diff --git a/spring-cloud-bindings-tests/README.md b/spring-cloud-bindings-tests/README.md
index cabe47e..d52988b 100644
--- a/spring-cloud-bindings-tests/README.md
+++ b/spring-cloud-bindings-tests/README.md
@@ -13,4 +13,4 @@ In a Spring Boot 3 application, the mapping needs to be different because of cha
 
 This module runs an application, based on Spring Boot 3, and checks whether the `RedisConnectionFactory` properly picked up the `spring.data.redis.port` and `spring.data.redis.host` values.
 
-Pay attention to the 2 environment variables set in the `pom.xml` that set the `JAVA_TOOL_OPTIONS` and `SERVICE_BINDING_ROOT` - they allow Spring Boot Bindings to load the proper configuration in `bindings/redis`
\ No newline at end of file
+Pay attention to the 2 environment variables set in the `pom.xml` that set `SERVICE_BINDING_ROOT` - they allow Spring Boot Bindings to load the proper configuration in `bindings/redis`
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/spring-cloud-bindings-tests/pom.xml b/spring-cloud-bindings-tests/pom.xml
index 6be8093..315917e 100644
--- a/spring-cloud-bindings-tests/pom.xml
+++ b/spring-cloud-bindings-tests/pom.xml
@@ -64,7 +64,6 @@
 					<forkCount>1</forkCount>
 					<reuseForks>false</reuseForks>
 					<environmentVariables>
-						<JAVA_TOOL_OPTIONS>-Dorg.springframework.cloud.bindings.boot.enable=true</JAVA_TOOL_OPTIONS>
 						<SERVICE_BINDING_ROOT>${basedir}/src/test/resources/bindings</SERVICE_BINDING_ROOT>
 					</environmentVariables>
 					<argLine>-Xmx1024m</argLine>
diff --git a/spring-cloud-bindings/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/bindings/boot/Guards.java b/spring-cloud-bindings/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/bindings/boot/Guards.java
index 6316a35..f7c858b 100644
--- a/spring-cloud-bindings/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/bindings/boot/Guards.java
+++ b/spring-cloud-bindings/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/bindings/boot/Guards.java
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ import org.springframework.core.env.Environment;
 final class Guards {
 
     static boolean isGlobalEnabled(Environment environment) {
-        return environment.getProperty("org.springframework.cloud.bindings.boot.enable", Boolean.class, false);
+        return environment.getProperty("org.springframework.cloud.bindings.boot.enable", Boolean.class, true);
     }
 
     static boolean isTypeEnabled(Environment environment, String type) {
diff --git a/spring-cloud-bindings/src/test/java/org/springframework/cloud/bindings/boot/GuardsTest.java b/spring-cloud-bindings/src/test/java/org/springframework/cloud/bindings/boot/GuardsTest.java
index 33271a7..f221962 100644
--- a/spring-cloud-bindings/src/test/java/org/springframework/cloud/bindings/boot/GuardsTest.java
+++ b/spring-cloud-bindings/src/test/java/org/springframework/cloud/bindings/boot/GuardsTest.java
@@ -35,9 +35,9 @@ final class GuardsTest {
         private final MockEnvironment environment = new MockEnvironment();
 
         @Test
-        @DisplayName("returns false if unset")
+        @DisplayName("returns true if unset")
         void unset() {
-            assertThat(isGlobalEnabled(environment)).isFalse();
+            assertThat(isGlobalEnabled(environment)).isTrue();
         }
 
         @Test