diff --git a/DEPLOY.md b/DEPLOY.md
index 85f3f07b15b13374e658df7b2b3dfd0a6f295ee1..7f92d1d86e4f81acbd1bd70704c9b92dd80d6589 100644
--- a/DEPLOY.md
+++ b/DEPLOY.md
@@ -107,8 +107,8 @@ # 443 and 8448 will be forwarded to the Conduit instance running on this port
 # Max size for uploads
 max_request_size = 20_000_000 # in bytes
 
-# Disabling registration means no new users will be able to register on this server
-allow_registration = false
+# Enables registration. If set to false, no users can register on this server.
+allow_registration = true
 
 # Disable encryption, so no new encrypted rooms can be created
 # Note: existing rooms will continue to work
diff --git a/conduit-example.toml b/conduit-example.toml
index 7d419cf0d84c12d089e4424eaca4c4c47f85b17a..80082568c4c72e74ad76cc2d24c83ee6990bb1f6 100644
--- a/conduit-example.toml
+++ b/conduit-example.toml
@@ -22,8 +22,8 @@ port = 6167
 # Max size for uploads
 max_request_size = 20_000_000 # in bytes
 
-# Disable registration. No new users will be able to register on this server
-#allow_registration = false
+# Enables registration. If set to false, no users can register on this server.
+allow_registration = true
 
 # Disable encryption, so no new encrypted rooms can be created
 # Note: existing rooms will continue to work
diff --git a/debian/postinst b/debian/postinst
index 824fd64ea2e45756077db32dec493e18895f50bd..6bd1a3a723421d7b31e9efe08ec7113411c03c35 100644
--- a/debian/postinst
+++ b/debian/postinst
@@ -62,8 +62,8 @@ port = ${CONDUIT_PORT}
 # Max size for uploads
 max_request_size = 20_000_000 # in bytes
 
-# Disable registration. No new users will be able to register on this server.
-#allow_registration = false
+# Enables registration. If set to false, no users can register on this server.
+allow_registration = true
 
 # Disable encryption, so no new encrypted rooms can be created.
 # Note: Existing rooms will continue to work.
diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
index 3f8f832d4e1867f9d5c9408d22ab1e63dba63152..530fc1988aa3c3333a342c618ff0d62573bc6fd8 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ services:
         environment:
             CONDUIT_SERVER_NAME: localhost:6167  # replace with your own name
             CONDUIT_TRUSTED_SERVERS: '["matrix.org"]'
+            CONDUIT_ALLOW_REGISTRATION: 'true'
             ### Uncomment and change values as desired
             # CONDUIT_ADDRESS: 0.0.0.0
             # CONDUIT_PORT: 6167
@@ -34,7 +35,6 @@ services:
             # Available levels are: error, warn, info, debug, trace - more info at: https://docs.rs/env_logger/*/env_logger/#enabling-logging
             # CONDUIT_LOG: info  # default is: "info,rocket=off,_=off,sled=off"
             # CONDUIT_ALLOW_JAEGER: 'false'
-            # CONDUIT_ALLOW_REGISTRATION : 'false'
             # CONDUIT_ALLOW_ENCRYPTION: 'false'
             # CONDUIT_ALLOW_FEDERATION: 'false'
             # CONDUIT_DATABASE_PATH: /srv/conduit/.local/share/conduit
diff --git a/docker/docker-compose.traefik.yml b/docker/docker-compose.traefik.yml
index 58fa3ed8599a124ffa1f7822b0bf3911835b9bc9..29d0ee3b80962b8a8f5f8737dd6b16e6e1c6dc49 100644
--- a/docker/docker-compose.traefik.yml
+++ b/docker/docker-compose.traefik.yml
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ services:
         environment:
             CONDUIT_SERVER_NAME: localhost:6167  # replace with your own name
             CONDUIT_TRUSTED_SERVERS: '["matrix.org"]'
+            CONDUIT_ALLOW_REGISTRATION : 'true'
             ### Uncomment and change values as desired
             # CONDUIT_ADDRESS: 0.0.0.0
             # CONDUIT_PORT: 6167
@@ -34,7 +35,6 @@ services:
             # Available levels are: error, warn, info, debug, trace - more info at: https://docs.rs/env_logger/*/env_logger/#enabling-logging
             # CONDUIT_LOG: info  # default is: "info,rocket=off,_=off,sled=off"
             # CONDUIT_ALLOW_JAEGER: 'false'
-            # CONDUIT_ALLOW_REGISTRATION : 'false'
             # CONDUIT_ALLOW_ENCRYPTION: 'false'
             # CONDUIT_ALLOW_FEDERATION: 'false'
             # CONDUIT_DATABASE_PATH: /srv/conduit/.local/share/conduit
diff --git a/src/database.rs b/src/database.rs
index ca0ed887af64050437ea25fb508df5e49d4d371b..79571f67b2e2c55c1a6536adae25b35d776c4032 100644
--- a/src/database.rs
+++ b/src/database.rs
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ pub struct Config {
     max_request_size: u32,
     #[serde(default = "default_max_concurrent_requests")]
     max_concurrent_requests: u16,
-    #[serde(default = "true_fn")]
+    #[serde(default = "false_fn")]
     allow_registration: bool,
     #[serde(default = "true_fn")]
     allow_encryption: bool,