diff --git a/src/lib/db/repos/requestDetailsRepo.js b/src/lib/db/repos/requestDetailsRepo.js
index defd294b..ceed4c01 100644
--- a/src/lib/db/repos/requestDetailsRepo.js
+++ b/src/lib/db/repos/requestDetailsRepo.js
@@ -15,10 +15,25 @@ async function getObservabilityConfig() {
   try {
     const { getSettings } = await import("./settingsRepo.js");
     const settings = await getSettings();
-    const envEnabled = process.env.OBSERVABILITY_ENABLED !== "false";
-    const enabled = typeof settings.enableObservability2 === "boolean"
-      ? settings.enableObservability2
-      : envEnabled;
+    const envRequestLogs = process.env.ENABLE_REQUEST_LOGS;
+    if (envRequestLogs !== undefined) {
+      const enabled = envRequestLogs.toLowerCase() === "true";
+      cachedConfig = {
+        enabled,
+        maxRecords: settings.observabilityMaxRecords || parseInt(process.env.OBSERVABILITY_MAX_RECORDS || String(DEFAULT_MAX_RECORDS), 10),
+        batchSize: settings.observabilityBatchSize || parseInt(process.env.OBSERVABILITY_BATCH_SIZE || String(DEFAULT_BATCH_SIZE), 10),
+        flushIntervalMs: settings.observabilityFlushIntervalMs || parseInt(process.env.OBSERVABILITY_FLUSH_INTERVAL_MS || String(DEFAULT_FLUSH_INTERVAL_MS), 10),
+        maxJsonSize: (settings.observabilityMaxJsonSize || parseInt(process.env.OBSERVABILITY_MAX_JSON_SIZE || "5", 10)) * 1024,
+      };
+      cachedConfigTs = Date.now();
+      return cachedConfig;
+    }
+    const envFallback = process.env.OBSERVABILITY_ENABLED !== "false";
+    const uiFlag = typeof settings.enableObservability === "boolean";
+    const enabled = uiFlag
+      ? settings.enableObservability
+      : envFallback;
+
     cachedConfig = {
       enabled,
       maxRecords: settings.observabilityMaxRecords || parseInt(process.env.OBSERVABILITY_MAX_RECORDS || String(DEFAULT_MAX_RECORDS), 10),
@@ -125,7 +140,7 @@ async function flushToDatabase() {
 
 export async function saveRequestDetail(detail) {
   const config = await getObservabilityConfig();
-  if (!config.enabled) return;
+  if (!config.enabled) {return;}
 
   writeBuffer.push(detail);
 
diff --git a/src/lib/db/repos/settingsRepo.js b/src/lib/db/repos/settingsRepo.js
index 0f53eecf..1abe4360 100644
--- a/src/lib/db/repos/settingsRepo.js
+++ b/src/lib/db/repos/settingsRepo.js
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ const DEFAULT_SETTINGS = {
   oidcClientSecret: "",
   oidcScopes: "openid profile email",
   oidcLoginLabel: "Sign in with OIDC",
-  enableObservability: true,
+  enableObservability: false,
   observabilityMaxRecords: 1000,
   observabilityBatchSize: 20,
   observabilityFlushIntervalMs: 5000,
@@ -83,13 +83,13 @@ export async function getSettings() {
 export async function updateSettings(updates) {
   const db = await getAdapter();
   let next;
-  db.transaction(() => {
+  db.transaction(function () {
     const row = db.get(`SELECT data FROM settings WHERE id = 1`);
     const current = row ? parseJson(row.data, {}) : {};
     next = { ...current, ...updates };
     db.run(
       `INSERT INTO settings(id, data) VALUES(1, ?) ON CONFLICT(id) DO UPDATE SET data = excluded.data`,
-      [stringifyJson(next)]
+      [stringifyJson(next)],
     );
   });
   return mergeWithDefaults(next);