](docs/privacy-index.md).
-- `GET /api/privacy/v1/relayers` — separately opt-in anonymous Classic ETH
+- `GET /api/privacy/v1/relayers` — anonymous Classic ETH
   relayer discovery; see [source checks and endpoint boundaries](docs/privacy-relayers.md).
 
 Authenticated routes (cookie + CSRF, same-site):
diff --git a/docs/privacy-index.md b/docs/privacy-index.md
index d27e260..bd093ba 100644
--- a/docs/privacy-index.md
+++ b/docs/privacy-index.md
@@ -18,9 +18,11 @@ These are pinned from the original
 
 ## Configuration and deployment
 
-The feature is disabled unless `PRIVACY_INDEX_ENABLED=true` and
-`PRIVACY_INDEX_RPC_URL` supplies an operator-controlled HTTPS Ethereum mainnet
-RPC. URLs containing credentials or fragments are rejected. A provider API
+The feature is enabled by default when `PRIVACY_INDEX_RPC_URL` supplies an
+operator-controlled HTTPS Ethereum mainnet RPC. Set `PRIVACY_INDEX_ENABLED=false`
+to disable it independently. With no RPC it remains disabled; explicitly setting
+`PRIVACY_INDEX_ENABLED=true` without an RPC is a configuration error. No default
+RPC is selected. URLs containing credentials or fragments are rejected. A provider API
 token may be in its path/query; it never enters responses or application logs.
 The RPC must support `finalized` headers, historical `eth_call`/`eth_getCode`,
 and `eth_getLogs` from the deployment blocks. Scans start with 5,000-block
@@ -30,7 +32,8 @@ successful full ranges, the scanner doubles the range toward the original
 fallback to unfinalized data or to a different provider. A provider which cannot
 serve even one block of historical logs needs a suitable endpoint before enabling.
 
-An unused pool sends no RPC. Its first request durably activates it and starts
+Enabling the endpoint does not start a new pool's backfill by itself. An unused
+pool sends no RPC. Its first request durably activates it and starts
 a job, bounded to 16 chunks and a 45-second scheduling budget (an already-started
 RPC can take another 10 seconds). A global queue runs only one job at a time;
 requests for the same pool share it. Activated pools continue unfinished backfill
@@ -39,6 +42,8 @@ requiring another client request. Failures back off for 30 seconds. On restart,
 only previously activated pools resume. The single scheduled timer is unreferenced;
 `index.close()` cancels future work and waits for the current bounded job. The
 standalone app exposes its index handle for test/server lifecycle cleanup.
+Any caller with access to the endpoint can activate a pool, and the resulting
+backfill and refresh consume provider quota and may incur charges.
 Per-process IP limits allow 60 requests/minute and apply IPv6 subnet bucketing.
 Run one writer process for this file store; multiple workers require explicit
 shared locking and shared request limits before deployment.
@@ -46,12 +51,12 @@ shared locking and shared request limits before deployment.
 The backend process needs write access to `data/privacy-index/`, resolved from
 its working directory. Checkpoints and complete snapshots live in separate
 files with checksums and are published by same-directory atomic rename. An
-allowlisted per-pool activation marker preserves opt-in intent even if the first
+allowlisted per-pool activation marker preserves activation even if the first
 RPC fails. Existing snapshot/checkpoint filenames also identify previously used
 pools during migration; unknown filenames activate nothing. They
 contain only public data, can be rebuilt, and never change `sysnode.db` or its
 schema. The existing deployment preserves `data/`. The feature needs no SQL
-migration, but the opt-in environment values and nginx route must be configured
+migration, but the Ethereum RPC and nginx route must be configured
 separately; automatic deployment does not modify the host environment or nginx.
 The internal `/privacy/v1` mount also supports existing proxies which strip
 `/api`; clients still use the public `/api/privacy/v1` URL. See the
diff --git a/docs/privacy-relayers.md b/docs/privacy-relayers.md
index bc9b903..bd0a17c 100644
--- a/docs/privacy-relayers.md
+++ b/docs/privacy-relayers.md
@@ -7,11 +7,12 @@ balance computation and the optional direct-withdrawal path.
 
 ## Deployment
 
-The directory is disabled by default. Opt in with
-`PRIVACY_RELAYER_DIRECTORY_ENABLED=true` and the existing
-`PRIVACY_INDEX_RPC_URL` set to an operator-controlled HTTPS Ethereum mainnet RPC.
-`PRIVACY_INDEX_ENABLED` does not enable the directory and need not be enabled
-for this route. The RPC needs historical `eth_getLogs`, `eth_getStorageAt`,
+The directory is enabled by default when `PRIVACY_INDEX_RPC_URL` is set to an
+operator-controlled HTTPS Ethereum mainnet RPC. Set
+`PRIVACY_RELAYER_DIRECTORY_ENABLED=false` to disable it independently. With no
+RPC it remains disabled; explicitly setting the directory flag to `true` without
+an RPC is a configuration error. `PRIVACY_INDEX_ENABLED` does not control the
+directory. The RPC needs historical `eth_getLogs`, `eth_getStorageAt`,
 `eth_getCode` and `eth_call`, plus finalized block support. There is no fallback
 to `latest` or a caller-provided provider. Existing deployments stripping `/api`
 before proxying are supported by the internal `/privacy/v1` mount; clients
@@ -21,7 +22,10 @@ proxy already forwards this namespace. Access logs should be disabled for the
 public privacy namespace, including any upstream proxy/CDN, if operators do not
 want to retain client IP/access metadata.
 
-The first request activates one directory scanner. It persists only public ENS
+Any caller with access to the endpoint can activate one directory scanner. The
+first request can initiate RPC traffic
+and relayer status checks; a configured provider may charge for those reads.
+Enabling the endpoint alone does not start a new scan. The scanner persists only public ENS
 registration candidates and a canonical scan checkpoint under
 `data/privacy-relayers/registry-checkpoint.json`. A persisted checkpoint resumes
 after restart; an unused directory sends no RPC or relayer requests. Endpoint
diff --git a/lib/privacyIndex.js b/lib/privacyIndex.js
index 776859d..d3faba7 100644
--- a/lib/privacyIndex.js
+++ b/lib/privacyIndex.js
@@ -272,8 +272,11 @@ function createPrivacyIndex({ rpc, store = createPrivacyStore(), now = Date.now,
 function configuredPrivacyIndex({ enabled = process.env.PRIVACY_INDEX_ENABLED,
   rpcUrl = process.env.PRIVACY_INDEX_RPC_URL, ...options } = {}) {
   if (enabled !== undefined && enabled !== '' && enabled !== 'true' && enabled !== 'false') throw new Error('PRIVACY_INDEX_ENABLED_invalid');
-  if (enabled !== 'true') return null;
-  if (!rpcUrl) throw new Error('PRIVACY_INDEX_RPC_URL_required');
+  if (enabled === 'false') return null;
+  if (!rpcUrl) {
+    if (enabled === 'true') throw new Error('PRIVACY_INDEX_RPC_URL_required');
+    return null;
+  }
   return createPrivacyIndex({ rpc: createPrivacyRpc(rpcUrl), ...options });
 }
 
diff --git a/lib/privacyRelayerDirectory.js b/lib/privacyRelayerDirectory.js
index 2931889..35146fc 100644
--- a/lib/privacyRelayerDirectory.js
+++ b/lib/privacyRelayerDirectory.js
@@ -194,8 +194,11 @@ function createPrivacyRelayerDirectory({ rpc, inspect, store, now = Date.now, se
 function configuredPrivacyRelayerDirectory(env = process.env) {
   const enabled = env.PRIVACY_RELAYER_DIRECTORY_ENABLED;
   if (enabled !== undefined && enabled !== '' && enabled !== 'true' && enabled !== 'false') throw new Error('PRIVACY_RELAYER_DIRECTORY_ENABLED_invalid');
-  if (enabled !== 'true') return null;
-  if (!env.PRIVACY_INDEX_RPC_URL) throw new Error('privacy_relayer_rpc_required');
+  if (enabled === 'false') return null;
+  if (!env.PRIVACY_INDEX_RPC_URL) {
+    if (enabled === 'true') throw new Error('privacy_relayer_rpc_required');
+    return null;
+  }
   const directory = createPrivacyRelayerDirectory({ rpc: createPrivacyRelayerRpc(env.PRIVACY_INDEX_RPC_URL),
     inspect: createPrivacyRelayerStatus(), store: createRelayerCheckpointStore(path.resolve('data/privacy-relayers')) });
   // Persisted public registry checkpoints resume; a never-used directory is idle.
diff --git a/tests/privacyIndex.test.js b/tests/privacyIndex.test.js
index 525defc..7d9d27b 100644
--- a/tests/privacyIndex.test.js
+++ b/tests/privacyIndex.test.js
@@ -40,11 +40,41 @@ describe('public privacy index lifecycle', () => {
   afterEach(async () => { await fs.rm(dir, { recursive: true, force: true }); });
   const setup = (dir, rpc, extra = {}) => createPrivacyIndex({ rpc, store: createPrivacyStore(dir), autoStart: false, refreshMs: 0, retryMs: 0, continueMs: 0, ...extra });
 
-  test('disabled config performs no RPC or file IO and opt-in validates configuration', () => {
+  test('default configuration enables the index only with an RPC and supports explicit opt-out', async () => {
+    const post = jest.spyOn(require('axios'), 'post');
+    expect(configuredPrivacyIndex({ enabled: '', rpcUrl: '' })).toBeNull();
     expect(configuredPrivacyIndex({ enabled: 'false', rpcUrl: 'broken' })).toBeNull();
     expect(() => configuredPrivacyIndex({ enabled: 'true', rpcUrl: '' })).toThrow('PRIVACY_INDEX_RPC_URL_required');
     expect(() => configuredPrivacyIndex({ enabled: 'yes' })).toThrow('PRIVACY_INDEX_ENABLED_invalid');
     expect(() => configuredPrivacyIndex({ enabled: 'true', rpcUrl: 'http://localhost' })).toThrow('privacy_rpc_url_invalid');
+    expect(() => configuredPrivacyIndex({ enabled: '', rpcUrl: 'http://localhost' })).toThrow('privacy_rpc_url_invalid');
+    for (const enabled of ['', 'true']) {
+      const index = configuredPrivacyIndex({ enabled, rpcUrl: 'https://operator.example', store: createPrivacyStore(dir) });
+      expect(index).not.toBeNull();
+      await index.start();
+      expect(post).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+      await index.close();
+    }
+    post.mockRestore();
+  });
+
+  test('omitting the flag uses the configured process RPC by default', async () => {
+    const previousFlag = process.env.PRIVACY_INDEX_ENABLED;
+    const previousRpc = process.env.PRIVACY_INDEX_RPC_URL;
+    delete process.env.PRIVACY_INDEX_ENABLED;
+    delete process.env.PRIVACY_INDEX_RPC_URL;
+    try {
+      expect(configuredPrivacyIndex()).toBeNull();
+      process.env.PRIVACY_INDEX_RPC_URL = 'https://operator.example';
+      const index = configuredPrivacyIndex({ store: createPrivacyStore(dir) });
+      expect(index).not.toBeNull();
+      await index.close();
+    } finally {
+      if (previousFlag === undefined) delete process.env.PRIVACY_INDEX_ENABLED;
+      else process.env.PRIVACY_INDEX_ENABLED = previousFlag;
+      if (previousRpc === undefined) delete process.env.PRIVACY_INDEX_RPC_URL;
+      else process.env.PRIVACY_INDEX_RPC_URL = previousRpc;
+    }
   });
 
   test('returns progress first and only publishes complete pinned snapshots', async () => {
diff --git a/tests/privacyRelayerDirectory.test.js b/tests/privacyRelayerDirectory.test.js
index bb5a549..97784e5 100644
--- a/tests/privacyRelayerDirectory.test.js
+++ b/tests/privacyRelayerDirectory.test.js
@@ -40,9 +40,29 @@ function setup({ saved, candidates = [candidate], end = DEPLOYMENT_BLOCK + 2, ov
 }
 async function ready(s) { await s.directory.read(); await s.directory.idle(); return s.directory.read(); }
 
-test('directory is opt-in and configuration requires a separately enabled flag', () => {
-  expect(configuredPrivacyRelayerDirectory({ PRIVACY_INDEX_RPC_URL: 'https://operator.example' })).toBeNull();
-  expect(() => configuredPrivacyRelayerDirectory({ PRIVACY_RELAYER_DIRECTORY_ENABLED: 'true' })).toThrow('rpc_required');
+test('directory defaults on with an RPC, remains idle until requested, and supports opt-out', async () => {
+  const post = jest.spyOn(require('axios'), 'post');
+  // A developer's real data directory may contain an active checkpoint; this
+  // test must exercise a fresh install and never resume that scanner.
+  const stat = jest.spyOn(fs, 'stat').mockRejectedValue(Object.assign(new Error('not found'), { code: 'ENOENT' }));
+  try {
+    expect(configuredPrivacyRelayerDirectory({})).toBeNull();
+    expect(configuredPrivacyRelayerDirectory({ PRIVACY_RELAYER_DIRECTORY_ENABLED: '', PRIVACY_INDEX_RPC_URL: '' })).toBeNull();
+    expect(configuredPrivacyRelayerDirectory({ PRIVACY_RELAYER_DIRECTORY_ENABLED: 'false', PRIVACY_INDEX_RPC_URL: 'broken' })).toBeNull();
+    expect(() => configuredPrivacyRelayerDirectory({ PRIVACY_RELAYER_DIRECTORY_ENABLED: 'true' })).toThrow('rpc_required');
+    expect(() => configuredPrivacyRelayerDirectory({ PRIVACY_RELAYER_DIRECTORY_ENABLED: 'yes' })).toThrow('PRIVACY_RELAYER_DIRECTORY_ENABLED_invalid');
+    expect(() => configuredPrivacyRelayerDirectory({ PRIVACY_INDEX_RPC_URL: 'http://localhost' })).toThrow('privacy_rpc_url_invalid');
+    for (const flag of [undefined, '', 'true']) {
+      const directory = configuredPrivacyRelayerDirectory({ PRIVACY_RELAYER_DIRECTORY_ENABLED: flag, PRIVACY_INDEX_RPC_URL: 'https://operator.example' });
+      expect(directory).not.toBeNull();
+      await directory.start();
+      expect(post).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+      await directory.close();
+    }
+  } finally {
+    stat.mockRestore();
+    post.mockRestore();
+  }
 });
 test('unused directory stays idle; first bulk read publishes only public anchored observations', async () => {
   const s = setup(); await s.directory.start(); expect(s.rpc.head).not.toHaveBeenCalled();